Sorry for the delay!

Hello! So many times over the last week I have jumped on the computer to write here and I got distracted. But I am now in VA - everyone is asleep, including the dog, so I think I can type uninterrupted.

The race - ahh, the race. Well, the night before I did not sleep a wink. I tossed and turned and had bad dreams about coming in last. So Saturday morning I got dressed and told my aunt that I was going to do the walk with her. I figured there would be lots of people walking. WRONG! There were only 25 people doing the walk. I was bummed. About a mile into it I was wishing I was doing the run. My aunt was SMOKING me, and she wasn't breaking a sweat. So I started to run very, very slowly. I didn't want to be accused of cheating if there were any medals to be handed out. I think I ran over a mile, until about 1/4 from the finish. I finally caught up to AC and we crossed the finish line together. The amazing part was the 5K run hadn't started yet, so all the runners were at the start/finish line cheering us on. When I saw how many people were running I was a little bummed that I didn't run - I don't think I would have been last - but there is always next year. That and another 5K in the fall. Franciscan Hospital for Children, a place near and dear to my heart, is having a road race in the fall. I think the whole family will be involved somehow, but I would like to run it.

The rest of the week was OK. My dad and his golfing buddy arrived on Saturday afternoon. I was hoping that my mum would come up and surprise me but she couldn't. DQ left on Sunday. I was committed to eating well, despite not having him there for support. I made a healthy menu for the week, but did buy some chips at the grocery store. On Monday AC and I walked three miles (up and down our driveway) but that was the only exercise that we ended up getting all week. On Wednesday, as I was lacing up my shoes to go for a walk, my dad had to go to the ER. He has a myriad of medical issues and was having problems breathing. He ended up being in the hospital until Saturday AM. I am prone to emotional eating but think I did OK. I did enjoy Sun Chips all week long but in moderation.

Friday - weigh in day - my favorite! I lost one pound. I know I say this all the time, but I don't know how I lost the weight. Now that I am at my parents house I am hoping to join my mum at the gym starting Tuesday. Tomorrow (Monday) I will go for a walk around their neighborhood. I should have no problem eating well here. I have scoured the house and there isn't an ounce of junk food to be had!

We left Michigan Saturday, after my dad was discharged from the hospital. We drove a little more than halfway, and then drove the rest of the way home today. That meant three meals on the road. I didn't do so well. We have/had the dog with us so a sit down restaurant was out of the question. Lunch yesterday was a roast beef sandwich and dinner was Chik-Fil-A nuggets - I could eat those every day of my life if I had the means. Breakfast today was a cinnamon bun from McDs. I was going to get the apple/yogurt salad but I had an upset stomach and the thought of yogurt, and driving, didn't sit well. I picked at the cinnamon bun and had Sprite. A few hours later I had a Luna Bar in the car. By lunch and dinner I was back on track!

I should be able to blog more frequently now I am here.
Til tomorrow -
Mummy Q.

And their off!

This week has been a bad one as far as eating well and working out. On Sunday or Monday I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies – mmm – mmm good. Helped myself to many of them. I didn’t work out Mon – Wednesday. Thursday morning I had a huge breakfast- bacon, eggs, one pancake, and a scone with butter. Amazing. Then somehow, when I got on the scale this morning, I had lost one pound. I don’t know how I did it. The only thing I can think of is that I barely ate at all on Monday (waiting around for my MIL most of the day) and have been trying to eat better at breakfast and lunch.

Tomorrow, Saturday, I am running a 5K and I am a nervous wreck. I run that distance almost every time I am at the gym, but I am all on my own there. Tomorrow I will be surrounded by people much faster than me. This is all part of Gaylord’s annual Alpenfest, which ends tomorrow. There is a 5K walk, a 5K fun, a 12K walk and a 12K run. All total there are about 500 people competing. I used to be in a 5K a month, back in CA, and never ran without less than 3000 people around me. I was never last – there was always someone slower than me. Tomorrow I could just be the last one coming in. My only saving grace is if the 12K walk ends the same place I do…then there may be people behind me.

