Some wedding pictures ... more to follow later

Thoughts for Blair

Hi all,

My brother-in-law Blair recently suffered a severe knee injury (due to a small house fire - long story, but the house is okay) and had surgery today. Please send out thoughts and prayers (if you pray) for him and my sister Amanda, as his recovery is going to be long and painful. Thanks!

NY wedding weekend

B and I went out to New York over the last weekend in June to attend B's cousin Liz's wedding. As usual, my bad travel luck reared its ugly head. We were scheduled to fly to LaGuardia on Friday evening, and we arrived at the airport with time to spare. However, as we sat waiting, we heard rumblings that the flight was canceled. Because we really needed to get to NYC that night (our car rental was waiting, etc.), I ran to the counter to get in line. The agent came out and confirmed that our flight was indeed canceled due to bad weather. He gave us two options: catch a flight in the morning or try to catch a flight to JFK that was leaving at about the same time as the LaGuardia flight. We desperately needed the JFK flight, and I was trying hard to hold our space in line. However, people kept cutting in front of me. I called B over (she was on the phone with NWA) and explained what was happening. She then told the people cutting in front to back off and that we were going to return to our place in line. It was awesome. I wish I had that much chutzpah, but I don't. She also helped someone else who was cut off by grabbing her boarding pass and saying she was with us. Brilliant!

Anyway, we got our boarding passes for the JFK flight and ran over to that gate to board. We were already worried about our luggage (stupidly, I decided that we should check a bag, as we needed to bring both dress clothes and casual clothes. I don't know why I did this, as I know better.). The flight attendants told us that the ground crew was going to try to transfer our bags, and we figured they probably would, as they had almost a full hour to do so. Alas, we arrived at JFK but our bag did not. B managed to be first in line at luggage service desk (we had a bad feeling so she decided to wait there while I stood at the conveyor belt). Unfortunately, the woman helping her had NO clue what she was doing. B had to help her fill out the form on the computer, and even then, she almost reversed our home address with the hotel address. It took this woman FOREVER to help just B - I can't imagine how long the rest of the folks were waiting.

Not only did we not have our luggage at this point, but we also had no way to get to our rental car, which was at LaGuardia. Fortunately, B was able to reach her cousin Jenni and her husband Rob, who graciously and generously agreed to pick us up at JFK and to take us to the car rental shop. This was especially kind, as our flight was delayed and then we had to wait to file the missing bag claim - I think it was well after midnight when we were able to leave the airport.

After Rob and Jenni dropped us off, we decided to try to find a 24-hour store out on Long Island so we could at least buy toothbrushes. Oddly, every store on Long Island, including gas stations, must close at 1o or midnight, as nothing was open. We finally gave up and went to the hotel. We were able to purchase a few basics there, and finally went to bed at 2:30 or so.

The next day, Saturday morning, we called about our luggage. We figured it might arrive that morning even, as there are tons of direct flights from MSP to NYC. However, NWA had NO idea where our bag was - none, nada, zero, zilch. WTF?! As someone said, how is it that UPS can track millions of packages, some tiny, some huge, etc., always knowing where they are, but the airlines can't manage to move bags 100 yards from one gate to another without losing (or damaging) them? And how can the bag go from on the plane to completely lost??? What happens there? I'm very curious, and if anyone knows what happens at airports, let me know. I need a behind the scenes tour!

Anyway, also on Saturday morning, the whole gang (B's parents, B's siblings/significant others and kids plus me) went to Huntington Station to look around. I wasn't too impressed with the area - nothing special. After that, we went to Liz's and Justin's pre-reception, and I met TONS of B's family members. I had a good time at that, despite having to wear the same clothes as I wore on Friday (jeans and a polo, not exactly appropriate attire, but oh well).

After the pre-reception, and after learning we weren't going to be receiving our luggage any time soon (NWA still had no clue where it was), we decided we better go buy some new clothes. Fortunately, our dress clothes/shoes and pajamas were in our carry on, but we really had very little other than that. We found a local Target and bought some shorts and polos - what a waste of money, as we didn't really plan on buying clothes in New York! Sigh. After our shopping adventure, the family took Rich and Marleen out to a local Indian restaurant to celebrate their 35 anniversary - congrats!

