Category Archives: Community

Good Mooorning!!!

Good morning!

After going to bed early last night, I woke up refreshed and ready to go this morning!!! WHOO! HOO!!!

I was reading my copy of Self magazine last night and saw something that I just had to share with you…

You know my girrrl, Diane von Furstenberg? Apparently her new interior collection, Diane von Furstenberg Home, debuts this moneth and geatures tablecloths, bedding, pillows, dishes, and more ($20 to $300; bloomingdales.com). As a long time DVF fan myself, I am looking forward to seeing her floral prints and earthy ornamentation adorning a sheet set (Spring 2009, anyone?).

Anyway, I am flying out the door to get to work, but I am in such a GREAT mood, even THAT won’t get me down!!! BRING IT ON, WORLD!!!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS day!!!

Note to Chunky Dunkers: Today is the day that YOU CAN DO IT!! Take it one choice at a time, one action at a time, one step at a time!!! Fitness is a journey, enjoy the ride!!! 😉

The Chunky Dunkers Club!!

Good evening!

I wonder where that phrase comes from “Hump Day”???

Anyway, I momentarily got sidetracked!! Today is the day that I get back on track with making healthy life choices!! I know, what a novel concept, but for some reason I have become the QUEEN of excuses!

  • I don’t have time
  • I am too stressed out
  • I deserve this cookie
  • I have had a bad day
  • It’s rainy
  • It’s too cold
  • I don’t wanna
  • I will start over tomorrow
  • I just conditioned my hair – really, I use this one to get out of swimming!!!

All of this procrastination will leave a girl worse off than when she initially started in the first place!!! Which is EXACTLY where I am at!!!

“If your mind believes “I can’t,” you will sabotage your own efforts. You won’t do what is required to realize your goal. But when you believe “I can,” you follow paths of behavior and thought that help ensure that the dream will be fulfilled. The psychology of dream fulfillment includes the mindsets of hope, motivation, commitment, confidence, courage, concentration, excitement and observation.”

~Jerry Lynch and Chungliang Al Huang, Thinking Body, Dancing Mind

SO…

Today officially starts the first day of the

Chunky Dunker’s Club

This is the name that my husband and two youngest sisters came up with for our new get healthy support group!!! Chunky dunkers is what we call plus-sized women who skinny dip – get it??? Well, when they suggested this name I just couldn’t stop laughing, when I realized that this is the PERFECT name for us!!! A group of people who want to have fun getting healthy, and remembering to laugh is where our success is going to lie!!! 🙂

I will post a new Chunky Dunker’s article ever Wednesday evening, and you can have the opportunity to comment, and cheer each other as you each go through your journey to get fit and healthy!!! The articles will have hints, tips, and ideas on losing weight, staying motivated, and achieving your fitness goals, whether that is to lose 5 pounds, to do 10 sit-ups, or just incorporate some healthy habits into your daily life!! This meeting every Wednesday will be win-win for me and for you, so let’s get started!!!

So, I call to order the first weekly meeting of the Chunky Dunker’s Club!!

Are we all present and accounted for??? I am sure we are!

Tonight, I thought I would share my health coach’s 10 Tips for Speeding Up Your Metabolism with you this evening! I found that there are a lot of things that we know, but may not be doing, and a couple of things that might be new that might be fun for you to incorporate into your day!!

10 Tips For Speeding Up Your Metabolism

Weight management is a balancing act between taking in calories and burning them up. New research suggests that the way your body burns energy may be at least as important as how much you eat. Try these tips for keeping your body’s idle speed high.

1. QUIT STARVING YOURSELF

When you deprive yourself of food, your body reacts protectively against an ancient threat: famine. Your resting metabolic rate — the calories you burn just to keep your body going — drops to a lower level to conserve energy. Your body works harder to preserve the food it gets by storing it as fat. That’s why people who regularly diet have higher percentages of body fat than non-dieters. Instead of counting calories, focus on cutting back on the fat and sugar in your diet.

2. GET EXERCISE

Exercise helps you lose weight in several ways. It raises your resting metabolic rate, thus offsetting the lowering effects of dieting and helping you burn more calories even when at rest. Strength training is especially important here, because it increases the amount of muscle you have. And muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells.

3. EXERCISE LONGER

After 30 minutes of low-intensity exercise — walking, bowling, gardening — your body begins to burn stored fat for energy.