Wish me luck!
Til tomorrow –
Mummy Q.

Oh happy day...

I thoroughly enjoyed my cheat day yesterday. Breakfast was late - almost 11:00 AM. I enjoyed a very fresh bagel with a smattering of cream cheese. I am not a fan of cream cheese but do like some to taste. Lunch was a hamburger. Hmm, mmm good. It was a little over five ounces and I loved every bit of it. No french fries...the burger was enough. Then I headed to the Aplen Haus of Chocolate and got some chocolate covered coconut. I LOVE IT! Dinner was tortellini with garlic bread and a salad. Dessert was something that I had been waiting for since Wednesday. Up here in Northern. MI it is cherry country. Cherries everywhere. There is a great bakery in Traverse City, MI that makes cherry crumbles. My aunt picked one up for me on Wednesday and I have been drooling ever since. We got some low fat vanilla ice cream and at about 9:30 PM last night, fresh out of the oven, I loved every bite of my crumble. I am not a huge cherry fan but something about this crumble is delicious.

I did a little shopping yesterday. I ended up in Traverse City with my aunt. She had to take care of some things so I wandered around. I saw that Talbots was having a 60% off sale. In I went. Once inside a very cheery sales person told me that everything on sale was an additional 25% off. I was browsing and ran across some size 16 jeans. I haven't bought jeans since 2004. I think I stopped wearing them about two years ago. But I thought "what the heck!" and went to try them on. They fit!!! Of course they are way too long but they fit. A little snug but I could pull it off with a sweatshirt or something. I was so excited I bought two pair. At only $16.50 each I could afford to get two pair!

Today I went to the gym. Ran walked for an hour. I am pooped!

Off to take the boys swimming -
til tomorrow -
Mummy Q.

Shoot me now

Last night I decided to try on some one the clothes I brought up with me but can't quite wear yet. I figure it has been three weeks since I last tried, why not give it a go. It ended up being a major bummer. I went to bed depressed, wondering why the weight isn't falling off of me. I haven't used real butter in almost two weeks and I am working out. I did take Wednesday off but I was working on that project for me class (BTW - I am all done with the class now. Just waiting for my grade.) I went in yesterday, walk/ran for 55 minutes.

I was lamenting to DQ about this, and he said just wait until morning...see how you do on the scales.

This morning I jump on the scales and see that I have a half pound weight loss. I know, I know...it is better than nothing, better than a gain. But still. The only thing I can think of is that at dinner I have not been watching my portions as well. I caught myself the other day wolfing down a second fajita like it was no one business. Night before last we had ka-bobs and I probably had too much meat. So...while I will still enjoy eating whatever I want today (there is a cherry crumble waiting for me!) I will start being more careful about what I am eating at dinner.

Speaking of dinner, last night was grilled chicken, salad and corn. I made a big grilled chicken salad and my mother-in-law said to me "are you on a diet or something?!" I just shrugged my shoulders. UGH. I don't want her knowing. I don't know why...I just don't.

I'll let you know how the Cherry Crumble is. I am headed to the cherry capital of the world today. Maybe I will get another one!

til tomorrow -
Mummy Q.

Little Slice of Heaven

I wanted to share a few pictures of where I am at right now. The first one, below, is a picture taken at sunrise our second morning here.


I think I mentioned we are on a point, with an east side beach and a north side beach. The picture below is taken near the tip of the point looking down the north side of the beach.



This picture, below, is taken on the tip of the point looking down the east side of the point, on the east beach.


This is what we call the "big cottage." The large window in the middle is the kitchen/dining room window where the dining room table is. I am sitting at that table right now while I am writing!

My in-laws arrive today, Thursday. Wish me luck!

til tomorrow (or later today!)
Mummy Q.

Plugging away

hello. It is a chilly Wednesday morning here in Northern Michigan. It is 10:00 AM and only 63 degrees. Nice and sunny though!