Sunday was the big day - Liz and Justin's wedding! As I mentioned, we had our dress clothes, so we were in good shape for this. The wedding was at a country club in Long Island - quite nice. Unfortunately, I didn't figure out the ceremony was outside until that day...and I didn't really wear the best clothes for a hot, sunny day. Oh well, I was fine. I felt bad for the elderly though - most of them had to flee to the shade! Overall, I had a great time at the wedding and the reception. Liz and Justin are so genuinely happy that it's hard not to be happy for them. I hope their marriage brings them nothing but joy. Oh, a funny sidenote - I "caught" the bouquet. Really, Liz threw it so hard at me that it bounced off my legs and I just picked it up. I guess this means that B and I better follow through with our wedding plans! ;)

After the wedding (which was in the late morning), some of the family decided to go to Jones Beach, a state park in Long Island. We walked along the boardwalk (it was quite cold by the water so no swimming for me), and had a nice time. As we were walking back to our cars, B noticed a motorcycle accident on the side of the road. Because she had just renewed her CPR and first aid certification, she decided to go up and offer her help. The motorcyclist, Rich, had made it to the grass, but it was clear he was in significant pain. B told one woman to call 911 and then assessed the situation. She looked at Rich's eyes and then asked him to sit down. He made it onto the grass and leaned back, and despite our efforts to keep him talking, he lost consciousness. I was holding his hand when this happened, and all I could think was, "dear God, don't let this guy die right in front of me." B then instructed us to rip his shirt off in preparation to do CPR. Fortunately, she could then see that he was still breathing (shallowly), and she found his pulse, which was weak. Rich then suddenly awoke and became quite belligerent, yelling at us and asking who we were. Luckily, his friend was there and told him what happened, and he let B keep helping him. He then lost consciousness again, and B monitored his breathing/heart rate. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the beach EMT arrived (B's dad Rich ran to the beach to find them). B asked if he needed a second for CPR, but the EMT said his partner could handle it. Not wanting to get in the way, we left, not knowing whether Rich made it or not. I hope he did. It was quite scary, and I was definitely jittery afterward. I was also extremely proud of B - she was quite heroic, and I think she gave that guy a chance to live by acting quickly and handling the scene. Amazing, really amazing! My baby rocks!

After all that excitement, we went back to the hotel and then out for some Italian food. Then it was time for bed (our luggage still hadn't arrived btw), as we had to head into the city in the morning for breakfast with B's grandparents and to catch our flight home.

On Monday morning, as we were getting ready to go to the airport, NWA called us and said, your bag is at LaGuardia - do you want us to deliver it? Hello morons, we are now on our way back to Minneapolis! B asked them to put it on the plane, but they refused and said we had to come get it. Seriously? NWA is ridiculous. Unfortunately, we hadn't built that scenario into our travel plans, and we weren't sure we could make our flight if we had to add that extra step, especially after we got lost on the way to the airport (one of the major roads was closed). B called NWA back and basically said, "you will put that bag on the plane," and they relented.

After a crazy ride, we arrived at the airport and barely made our flight - I HATE when we cut it that close. I really don't want to do that again. As we waited in the security line, we ran into Mike, Aviva, and the boys (they also got lost), so we helped them through security and with boarding. The flight home was fairly smooth, and by some miracle, our bag was waiting for us at the MSP baggage claim. Ironically, it had a RUSH tag on it. Ha! Clearly that didn't happen. Oh well, at least we had it - I was starting to worry that it was lost forever, and I had a lot of my favorite clothes/shoes in there.

After that hectic trip, B declared that she is done with traveling for a while. It's just too stressful, and the airlines are a BIG part of that. I think I agree with her, at least somewhat - maybe I shouldn't travel for a while either. The travel gods seem to hate me (my flight home from London was canceled in 2007, forcing me to stay an extra day after 40 days away from home, my luggage was lost for five days at the beginning of my Jerusalem trip, my first flight on the way to Jerusalem was canceled, a 2007 flight to Florida was canceled and we almost missed the entire weekend trip, one of my suitcases was once lost and returned to me with a hole and a tire track over it, etc.). I seriously do not have good travel luck - perhaps the next step is a plane crash, and I certainly don't want to tempt fate! :)

All in all though, despite the travel woes, I had a great time in NY, and I'm so glad I got to be a part of Liz and Justin's wedding celebration. I love weddings. I also really enjoyed hanging out with B's immediate family and meeting her extended family, as I had heard so much about all of them. Now I can't wait until our wedding in September - yay!

PS - NWA gets the idiot of the week award. Really, all airlines probably deserve the award permanently, but I'll go with the week for now. I only have so much power after all. Haha!

MS Walks 2009

This year, I participated in TWO MS Walks, one in Fargo, ND, and the annual walk I do in Minneapolis. B. participated in her first walk this year as well, in Fargo. She raised well over $500 for the cause - awesome!

Why two walks you ask? Well, Amanda lives in Fargo, and she was chosen to be the walk ambassador or grand marshal up there! What an honor! Tons of people from her school community came out and walked for her (Wildcat Walkers), and I think she organized the biggest team by far. I was incredibly proud of her, and I was also very touched to see how many lives she has affected. She is clearly adored by her community, and it was wonderful to be a part of that. What an honor! Really, pretty neat.

