Work out was great.

Shawn and I started attending Cardio Kickboxing classes last week. He met the instructor when he was getting his company's security license. Sgt. Jones is a State Police Sargent. We were invited to check out the class. Last Wednesday we decided to go. We got our gloves (required) and found the location. We paid our fee and off we went. I knew I was out of shape, but man, this man had me huffing and puffing after about 20 mins. I had to take a few breaks during the hour session, but made it through.

The next day I was not sore. I felt like my muscles were loose and I could move around easier. I kept up the cardio, kind of, for the rest of the week. I made it a point to move while at home doing chores. I shoveled snow for 6 hours. I took a brisk walk through the mall. And I started thinking about what I was eating, not just shoveling food in my mouth - trying to make better choices.

Yesterday I jumped on the scale and I have lost 5 lbs this week alone. YIPPEE. I have a goal to loose 80 lbs this year. I'm on my way. Sgt. Jones started it, but I kept it going. I was shocked to see that I had lost so much, not thinking I had done that much to lose weight.

So, today I went to the class without Shawn (he had to work). I did pretty good. I only had to take 2 breaks this time. One was because I had taken in too much water and felt sick. The other was to take a puff from my inhaler - big mistake. It made me sick. I didn't do all the exercises exactly like he wanted going at my own pace, but I hung in there. I made it through the session huffing and puffing again.

It took me almost 3 hours after the workout to stop sweating. Man it was a good feeling to be able to work out like that. I am really enjoying the lessons.  I hope that I can keep them up.

I invited the kids to go with us when they are home. Nate and Naina are all for it. Olivia said that she does not want to work out, but agreed to go with us and watch. I am hoping she changes her mind.

I am going to try and attend the Sunday morning session. Working out like that two times a week should be good for us. I know that I feel good about myself and actually went back. I didn't make excuses why I couldn't go and actually seemed excited to go. I hope I can keep this up.

So I'm off to bed. This old gal is tired tonight.

Just a rant

I am just going to rant right now.

I have a few pet peeves that really, really bug me. One of them is when I watch a TV talk show like the View or the Talk and they have a male guest and he sits down before all the women are seated. Did people forget manners? Who is teaching these men how to treat ladies? My husband opens doors for me, unless I beat him to the door and open it myself, which he absolutely hates.

I know that some people will blame the fact that a lot of men are absent fathers, but they do have mothers who should require their sons to treat women with respect. I can't believe all the men that I see who just don't have that small piece of respect. When I see a "celebrity" that I have admired sit their rear down when a woman is still standing, I loose respect for him. It breaks my heart.

OK, pet peeve number two is when you are approaching a door and someone shuts it in your face. Or if you are going into a door on the right side and someone pushes past you going out, when the other door opens as well. What the heck is wrong with people? I see it all the time. Have people lost all common sense? I have had younger kids push me out of the way to get through a door that I have just opened. And there is no "excuse me" "thank you" - nothing. Where are the manners there?

I'm not saying that I'm better than anyone else, but when my kids were young, they had to say Yes Ma'am, no Ma'am. Yes Sir, No Sir. Please and thank you. My sister told me that I was treating them like they were in the military. My thought process was that if I taught them and they didn't show respect later in life, it was on them, not me. I have gotten so many compliments on my kids manners. I have been told they are the most respectful, polite kids. That makes me happy to know that my kids learned how to do it right and maybe, just maybe, they will rub off on others.

OK, so next pet peeve is people who talk on their phones ALL THE TIME, and are loud about it. I don't care what you are talking about and I don't care to know what you are doing. Then the people who sit in the dr's office playing on their phones with the key pad tones on. That bugs the heck out of me. I suffer from social anxiety as it is, so when I have to hear all those different key tones beeping, it gets on my nerves and I start to panic.

Oh my goodness, speaking of being in a waiting room, I can't stand when people wear too much perfume or cologne and come into the waiting room. I can't breathe. What are people thinking when the bathe in that stuff? Maybe you like it, but you are around others and maybe someone is allergic to the smells you are wafting through the room.

OK, so I'm finished ranting for the day. Sorry for dumping all of this out today, but I just had to get it out.

SNOW

If we can believe the forecasts, we will be getting about 6 inches of snow tonight. I don't like the white, cold stuff. Shawn and I are nice and cozy in the house. We are wrapped up in blankets watching TV and hopefully won't have to go outside until tomorrow, except to let the dogs out.

I've been beading a lot lately. I made a really cute bracelet yesterday and today. Here are pictures of it. Tell me what you think.

 









The clasp was a little pricey but well worth the $15. It looks great pared with the color combinations I chose.
I am also working on another peyote bracelet designed after Starry Night by Vincent van Gough. That is my favorite piece of artwork, of all time. I have a print of it on my wall in my family room and I look at it every day. It makes me happy.

New shuttle design listed in my Etsy store

Shawn and I just unveiled the new shuttle design in the Etsy store.

We are so excited about it. I named it the Eddie shuttle after my dad. I hope people like it enough to order some. Shawn really worked hard on this design.

We had 3 testers and the only adjustments we needed to make minor adjustments when he sands them. Woo Hoo.

Here are photos of it.

 
 

It tats so nicely. We are offering it in 7 wood species right now. Plus we will have a hook added to the shuttle soon. Shawn is playing around with the placement of the hook now. This is such an exciting time for us.

I love unveiling new designs.