Being up here and eating well has been a struggle. We don't have a lot of junk in the house, with the exception of the kids snacks. Even they aren't really junk - rice krispie treat and goldfish. I have been chewing gum to try and stay away from the food! I have been drinking alcohol up here. margarita's and strawberry daiquiri's. Not every day. In fact only twice since I have been here.

Since my last post I have been working out. I worked out on July 4th, but not the 5th, and have worked out the past three days. I am hoping to get a work out in today but I have my final project due for the class I am taking. I have waited until the last possible moment to get it done, and will be spending the bulk of today working on it. It is due Friday but I want it done today. Most people in my class have turned it in. The class average for the project right now is a 98.7. I am hoping for a 95.

Anyway, my aunt can't go to the gym today and I don't find myself as motivated when it is just me. Not going first thing in the morning is a challenge. My aunt works out for a solid hour so when I am with her the challenge is on to keep going. She has the treadmill at 3.8 for forty minutes and then up to 4.0 for the last twenty minutes. So I need to keep going. When she is NOT with me, well, I don't feel as pressured. Although right now I do have a goal in mind. I am going to be in 5K in less than two weeks. I haven't been in a race in four years. I don't enter to win...I will never be that fast. I just do it for fun. Anyway - I don't want to come in last so I need to keep my endurance up. I will lay out my work out clothes and hope for the best today. Did I mention I have a nasty blister on my left foot? I don't know why - I have worn these shoes for two months, and have had the socks I had on for a while. It's weird.

til tomorrow -
Mummy Qua

Changing the Way I Do Things on Vacay

I have been coming up here to Otsego Lake since 1997. This is my 11th summer. DQ has been coming since the summer of 1971. The only summer he ever missed, we missed together, was the summer of 2001. Eric was an infant, we lived in CA and we had too much going on and not enough money to make it out here.

So for the past eleven or so summers we have come to the lake and done one thing REALLY well – EAT! Our mornings were lazy with breakfast of French toast or pancakes, bacon, eggs and the like. Very rarely was it just cereal. One summer I made sure I had an English muffin every morning, with lots of butter, on top of everything else.

If lunch was a sandwich it included chips and soda. In the hours between lunch and dinner, if we weren’t on the lake we were inside playing games while eating chips and dip. Homemade French onion dip. French Onion dip is a staple here at the lake.

Dinner was a grand affair. Depending on who was here there may be appetizers. Dinner was large, and while we did have a salad that was probably the healthiest thing on the table. It was followed with a dessert. My aunt, the one I have been going to the gym with, is known for buying great desserts just because. She is skinny as a rail!

From dinner until bedtime, especially once the kids were in bed, the time was spent playing cards games, drinking and eating cookies or candy. If the kids were up, and it was chilly enough we would make S’mores in the fireplace. I would certainly have more than one.

FAST FORWARD to the summer of 2008 – now! Our first trip to the grocery store was decidedly different. NO soda, no cookies (OK – one bag of vanilla crème wafers for Fridays!) Lots of fruit, nuts, and whole grain this and whole grain that. I was proud (and poor!) of our choices as we left the store.

As I have gone through the last ten days though, it has been a constant struggle to get used to my “new way” of life. Gone are the chips with lunch. In its place are veggies and fruit. Gone are the cookies at night. I did get a box of Mike and Ike’s the other day, but it wasn’t the same. Card games are played with no accoutrements, just the game itself and maybe some carrot sticks. I am chewing gum like crazy to keep myself from eating all the kids’ stuff. Their available choices are OK, if you eat just one. But I doubt I could stop at just one!

So this trip to the lake, while not over yet (I still have seventeen days left here!) has been all about changing my mindset while here at the lake. Did I tell you I went to the movies and didn’t even get popcorn? No soda, candy, nothing! UGH!!!!

Til next time (which might be in a few minutes!)
Mummy Qua

I'm baaaaack!