The walk in Fargo went really well - the weather was perfect, and the community made a big deal out of it. A drum corps came to lead us, a local radio station hosted the pre-walk, the local mascots cheered us on, and the Walk even made the news (we saw Manda leading us out - pretty dang awesome!). I think they managed to raise a decent amount of money as well, which is the point of the walk after all. Plus, I got to spend the day with my family - everyone but Trav made it there. That was REALLY nice, as I miss everyone. I hate that my sisters live far away. Anyway, the Fargo walk was a great success, and I'm glad B and I could participate!

The Twin Cities walk was also a great success this year, though their fundraising efforts were really hurt by the economy. That sucks, as MS doesn't stop during recessions. Depite the disappointing results, the walk was a blast. Dad and I enjoyed PERFECT weather, I wasn't nearly killed by a flying tent, and we finished the walk in a little more than 2 hours - not too bad for a 6.5 mile walk! I managed to make my fundraising goal, but mostly because of one extremely generous donor - my mom! To everyone who donated, thank you so much! I will be sending formal thank yous and receipts soon - I apologize for the long delay, but the house, work, and the wedding have been kicking my butt! I hope you'll forgive me and continue to support me in future walks. :) I hope to be better next year.

Going to the Chapel...

B and I are engaged! We have been talking about having kids sooner rather than later, but we also agreed that we should probably have a formal ceremony BEFORE the kids. I know the need for a formal ceremony before kids seems odd, as we can't legally marry in Minnesota, but it just feels like the right thing to do.

My proposal wasn't particularly romantic, as we were hanging out at home and I didn't even have a ring (at least I got her a house!) but she still said yes! We immediately began calling and texting our family, and we've been non-stop wedding planning since then, as we chose September 6, 2009 (the Sunday of Labor day weekend) to get married.

Some of your might be thinking, a Sunday wedding? On Labor Day weekend? Well, we chose a Sunday wedding date as most Jews don't marry on Shabbat. We chose the holiday weekend because it allows folks from out of town (most of the wedding party and most of B's family and friends) to attend our wedding without missing work, which is something we felt strongly about. Both of my sisters and my best friend all live out of town, and so do most of B's friends and family. I already feel like weddings are a huge hassle for those invited and those participating, so I didn't think it was fair to make them miss work too. Unfortunately, our choice of date has caused some controversy which I won't explain here, but we are sticking with it regardless. It works for us, and it works well for almost everyone that we want to be there and to be a part of the ceremony. Plus, we had chosen that weekend BEFORE we knew what the date was. Sigh. I wish things were easier and that we were surrounded with happiness and joy, but that isn't how life always works. :) I just wish people would let B and I do our thing and be happy for us.

In good news, my sisters, my best friend, B's friend Tracy, our parents, and most others have been great about the announcement. In fact, B's friend Tracy already took her shopping for her gown, and they ordered one yesterday! They also picked the bridal party color, which is great. Wow! I guess I need to find my suit ASAP. :) Also, my sisters have offered to fly in to host a shower for us - again, wow! How generous! I'm not sure we need a shower, as I sort of feel like it's a racket for gifts, but maybe we will do one anyway. Further, we might have a ceremony/reception location lined up, and the guest list in in full swing too. I can't believe how much is involved in wedding planning - another wow!

Speaking of wedding planning, I think the whole wedding thing is sort of insane. To be clear, I don't have a problem with marriage, but rather this idea of weddings we have in America. I read a mind boggling statistic the other day - the average cost of a wedding in America is $28,000. $28,000?!? That is an awesome down payment on a house, or a year's worth of school at a private college! At my core, I'm really a practical person and I've always felt uneasy about the cost/pomp and circumstance of weddings. Despite that unease, I'm very happy to marry B. I would marry her even if it was just the two of us in a courthouse (not that we can do that in Minnesota) or up on the north shore. I don't need the big, expensive ceremony and everything, including the drama, that goes with it. However, I think the wedding could be a lot of fun too, and I think B would like a nice one, so off we go into this great adventure. Good thing we have Tracy, Samantha, Amanda, and many others in our lives - I can already tell they are going to make the next four months a LOT easier. Thanks, guys!

I'm getting married - woo hoo!

2009 MS Walk - I need your help!

Below is the letter I sent out asking for donations for the 2009 MS Walk. I sincerely hope you will consider supporting me for this year's walk, my 11th! The links to do so are in the letter below.

However, my sister Amanda, who actually has MS, is the co-captain of the Wildcat Walkers, a team of her fellow teachers, school administrators and staff, and students participating in the Fargo MS Walk. So, if you don't feel like supporting me, please consider supporting Amanda or her team by following the link above or below. If she doesn't inspire you, I'm not sure what will. Either way, the money goes to a great cause - perhaps you can split your annual donation between the two of us this year.