4. EXERCISE LARGE MUSCLE GROUPS

Choose high-energy exercise — such as walking, bicycling, cross country skiing, swimming, step aerobics — that gives your arms and legs a good workout.

5. VARY YOUR WORKOUT

Your body gets efficient at doing the same exercise day after day and you burn fewer calories. Try alternating gym workouts with outside activities. Or change your routine every six weeks. You’ll burn more calories — and you won’t get as bored.

6. EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST

People who skip breakfast burn 5 percent fewer calories than those who eat a healthy morning meal.

7. AVOID ALCOHOL AND SMOKING

Both may inhibit the loss of abdominal fat. That’s why drinkers and smokers tend to be bigger around the waist than abstainers.

8. RESIST PMS CRAVINGS

The evidence is that women’s bodies burn more calories between ovulation and menstruation. That’s why sugary snacks look so good then. Don’t starve yourself, but if you can resist the cravings for high-energy foods, your body will burn fat stores for energy.

9. EAT LESS FAT

Your body is very efficient at turning the fat you eat into body fat. It takes a lot more energy to turn carbohydrates into fat. That’s why cutting back to less than 30 percent of your calories from fat can help you reduce your body fat more than just cutting total calories.

10. EAT THREE MEALS

Studies show that eating only one or two large meals tends to lower your resting metabolic rate. Make sure you eat three small meals and a healthy snack or two.

Come on ladies and gentleman, we can do this!!! Try implementing just one or two of these things this week, and add additional items only after you are comfortable with the changes you have made thus far. In the comments, let me know which changes you are going to implement, and I will do the same thing!!!

We will meet again next Wednesday evening!! and if you watch my blog daily, I will make sure to post some words of encouragement under my signature line just to keep us going, and to remind you that I am in this with you!! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!

Until next week GO CHUNKY DUNKERS!!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!!

Note to Chunky Dunkers:
If you find that your path to healthy living hits a speed bump, reach out to someone who you trust for support and ask for some encouraging words – you don’t have to go it alone!!! 😉

Life Needs More Green Lights!

Good evening!!

I have had a day, but enough about me!

Tonight I thought I would do something a little different! I have this sign on my living room wall, and it says, “Life needs more green lights”. It is one of my FAVORITE pictures, but tonight, I wish this sign said, “Life needs more laughter!”

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and today my co-worker reminded me of this fact. In the middle of a rather stressful afternoon, Chris stopped and sent me something that really just made me almost fall of my chair laughing!!!

Here is that little ditty:

I was in Starbucks  recently when I suddenly realized I desperately needed to fart. The music was really, really loud, so I timed my farts with the beat of the music. After a couple of  songs, I started to feel much better. I finished my coffee, and noticed that everybody was staring  at me….

Then I suddenly realized that  I was listening to my  I-Pod.

Oh my goodness! That seemed to do it! We both busted up into a fit of laughter, and it seemed to really just lighten up our afternoons! None of the demands, or issues actually  went away, but laughing seemed to really put it all into perspective. This too shall pass.

I have always heard that laughter was the best medicine, but I decided that I wanted to look into it a little more this evening, and just see if I can find what the benefits actually are. Here are some of those that I found:

  • Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
  • Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
  • Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
  • Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

Isn’t that AMAZING??? It would be so handy to bottle up little fits of giggles in pill form, so we can take, as needed!! Life would be a funnier place, I think!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

A Night of Worship with Family!

Good evening!

I have just gotten back from a Sunday night worship service at The Salvation Army in Albany, Oregon tonight!! I don’t know if you know this about me, but I grew up in the  Salvation Army church. My dad called us earlier in the week and asked me if we would come out this Sunday evening because they happened to have a combined service only about a 15 minute drive from our place – so of course Jason and I were in!!!

Jason and Trina

Myself and my Dad

Not only that, but my dad sang a solo this evening, and I was lucky enough to record him singing. My dad, and most of my family have been singers for as long as I can remember. But, my dad has, for the most part been the soloist of the family, and I haven’t had the chance to hear him sing for quite a while – so tonight has been a treat!!!

I did try and record it, but apparently my camera has a mind of it’s own and ate my video, and won’t spit it out!! DANG!! I know my Dad’s wife, Trudi recorded a copy of her own, so I will have to share it once I get a copy of that!!

Which is really a shame, because not only does my dad have a strong, rich voice, he plays guitar BEAUTIFULLY!! You see, my family is Hawaiian, and so my dad plays in a style that really incorporates the sound of slack-key. I can listen to my dad play guitar all day – it is Heaven in my ears!!