Hello from brrr chill northern Michigan. It is 8:40 AM and only 58 degrees. I am not complaining at all. I love it up here and one thing I love so much is the weather! While I am losing my Caribbean tan, it is OK. I am sitting in our kitchen and the lake is literally 60 feet away. DQ’s family has had this land, these cottages, a mini-compound almost, for almost a century. It is our heaven on earth. Today, Friday, while chilly, the lake is placid and it is sunny. I wish you all could come up here and experience this beauty!

We arrived here Sunday evening. It was sad to say good bye to the cruise but I was so ready to see the boys! Saturday we drove from NJ to OH and spent the night with my in-laws. That was a good time – NOT!!! Sunday we drove from OH to MI. We are in a little town called Gaylord. It is in the middle of the state, in the middle of no-where. I have to go an entire month without a Target! We did get a Starbucks up here two years ago but I would much rather have a Target.

DQ’s uncle and his wife spend their entire summer up here in what we call the “little cottage” while we move into the “big cottage.” Little and big are relative terms but either way we are just happy to be here. As I was talking to Aunt Charlotte Sunday evening I discovered that she belongs to the gym that I wanted to join. I was so excited to hear that – a workout buddy! So Monday afternoon, after DQ, the boys and I went grocery shopping (more on that later) AC (Aunt Charlotte) and I went to the Powerhouse Gym. I have to say there isn’t anything too “powery” about it. They only have six treadmills! So that was Monday. I set out to walk run for an hour. I only ran twice and walked the rest. Then I jumped over to a bike and forced myself to do ten minutes. Tuesday was a disaster. I went alone, as AC was playing golf. I was going to walk/run for thirty minutes and then ride the bike for another thirty. I jumped on the bike after the treadmill. Even though it was level one I could barely move. AC had warned me that the equipment wasn’t well maintained, so I am not sure if I was struggling due to my in activeness of the last two weeks or the fact that the bike wasn’t maintained very well. I left there very deflated. In the meantime I was/am eating OK. I will tell you about the mind-set change I am having up here in my next post, but that said I am/was eating fairly well. I am having my eggs for breakfast, or a bowl of Kashi cereal. I have been only drinking water and I have been trying to snack on fruit and protein.

Wednesday AC and I hit the gym again. We are both going to participate in a 5K in two weeks so in my head I am telling myself that I need to get back on track. I had a GREAT workout that day. I walk/ran for 45 minutes and then walked the final fifteen minutes. I was sweating like crazy, and you know how I like to sweat! I felt so good. I came home and told DQ I had turned the corner and was back on track! As the afternoon progressed I had a pain down the side of my left foot. I live in flip flops in the summer and I think the lack of support hurts me. So I wore tennis shoes around the house (I HATE wearing shoes!!) to try to ward off the pain.

When I woke up Thursday morning I was limping. We spent the day in town and I wore tennis shoes again (even though my flip flops would have looked cuter!) AC wasn’t going to the gym since she was playing golf again and I figured my foot needed the day off. By the end of the day I was pain free and probably should have just walked for thirty minutes, but I didn’t. The gym is closed Friday and Saturday for the holiday, so I am going to walk here. Our driveway is half a mile long (no lie!) so I will walk that for a while on Friday and Saturday, and then hopefully back to the gym on Sunday.

So…it is Friday now and LUCKY ME!!! AC and Uncle Steve have a scale up here that is the same brand as my scale at home. So I took a deep breath and jumped on. I have been telling myself that I had probably gained six pounds. With all the bread, butter and soda I had on the cruise I was certain that I had gained weight. But my clothes weren’t tight at all, but they weren’t any looser. Drum roll please...I am the exact same weight I was when I left! YEA ME! I am so excited. And it is Friday, July 4, so I am truly going to enjoy the holiday! DQ is making bacon, eggs and pancakes as we speak!! Mmmm, mmm good!

My next post will be about how I have really had to change my mind set and eating habits here on vacay!

Til then –
Mummy Qua