One more option (not a lesser one by any means): my sister Samantha is also walking this year, and clearly she is also worthy of your support. Contact her if you want to support her, or perhaps you can split your donation into thirds. Anyway, there you have it - you get to choose a Schmid girl or help all three! How can you possibly go wrong? :)

Know that if you do choose to support one or all of us, your support means the world to me, Amanda and our family, and every other person suffering from the devastating effects of MS. Thanks so much.

Finally, here's the letter I sent out (with my links):

Dear friends and family,

As some of you might know, my sister Amanda has multiple sclerosis (MS). Every year since her diagnosis in 1998, I have walked in the MS Walk, and this year's walk on May 3 will be my 11th walk! Please read below for more information on MS and the MS Society.

Last year, with your generosity, I was able to raise $2,000 and I would love to at least match that amount this year. So, I need your help! You can pledge me three different ways: 1) online (see the links below or go to http://www.nationalmssociety.org/MNM/home/ and click on E-pledge), 2) by check (to the MS Society), or 3) with cash. Please contact me directly if you want to send cash or a check and I will provide my address. I need to turn my pledges in the day of the Walk, so time is important. Also, your donation IS tax deductible, so please let me know if you need a receipt.

Every year I'm amazed by your generosity, and I'm deeply grateful for your support. Thanks so much!

Love,
Schmiddy

Information from the MS Society:

Multiple sclerosis stops people from moving. I want to make sure it doesn't. That's why I'm walking in Walk MS: Twin Cities Walk. I hope you will also make your mark against MS by supporting my fundraising efforts.Your tax-deductible gift keeps the National MS Society moving toward a world free of multiple sclerosis by funding cutting-edge research and supporting programs for people living with MS.

Movement is something many of us take for granted, but for people living with MS movement isn't a guarantee. Support me and together we'll move forward on behalf of those who may not be able to do so themselves. You can donate online by clicking on the link at the bottom of this message or by sending your gift to the address below.P.S. For more information about the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, how proceeds from Walk MS are used or the other ways you can join the movement, please visit mssociety.org.

Click here to visit my personal page. If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/MNMWalkEvents?px=1885649&pg=personal&fr_id=9611&s_tafId=91510

Family Fun (or Insanity)

This weekend has been filled with family fun and craziness. By some odd stroke of fate, B's entire family and my entire family were all in town this weekend, so we were crazy busy. B's family arrived Friday night, so she and I headed over to my apartment in Saint Paul for the night. I can't remember the last time I had slept there, but I do know that I LOVE LOVE LOVE my bed. So much so that I actually miss my bed. B's bed just can't compare. I can't wait until we finally combine our households permanently, as I will get to sleep on my bed all the time (if B will let us).

Anyway, we woke up early on Saturday morning to go see a few houses in NE Mpls (none that we want to buy), and then it was off to Chaska to visit with my family. It was great to be there with both my sisters present - that doesn't happen often. I really miss both of them. I actually miss my parents too, as I don't see them all that often. Sad, since they only live 45 minutes away. I should work on that I guess, but life has been crazy.

After lunch and some time hanging out (and meeting my mom's new cat), we went back to Mpls to have dinner with B's family. We went to Taste of India, which I really love. After that, we went back to the Mpls apartment (where we normally live) and hung out for a bit. We left there by 9, and I think I was sound asleep by 11 pm (in my awesome bed!).

Sunday, we had to wake up relatively early again, this time for Charlie's birthday party. I wasn't sure I would make it, as I was feeling really sick this morning, but I sucked it up and got ready (it didn't seem right to blow off a three year old's birthday party). The party was quite fun, and I'm glad I went. Charlie loved the Little Einsteins card we gave him - maybe more than some of the presents he received! Good stuff.

After the party, B, her sister Rachel, and I headed back to Saint Paul. Rachel's flight home isn't until 10:30 or so. My sister Samantha also joined us at the apartment for an hour or so before she had to catch her flight back to Seattle. We all played a little guitar hero (Rachel had never played before - a GH virgin! who knew such folks still existed?), and then it was time for Samantha to head out. I was sad to see her go. I wish she hadn't moved, but there's not much I can do about that. It sucks that both of my sisters live out of town. :(

Right now, I'm trying to do a few loads of laundry (we have about 3 million after a weekend of visitors) and B and Rachel are sitting on the couch watching The Holiday. Actually, it seems that Rachel has fallen asleep, and now B just told me she is going to take a nap too. I'm incredibly exhausted (and slightly crabby too), and I should probably nap as well. Probably won't happen though, as I want to finish this laundry before we head out for another dinner. I might wind up skipping the dinner altogether, as it's going to be at Benihana and I've already had a disastrous WW day. Sigh. I thought I might lose this week, but today probably killed that dream. No self control at Charlie's bday party. Oh well. Tomorrow is a new day!

Anyway, despite the craziness, it was a good weekend. If only I could take tomorrow off to recover from it...alas, I have WAY too much to accomplish at work this week. Sleep when you're dead, right? :)

One of the worst places to live?