I have it on my life list to create a music CD with my dad in a recording studio. Tonight reminded me of that, and it also has inspired me to get on the ball and figure out how to make that happen! Hmmmm….

Here are some more pics I was able to capture this evening:

Trudi and Dad chatting up their peeps!

Faye, Lila, and my Dad

Jessica and Trina (they were so giggly, it was hard to get a clear picture!!!)

Jason and Trina being giggly!

Trina, Lila, and Myself

My dad waving his Salvation Army flag during a traditional upbeat hymn, a Salvation Army tradition!

Me “mothering” Trina, of course! 😉

Trina and I

and this guy is the guy I got to bring home with me – what a CUTIE!!! 😉

As I was posting pics this evening, I realize that I don’t really have hardly any pictures of Trudi, she is always so busy running around, setting things up, chatting with people!! I am going to have to be more stealthy and try capturing her next time I see her!! 😉

Tonight was a lot of fun, and I am so thankful that I was able to spend some time with some of my family! I can’t wait until next time!! OH, I will definitely post that video of my dad singing as soon as I can get my hands on a copy!!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!

A COLD Happy Friday!!

Good morning!!

We are expecting record cold here in Oregon today, and possibly tomorrow – so I am bundling up to head to work this morning!!!

As I was laying in bed, trying to coax myself out of it’s deliciously warm blankets, I started thinking about recess when I was a little kid!! If recess was a profession, I would have be an expert in my field!!! I remember just being a ball of energy! I loved playing:

  • jump rope
  • hopscotch
  • Chinese jump rope
  • wall ball
  • four square
  • tether ball
  • balance beam
  • crawling tunnels
  • parallel bars
  • monkey bars
  • swings
  • H-O-R-S-E
  • kick ball
  • teeter-totter
  • hula hooping
  • big wheels
  • climbing trees
  • bicycles!!!

Man remembering all these just takes me back!!! Does that make me old?? 😉

At what point in your life do these activities leave your list of fun activities??? I am thinking that if I would have continued all or some of these activities, I would not have had the issue with my weight that I do now, and I would presume that the American culture, as a whole, would benefit from the health benefits that these activities provide!! Ok, so now that I am 35 years old, how weird would it seem to see me doing double dutch, or throwing my hopscotch marker, or playing a rowdy game of wall ball??? Who cares if it looks weird, I think I am going to give it a go! I wonder if the condo association would care if I used chalk to draw out my four square grid on the ground?? Having that would just leave me to go round up a friend or two who would be willing to come out and “play”!!!

As I dream about incorporating some recess activities into my regular day, I would LOVE to hear some of your FAVORITE recess activities as a kid! Do you still do any of them? If not, what made you stop?

Have a FABULOUS day!!! 😉

Getting Out of the Doldrums!

Good evening!

You may not know this, but my life has gotten to be in a little bit of a rut! Doing the same thing every day, day in and day out! Get up, go to work, come home, eat, watch tv, go to bed, get up, go to work…well, I think you can see what I am talking about!

I have just this moment made the decision to look into taking a dance class!! Matter of fact……………………….

TIC-TOC
TIC-TOC
TIC-TOC

I just made a call to one of the local dance studios, and I am making arrangements to get into the beginning belly dancing class that starts at the beginning of March. It is an 11 week class, and it is going to cost me about $9 per class!!! YEAH!!! Now, the hard part will be going – but HONEY, I have got to do something crazy to build my courage muscles and get out there and be brave enough to be me!!!

Wow!! Now, that I have had a chance to think about what I have just done, I am going to have to REALLY get my bravery muscles out!!! I know it will be a BLAST!!! I love the idea of idea of feeling comfortable in my own skin, and learning how to move and undulate with grace and confidence. Plus the idea, that I will be doing something outrageous for just myself is rather exciting!!! Plus to be able to say that I did something scary, is motivating and I know that if I can do this, I can do ANYTHING!!! PLUS – I think that this will be a fun way to get exercise and get in a little better shape!! I can’t wait until classes start!!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!!! 😉

Outfit of the Day!

Good morning!!!

Ok, I woke up this morning TOTALLY believing it was Friday!! So I started be-bopping through my morning routine, getting ready for work, when all of the sudden it dawns on me – IT IS THURSDAY!!! BOOO! HISSSSS! HAHAHA! 😉 Oh, well! I still now TODAY is going to be a GREAT day!!!

