Sweet Potato Fries

Day 3 and I feel we've made a really great decision.

I feel great. I've noticed a higher level of energy throughout my day. No more yawns after lunch for me. No more 4:00 wall.

I'm looking forward to my workouts. I leave them completely exhausted - I feel like I could put no more effort into those 45 minutes than I already am. My muscles hurt and are reminding me that they actually exist again. But I love it.

We get home from working out every night about 5:30. Then Jay and I make a healthy meal together, sit down to eat and talk about our days. My meals satisfy me, but I don't feel stuffed. I never quite feel starving either. I'm eating foods that came from the ground - not a can, not processed and in a package. And I'm loving it.

My most favorite recent discovery and thing that I love, love, love!: sweet potato fries.



-Peel (or don't peel) sweet potato
-slice into fry-like shapes
-toss in a tsp. extra virgin olive oil
-spread on cookie sheet - lightly salt
-bake on 450 for 20-30 minutes
- Enjoy! No ketchup needed with this yummy treat!


DELICIOUS! These things are so good I was worried they were bad for me. But the sweet potato ranked #1 in nutrition for vegetables on some food reference website. YAY! It's simple things like this that will keep me going!

Do you have any healthy recipes you really enjoy?

The mile

Do you remember the feeling you had the night before you had to run the mile in P.E.? For some, it was excitement - the opportunity to beat last year's record. It was a thrill, it was a race. For others, dread, nervousness, fear. Will this be the year that I am the slowest kid in my class? Will I have to stop and...(gasp)...walk?

I was always a kid in the second category. I never ended up the slowest kid in my class - not even close. But it was always my fear that I would be. I never had to stop and walk, I think I was too afraid to. I felt like if I walked, I was giving up.

So why is this relevant? Why am I writing about this now?

Tomorrow I have to run the mile. Tomorrow someone will ask me to do as many push-ups and sit-ups as I can. They'll ask me to sit and reach. They'll measure every inch of me. They'll weigh me. They'll tell me what percentage of my body is fat. They'll take my picture in a 2 piece swimsuit. Tomorrow I have to own up to the consequences of some bad habits. Because pictures, measurements, scales - they don't lie.

And after all of this is done, the real fun begins. It's something I need to do, and Jay has decided we'd make a good team. So we're going to try this together. We've committed to 10 weeks. 45 minutes a day. 6 days a week. Oh, and to change our eating habits, too.

My hope is that we learn some lessons, and we form some healthy habits. I hope that I get my butt kicked by some workouts and remember that the wonderful feeling of exhausted muscles and a buzz of endorphins far outweighs a great meal and a sitcom on the couch.

But tonight, I'm a little anxious. I'm a little excited. Just like the mile - I dread the hard work it will take. I'm nervous to try something new. And I fear that I will fail.

But my bigger fear is not trying at all. So for tomorrow, I'll run the mile. It's a start. : )

Would you like a cup of tea?

I have this horrible cold that started about a week ago. It's been one of those colds you can't ignore - constantly blowing my nose, losing my voice, and coughing. I'm sure this is the first of many that will come during the cold and flu season at school. It comes with the job.

During lunch today, someone suggested I try a NetiPot. She said she swears by it.

"It's a little teapot like thing, and you mix a solution and it clears up your sinuses".

Seemed simple enough. After school, I ran to HyVee and I found the little blue teapot, picked it up, and checked out. No further glances taken.

I didn't closely examine the package until I got home.

I thought: teapot - tea like solution - drink - feel better?

In reality: teapot - saltlike solution - stick the spout up your nose - blow. GROSS!!!

The person on the cover enjoying a nice drink of tea...wasn't drinking tea at all. He was pouring through his nose! ICK!!!

Since youtube has videos of EVERYTHING out there - I found a demonstration of my experience.

Some radio guys try a Neti Pot

I swear I'll try anything to get rid of this cold, and so, yes, I did try the NetiPot. Although the NetiPot did clear my sinuses temporarily, they have clogged again.

The temporary relief may have been worth it though. I might have to try it again later.

I'm attached.

No, it's attached, actually. Our garage, that is.

I went to leave the house on this rainy morning. I open the door, I walk into the dry space, I get into my car. I'm still warm and dry and have a smile on my face!

No more running down the skinny sidewalk to the garage on the alley. No more stepping in that puddle of water that has always gathered right at the end. No more getting soaked while trying to unlock the garage door. No more wondering why I bothered to even dry my hair to begin with.

I can step conveniently out the door and into my car.

It seems like a very simple thing - but I'm spoiled now, I'll never go back!

I'm attached! To our garage! : )

Another reason I love my job...

Mrs. Shmits
My techer

You mak my day i have never seen eny body as nice as you. Your smile is like the sun it so grate to have you here today. This is like a book but it is about you and how nice you are. I hope I have ben good for you and i make me sad wen you leave me and the class.

Mrs. Shmits
My techer

- - - - - - - -

Can you tell we've been working on our colorful language? We've been trying really hard to use descriptive words in our writing. So maybe we have a little work yet to do this year on our spelling. : ) But you just don't get this everyday in other jobs. : )

Pinkie

(Disclaimer: If you're not a pet person - you'll definitely find this blog post boring and possibly ridiculous! And for the record, I'm totally okay with that.)

This is Pinkie.

I know I've mentioned her in blogs before, but Pinkie holds a special place in our family. Dottie received Pinkie as a gift from my mom about a week after we got her. She went to stay at my parent's house while I supervised a Jr. High trip to the boundary waters. Dottie and Pinkie have been pretty inseparable ever since.

Pinkie started as a comfort object for Dottie to lure her into her kennel. She HATED her kennel (and probably still would if she ever had to go in it). So we used Pinkie and a treat to get her to go inside. They were almost the same size back then.
Over the years, Pinkie has become Dottie's little partner in crime. She carries her everywhere. She treats her like another dog to cuddle with, but when it comes time to play, Pinkie is often what she wants to play "go get em" with.

I've come home on many occasions and found Pinkie in some of Dottie's "lookout" spots. I often wonder if she walks around with her during the day while we're gone.


Lastly, Pinkie sleeps with us each night. If I go to bed early, Dottie will find Pinkie and drop her off in bed with me, and then wait up with Jay. If she is tired, then she'll drop Pinkie off with Jay and she'll come to bed.

Probably my favorite nightly ritual with Pinkie happens when we go to bed together. Dottie will stay for a few minutes - almost as if to check we're going to stay there - then she'll find Pinkie in the house and bring her to bed. It never gets old!

Pets are so funny! I wish I could know what's going on in that little head of hers!