The Pew Research Center recently released a poll ranking people's choices for the U.S. cities in which they would like to live. I believe the institute surveyed 2,000+ people or so. The results? Minneapolis-Saint Paul came in 26 out of 30. Only Kansas City, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Detroit ranked lower. OUCH! Cities like Houston, Las Vegas, Saint Louis, Dallas, Phoenix, and Pittsburgh beat us. Double OUCH (Houston especially - that place is just awful)! I believe Denver came in first, San Diego second and Seattle third.

I have mixed thoughts on this survey. It definitely stung, as I have a lot of hometown pride. However, as we are enduring the worst winter since 1984, I can see why people would not want to live here. It's brutally cold in the winter, disgustingly muggy in the summer, and super sloppy in the spring (when we get a spring). We do have fantastic autumns here, so that's at least something. I get it though - the climate sucks for most of the year. And as it turns out, people really valued climate, particularly warmth, in their choices (though how Seattle came in third then is beyond me - hello no sun for half the year!). Also, most people who move here say it's extraordinarily difficult to break into a group of friends; basically that Minnesota Nice only exists on a surface level. Again, I have to admit they are probably right - I've actually known people who have said that their lives are full and that they don't need any more friends. Obviously, that sort of attitude doesn't help newcomers feel welcome. Plus, the level of passive-aggressiveness that exists here is insane! So much so that some of B's coworkers don't get her when she's just herself - speaks her mind and is completely honest and direct. Hell, sometimes even I don't get that - I'm always searching for the underlying truth of her statements. Clearly, that passive-aggressive thing was hammered into me.

Despite all the bad things about the Twin Cities, I still love it here. And I think others would too, if they gave it a shot. We have fantastic parks, lakes, and trails. We have good schools (Minnesota consistently ranks in the top 5 in the nation), and we have activities for all - all four major sports leagues have teams here, we have a WNBA team and a professional soccer league team, we have fantastic arts (consistently ranking near the top for regional theater, with the Lion King debuting here. Also, the Frida Kahlo show opened its U.S. tour here), and a decent night life (obviously not like NYC). For a city of this size, I think all that stuff is pretty damn good! Also, within 2.5 hours, you can be hanging out in Duluth and exploring Lake Superior, or within 4-5 hours, you can be off exploring the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area. I'm not sure how you beat that.

Maybe there is a lesson for us Minnesotans to learn from this survey: if we want people to move here and endure our brutal climate, we must be kinder and more open to newcomers. No one wants to move anywhere they can't make friends (my sister Samantha is struggling to make friends in Seattle now, and it took Sarah a full year to break in to a group in Northampton - that's hard stuff)! It doesn't help that most Minnesotans grew up here, which means they have a lifetime of built in friends and acquaintances. This also means a lifetime of familial and friend obligations as well. This phenomenon results in busy, full schedules and a crazy social calendar at times. However, it probably wouldn't be that hard to open our doors and our hearts to new folks from time to time. And really, we would probably benefit more from it than the newcomers in the long run anyway. Insularity is NOT a good thing, as it stifles learning and personal growth amongst other things.

Perhaps I should make it a goal to try to meet some new folks this year, sort of a belated New Year's resolution if you can call it that. I think I like that idea. Perhaps we should all give it a shot! Now I just need to figure out how to go about doing that...stay tuned.

A glimpse of parenthood

Last weekend, B and I watched her nephews Charlie and Mathis on Saturday night. Mathis only stayed for a few hours, and Charlie stayed over for the night. I love when we watch the boys, but it definitely gives me a glimpse of the future, aka PARENTHOOD! I think B and I do quite well with the boys, especially B (she really is much better). However, I think I might wind up being too much of a softy. An example: I was in charge of Charlie by myself on Sunday morning. I made him pancakes for breakfast. He barely ate anything, so I asked him if he wanted something different. He turned to me and said, macaroni and cheese. Now, it was only about 8 am at this point, so really, it was too early for mac and cheese. Being the sucker I am however, I went back into the kitchen and proceeded to make mac and cheese for breakfast! What a pushover! In my defense, he had been sick for a few weeks before, and I wanted him to eat something, no matter what it was. Still...weak!

Obviously Charlie is not my son, and I think it's okay for him to have fun with us; the home rules don't necessarily need to be enforced strictly here (within reason of course). However, as I made mac and cheese at 8 am, I worried that maybe I will be too easy on my own kids. I like to think I won't, but it's hard to say. I do know I won't have time to make multiple meals (well, really, B will be cooking), I will want clear rules, etc. Regardless, I can see how easy it is to let the child run the show...if he's happy, I am happy, at least in the short run. The problem is the long run...it will be our job to set boundaries and rules so our kids grow up to be decent people. That will mean making decisions that bring tears and arguments, and as the kids get older, it will mean slamming doors and the silent treatment. Through it all, it will be our job to stay strong and draw the line...no mac and cheese in the morning is just the beginning. Scary, exciting stuff, and I'm excited to begin that journey some day.