My sis, Alex is coming over this evening – I forgot to ask if we are swimming, I will have to check in with her!!! Anyway, she is leaving for Arizona Saturday morning – I need to soak up her presence, so I can keep some of her joy with me her in Oregon!!! 😉

Speaking of Oregon, what the heck is going on with the weather???? Yesterday, it was sunny, then rainy, then sunny, then it was hailing SO HARD that it actually looked like there was an inch of snow on the ground!!! WHAT?!?!?!? I heard from someone in the main hospital building that you could see it hailing out of the north side of the building, but it was just grey out of the south side – IT WASN’T HAILING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING??? How creepy is that!?! LOL!!! I am not sure how to dress to be prepared today, so I have just done the best I could to be ready for ANYTHING!!!

Talking about getting dressed…I wanted to share my outfit of the day. To be honest with you, this outfit was actually one I wore a couple of days ago, I will share today’s outfit tomorrow!! If I try to do it all in one morning, I find that I am just running around like a crazy person and I don’t have as much posting! So here is the outfit of the day:

Top: GoodWill
Pants: Lane Bryant
Shoes: Payless Shoes
Bag: Ross Dress
Bracelet: Torrid

I got such great feedback yesterday, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts again today!! I know this outfit is rather simple, but I think it is cute, and I feel good in it!! but any ideas to spice it up, or mix it up, would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

Also, on a side note: I have heard that today is Random Act of Kindness Day!! So, I am going to have to keep that in mind and look for some extra Random acts that I might be able to surprise people with today!!! What might you do??? If you feel like sharing, please let me know in the comment section above!

Have a FABULOUS day!! 😉

You Have Your Vision Board, Now What?

Thank God it is Friday evening!! My stress level is so high, that my eye has started to twitch – NEVER A GOOD SIGN!! LOL! My go-live week, at work,  is technically over, BUT we have sooooo much work to do!!! I am going to have to work a little bit this weekend, but if it gets me even a little bit more caught up – it will be worth it!! I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel – WHOO! HOO!!

On a completely different note a WAAAAY more UPLIFTING NOTE: I have been getting a lot of questions that go something like this, “Ok, I have created my vision board, now what???”

So I thought that I would take a some time to answer this question! Take your vision board, a pad of paper (or journal), a pen (or a bunch of different colored pens), and go find a comfortable place to sit and write. This part may take you a little while, but in my opinion it is one of the most important parts of making your images on your vision board come to fruition. Deciding what DIRECTION you want your life to go!!

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where–” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.
“–so long as I get SOMEWHERE,” Alice added as an explanation.
“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”
~Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

I know I have posted this before, but just for a refresher, here is my vision board:

Ok, so make sure you have your vision board out where you will be able to see it! Grab your blank piece of paper and write your name write in the smack dab middle of it!! Don’t write it too small – this is a mental representation of your presence in your own life – so make sure are visible!! 😉

Next, while looking at your vision board, decide what are the top 5 or 6 things that will get you to the life that your vision board is describing??? Write those things in small descriptive sentences around your name.

Now is the fun part! On the back of this sheet of paper, you need to figure out what steps you would have to do to get each one of these goals. This may seem kind of tricky, but this is how I make this work for me:

Choose your first goal that you have written: I want to be fit, healthy, & vivacious!
Re-write it like this:  How can I be fit, health, & vivacious?

Then spend the next 10 minutes, 30 minutes, hour, day, week, or however long you want to give yourself just writing down ANYTHING & EVERYTHING that will make this goal a REALITY in your life!

Some of my list items could be:

  1. Exercise every day
  2. Eat more fruits and veggies
  3. See a nutritionist
  4. Get liposuction
  5. Have gastric-bypass
  6. Follow a specific diet plan
  7. Pray for a miracle
  8. Make exercise fun
  9. Take up an outdoor hobby like hiking
  10. Join walking club
  11. Get a physical trainer
  12. etc.
  13. etc.
  14. etc.

You get the idea – write IT ALL DOWN!! Not everything has to be realistic/feasible, but that crazy, zany idea might open your mind up to that ONE IDEA that clinches your mode to success!!!

Do this same thing for EACH of the goals that you have chosen!!! This may take you a while, matter-of-fact, I am sure that it will, but you are laying the FOUNDATION FOR YOUR FUTURE!!! So DON’T skimp on this step!!