Thirty!

I've now lost 30 pounds on Weight Watchers! THIRTY, 3 - 0! Yeah! This week's loss was especially crazy, considering how I ate when I was in Neenah with B and her family. To really demonstrate how amazing 30 lbs is, here are a few examples of things that weigh 30 lbs:

• Matty's giant bag of dog food (that is an excellent visual)
• 6 bags of flour
• 30 boxes of butter
• 1 big bucket of kitty litter (yikes, I know how heavy those feel when I'm hauling them in from the car)
• 3 10 lb bowling balls
• 1.67 Tonys (my big orange cat)
• 1/2 of Matty the dog
• My lawschool backpack (okay, that's probably an exaggeration).

I think you get the point - 30 lbs is a significant amount of weight. My clothes are starting to be ridiculously big; I have to cinch all my pants, and I laugh at myself when I look in the mirror before work. I guess that's a good ridiculous though, right? Also, my knee feels a lot better, which is fantastic. My health, especially my knee, was my biggest reason for starting this journey, and I think my work is already paying off in that department.

In bad news, I haven't been to the gym in a LONG time. I also haven't played volleyball for over a month. Illness and work (and let's be honest, some laziness) have kept me from both activities. I was planning on going to the gym tonight, but I may go to bed instead. At 8 pm. Yes, I know I'm only 32 and not 82, but I'm tired. Work has been stressful as of late, and I still don't think I've completely recovered from the blackhole of sickness. So, the gym will have to wait yet another day. The personal trainer may kill me, as I haven't worked out once since we met last week. Oh well.

As I travel along this weight loss journey, I'm discovering there are a few food staples that I need to survive:

• Soup - I eat a lot of soup. Always have though, so this isn't that different
• 94% Fat Free Popcorn - this is a new one, as I used to hate popcorn. However, my weakness is salty, snacky type food (not sweets at all), and popcorn fulfills those cravings for me. I'm eating some as I write this!
• High fiber bread and lean lunch meat. I LOVE sandwiches, so I needed to find bread I can eat. I found bread that I enjoy, and it's only 1 point a slice (good, hearty bread)
• Fruit - bananas, clementines (tons of those), apples, pears, fruit cups, etc. I love fruit.
• Oatmeal - maple and brown sugar, lower sugar, almost every single morning
• Malt O'Meal - love it
• Eggs
  
• Smart Ones meals - I take one for lunch almost every single day
• Fat free Yogurt
• Babybel light cheese (LOVE this)
• Weight Watchers ice cream treats, especially the 1 point fudge bars
• Chicken breast
  
• Baked potatoes
• 100 calorie snack packs, especially the cheez it party mix. Yum!
• 60 calorie Jell-O pudding cups (70 calorie for Rice pudding)
  
• 10 calorie Jell-O cups
• Refried beans
• Canned green beans
• Diet coke (or other diet soda). I know, I know. I'm supposed to drink a lot of water. But I just like Diet Coke a lot more. I try to drink more water, but a girl can only change so much at once. :)
  

There you have it - my life in food for the last three months or so. I'm probaby forgetting a few things, but I think that at least provides a glimpse. Additionally, B often cooks for me, so I'm really blessed in that department. Her help is especially important right now, as I've sort of hit a motivational wall. To help me overcome that wall, she told me to pick five new recipes from the Weight Watchers cookbook for her to make. It doesn't get much better than that, right?

I know I always say this, but I hope I can find the willpower to continue on this journey. The first 30 pounds weren't easy per se, but they also weren't that hard. From past experience, I know the last 30 will be absolutely brutal. However, I might be getting a little too far ahead of myself here, as I have the middle 30 to lose before I even get to the last 30. Yikes - how did I let my weight get so out of control? That's simply mind boggling to me. Alas, it happened, and all I can do now is work on repairing the damage. So far, so good, right?

As usual, I'm open to tips/advice on new food, work out ideas, etc. Only you can help me prevent food boredom, friends and family. I need you! Here's to losing the "middle" 30!

Seattle Stories

As I've mentioned before, my sister Samantha and brother in law Travis moved to Seattle last year (sad). So, B and I decided to go visit them to celebrate the new year, as we miss them and neither of us had ever been to Seattle. We left on December 31 and stayed until January 4 - the longest vacation B's had in a LONG time. I felt happy she could take some time off and even happier we got to spend it together. :)

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I started to get sick on the Monday before New Year's Eve. By the time we left for Seattle, I wasn't feeling all that great. However, I was determined to push past it for B, my sister, and for myself, as I wanted to enjoy the trip and to see the city. Overall, I think I did okay. Here's a run down of the five day weekend:

Wednesday:
We arrived safely in Seattle, and our checked bag did too - yay! I never take that for granted after the five day outfit in Israel! Samantha was waiting for us, and we were soon on our way to her place in Kent, a suburb of Seattle.

Unfortunately, we saw something horrible along the way. As we waited to turn left at a busy intersection, we noticed a guy crossing the road we were attempting to turn on, against the light. He appeared to be intoxicated, and was trying to stop traffic by holding up his hand as he walked as his friends watched. The cars whizzed by him, but he made it halfway. I thought he would stop at that point, but unfortunately he continued on. One car missed him by inches, and then suddenly I heard a horrible bang. A car had smashed directly into him, and he flew into the air with such force that his pants came off. We thought for sure he was dead, and we wanted to stay as witnesses for the driver (the poor person had no chance, as it was dark, rainy, uphill, he had the green light, and the guy was wearing dark clothing). However, we were forced to turn left onto the road, and then turned around as soon as we could. We passed the scene, and we could see the EMTs/paramedics treating him as if he was still alive. Unfortunately though, there was no place for us to pull off safely. We really have no idea if the guy lived or died, and we couldn't vouch for the driver. Yuck.

After all that, we were quite shaken up, and we couldn't stop talking about it for a while. Clearly the guy was an idiot, but no one deserves to die for that. I hope he made it, and I hope the driver can find some peace too. Any one of us could have been that driver, and I think we all recognized that. Life is crazy!

We eventually collected our wits and continued on to arrive safely in Kent. Samantha and Travis's new home is great! Huge, lots of space, nice floor plan, etc. We even had our own guest room (now called our room I believe!). Since it was new year's eve, we debated whether we should head into the city to see the fireworks. Ultimately, we decided to stay in and play rock band, as it was chilly and rainy. We had a great time and went to bed not too long after midnight (it was after 2:00 CST afterall).

Thursday:
On Thursday, the four of us went to the Space Needle and the Experience Music Project museum. I thought the space needle was great, and I really enjoyed the views of the city. It was definitely cold and windy on the outside observation deck though - yikes! I also enjoyed the EMP, but not as much as I thought I might. The visit confirmed that I have NO musical talent, but I still manage to look pretty dang good rocking out with the instruments. Too bad there has to be sound! :-P

On Thursday evening, we went to dinner at a restaurant in Kent, the Zephyr - it was not great. They were out of a ton of stuff, and they screwed up the meals. They torched my salmon and then served it with some sort of rice that smelled so bad that Samantha wouldn't even taste it! I tried it, and it was NOT good. After dinner, we went back to the house and chilled - a good day.

Friday:
On Friday, I felt horrible in the morning, so I stayed in bed to sleep. Samantha and Beth went to Silverdale to run some errands and passed through Tacoma on the way. Beth can now legitimately sing that song that goes, "I've been to Phoenix, Arizona all the way to Tacoma, Philadelphia, Atlanta, LA" as she's been to all those places. Pretty cool. Anyway, they were kind enough to stop for meds and tea for me, and when they arrived home, I got ready to leave the house (slowly).

When I was ready, we journeyed back into Seattle to visit Pike's Market, and I loved it. Samantha said it was not really busy, so I can't imagine what it's normally like! I loved looking at all the stuff for sale, and I loved the view of the water (was that Puget Sound? I forget.). We enjoyed some delicious crepes and then bought some dried fruit (most of which we forgot in Seattle - bummer. Samantha, please enjoy it for us!). We walked around for a long time, and we saw the place where they throw the fish and the first ever Starbucks too! I definitely loved the market, and I think I would frequent it often if I lived out there.

After the market, we visited Samantha's church. It was nice to see where she sings each week. The place is huge - comparable to the Basilica or Cathedral here. Very nice - they are lucky to have her, as she's quite talented. She didn't even have to audition, as her experience preceded her. Nice!

After visiting the church, we decided to head back toward Kent. Samantha drove us past Safeco and Qwest fields - cool to see. I am looking forward to catching a Mariners' game at Safeco in the future!

As we drove back to the burbs, we decided we wanted Chipotle. Samantha suggested we stop at the one in Tukwila (another suburb), but I stupidly said let's get it in Kent so it will be warm. We agreed that was a good idea, and went to the Kent Chipotle...where it turns out they had no food to make burritos. Literally - no tortillas, no salsas, and no spices for the meat. Unfortunately, they didn't tell Samantha until AFTER she had ordered. I said no thanks, not going to waste points on horrible, non-Chipotle, Chipotle. We were all bummed, as we were craving Chipotle big time. In fact, we were so bummed that we decided to go BACK to Tukwila to actually order decent food. We arrived to find a well stocked restaurant, and then finally we were on our way back to Kent. That was a delicious burrito, well worth the drive in my opinion. Thanks, Samantha!