WITH EVERYTHING IN ME – I KNOW YOU CAN MAKE THIS LIFE HAPPEN FOR YOU!!!

Let me know, in the comment section how this goes for you!! Even from afar, I am cheering you on!!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!

Freedom Tuesday!

Good morning!

I am calling today Freedom Tuesday, because I am FREE from having to mention, check in, or hear about work!!! WHOO-HOO!!

With that out of the way…

I thought I would share 25 things you may not know about me:

  1. I LOVE doing laundry – it is a peaceful chore, that gives you almost instant gratification!
  2. I would rather get a handwritten thank you note, than be presented with a prestigious award!
  3. I am allergic to mushrooms!
  4. I LOVE getting my nails done, it helps cures my man hands!
  5. My favorite thing in the world is vacationing at the beach!
  6. I am thinking about asking Paula Deen to adopt me!
  7. I have always dreamed of going to get my degree in interior design. I’m still considering it!
  8. I’m incredibly shy until I get to know someone – although I can fake being outgoing in an instant, although it is REALLY draining!
  9. I get bored easily!
  10. When I feel like laughing, I watch old DVD’s of Will & Grace – works EVERY time!!
  11. I’m addicted to my BlackBerry!
  12. I have always wanted to live in an Amish community for a month!
  13. My mouth is so small, and my teeth so large, that when my adult teeth grew in I ended up with two rows of teeth, kind of like a shark!
  14. I still take time to twirl with my eyes closed like I did when I was a little girl – it is STILL SO EXHILARATING!!
  15. I’m obsessed with all things French!!
  16. I’m a Christian!
  17. Every time I see a car accident, I pray for all who may be involved – including the family members back home!
  18. I am envious of Kate Winslet, she is 5 days older than me, and I am SURE she has my life!! 😉
  19. I am amazing at fixing mechanical things – it seems to be a natural talent.
  20. When I want to have a really good cry, I watch Stepmom!
  21. I still have my first toy – it is a cute old Fisher Price teddy bear that has a round bottom on it, and jingles when you give it a shake – that sound takes me back to my childhood!
  22. If I could be given ANYTHING right this minute, it would be to have a baby!
  23. I am in awe of people who are happy EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE!
  24. I have arachnophobia!
  25. When I was a little girl, I wanted more than ANYTHING to be Punky Brewster!

This list makes me smile!! 😉

I am off to go have a VERY PEACEFUL day doing a whole lot of NOTHING planned!!!! (Doesn’t that JUST sound HEAVENLY???) Trust me, it will be! 😉

Have a FABULOUS day!!

Whistle While I Work!

Good morning!

This weekend is kind of an odd weekend for us, you see I have to work! Mind you, I can telecommute, but still!! I have to clock in at least my self-appointed 8 hours for today!!! (and then I get to do it again tomorrow!!) I think since I have to focus so much time on that today, that is all I will say about it here – for fear of depressing myself!! LOL! 😉

Since this is not a “normal” Saturday, I have created a short “Honey-Do” list for my sweetie to accomplish today. 😀

  • Duct tape box upstairs so I can fill it for GoodWill
  • Clean kitchen
  • Gather dirty laundry – including bedding
  • Put 3 large flower pots into corner in back yard
  • Prep worm/compost bin out back
  • Tend to mini front yard (and when I say mini, I mean like 5 foot by 5 foot)

The one thing I really miss about having a house vs a condo, is that I miss having fresh veggies ever year, so I am wanting to have a small container garden out back this year. In one section I want an herb garden, and in the other section I want some simple veggie plants, like cherry tomatoes, potatoes, and maybe some spinach and dark leafy lettuce. I wanted these things last year too, but we didn’t make them a priority, so we will see what we can make of these dreams this year!!! 😉

Does anyone have any good ideas on vegetable plants that may grow really well in a large container??

Also, my little sister, Jennifer is going to teach me about recycling – I know – WHERE THE HECK HAVE I BEEN??? I am REALLY BEHIND in this area of my life. You know GOING GREEN!?!?! Ever since watching the documentary No Impact Man, it has really been a persistent thought in my head, that I have to do more to protect my environment!! So, this is where my new found motivation is now coming from, with a renewed vigor!! 😉

I will keep you posted of our progress!!

Oh, and did I mention – WE ARE PICKING MEGAN TODAY!!! WHOO-HOO!!!

Have a FABULOUS day!!! 😉