Saturday:
On Saturday, Samantha made us a delicious breakfast of pancakes, bacon, and the spicy potatoes B taught her to make (if you hadn't noticed, I fell off the Weight Watchers wagon in Seattle. Oh well). After that, B, Samantha, and I headed into the city for the Underground Tour. Like Jerusalem, Seattle is a city on top of an older version of itself. It's a long story that I don't feel like explaining, but basically you can go underground and see parts of the old town as it existed before being trumped, literally. I really enjoyed the tour, as the guides were informative and hilarious. B really enjoyed it too, and that made me happy, as she was really looking forward to it.

Oh, before the tour, we visited Samantha's office at Amazon. She works in the tallest building in Seattle, and her desk provides a view of Mt. Rainier on clear days. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate so we couldn't see the mountain. Oh well - it was neat to see where Samantha spends her days!

After the tour, we went to a really cool toy store (Magic Mouse?), and Samantha bought a fun new game - the Smartass Game. I think that's the right name. After the toy store, we hit up a local Italian restaurant, DeNunzios. The place was a riot, as it was a tiny joint in a basement (continuing our underground theme) with a crazy host/waiter. The waiter, Tonelli, a flaming gay man, literally made me spit out my gum, though I'm not sure why, as the place was in a BASEMENT for pete's sake. Not a four star joint. Probably not even three, but B and Samantha thought that was hilarious. Anyway, we enjoyed our meals and each other's company (and we even enjoyed Tonelli), and then it was time to go (but before that, Samantha said something so funny that Beth spit out her water all over me and Samantha - Samantha could barely speak she was laughing so hard at that point. We still can't remember what Samantha said, but the whole thing was pretty dang funny). However, before we left, Tonelli insisted that he should take our picture, though we aren't sure why. We let him do that, and then we were on our way back to the burbs for our last evening in the pacific northwest. It's sad how fast vacation goes.

Sunday:
We had to wake up early to get to the airport, and I was feeling AWFUL by this point. B took care of me, and after a long shower, I was at least able to function. As we drove to the airport, B said, "hey, is that Mount Rainier?" Samantha looked back and said, "why yes, it is" or something similar. As I said above, the weather had been dreary the entire time, but it finally cleared enough for us to see the big mountain on our last day. It was beautiful, and I'm glad we got to see it. Good job, B!

After we said good bye to Samantha (sad), we caught our flight and were headed home. B's sister Aviva picked us up in Mpls (our bag made it home too!), and then it was off to run some errands. Finally we headed home and I got to rest...for another whole week of illness! Ick.

Recap:
We had a great time in Seattle, and we especially enjoyed spending time with Samantha and Travis. I miss them a lot, and I'm looking forward to our next trip out. Hopefully when the weather is nicer, as all that grey does get a bit old. ;) Plus, we want to do some of the more outdoorsy stuff, like the national parks and Mt. Saint Helens (which is also a national park I think). Plus, there's always baseball - clearly that's a priority! :)

Thanks to Samantha and Travis for hosting us - we love you guys!

More Holiday Madness

The holiday madness continued, as B and I celebrated with my family and the Halters on Christmas day. We opened presents in the morning, and then we shared a fabulous meal together. After that, we enjoyed treats and numerous rounds of Apples to Apples. Even my dad and Mary joined in for the game, and we had a blast! I love that game! The only thing missing: Samantha and Travis. It was definitely sad to not have them with us, and I hope in the future we can all be together on the holidays. Probably not likely, but a girl can dream. Despite the big hole caused by their absence, it was a great Christmas.

Oh, a sad note - my grandma joined us, and she is in terrible shape. The Alzheimer's has really taken hold, and she is almost completely incoherent - doesn't follow conversations and can't express her feelings. She still likes to help with things (she used to run the entire Christmas day, and she did it with grace - some of my best childhood memories are of Christmases at Grandma's and Grandpa's place), so I set her up with me to put cream cheese in the celery. It was painful to watch her attempt to figure it out, but with some guidance and patience, she was able to help. I think she was frustrated, but I also think she felt useful. Otherwise, she really didn't know what was going on. Sad to watch. I hope she soon reaches the stage where she no longer realizes that she can't remember things. That's the hardest part - to know she knows something is wrong, but we can't help her. So sad.

After Christmas, B and I hosted her parents for a few days to celebrate Hanukkah. On the 27th, we hosted a big Hanukkah meal for everyone, and it went really well. B did a great job with the meal, and everyone had a nice time. I really enjoyed spending time with B's family, and Karen and Paige too. I'm looking forward to incorporating a Hanukkah celebration into my holidays each year.

Things finally returned to normal after Christmas, at least until we left for Seattle on the 31st and I became sicker than a dog (see following posts for more details).

All in all, the holidays were fantastic this year. Busy as usual, but really packed with family, friends, and joy. No complaints at all! Can't wait until next year already!

More Holiday Pictures