What I'm Reading This Week #48

Happy Friday all!  Can you believe tomorrow is December 1st?  

DECEMBER!

I can't even, y'all!  Let's get right to...

Exercises Your Trainer Doesn't Want You to Do  (If this gives me the green light to nix backbows, I'm on it!)

Heat or Ice: Which Is Better for Your Workout Injuries?  (Good info to know)

Healthy Weight, Healthy Mind: A Formerly Overweight Physician Offers Her Advice  (Sound advice for sure.)

The DOs and DON’Ts of Self-Myofascial Release   (Very informative.  Don't chase the same spots.  If you're like me, you look like a cheetah by week's end.)

The Best Butt Exercises for Knee Pain—No Squats or Lunges Included  (Ooh, definitely incorporating more of these!)

Can one big holiday meal make you gain weight?  (I vote yes.)

Here's Everything You Need to Know About Dry Needling  (In case you want to try it like I did.)

30 Ways to Save Money Like Your Grandma Did  (Grandma knew her stuff.)

Biltmore Estate at Christmas Is Something Everyone Should Witness in Their Lifetime  (This is on my bucket list for sure!)

Eat, drink and be stressed out: Holidays aren’t all fun and games   (Good tips to stay on top of your holiday game.)

27 Christmas Card Display Ideas That Turn Season’s Greetings Into Works of Art  (SOOO many great ideas!  I love #5 and would love to use vintage ski's instead.)

24 Stories About the Touching Kindness of Strangers That’ll Make You Tear Up  (Sometimes you just need to read about good stuff to restore your faith in humanity.)

Woman Celebrates Divorce By Blowing Up Her Wedding Dress (I don't know why this made me laugh so hard.  Actually, I do.  The dog running in the second shot like "I'm outta here people!")

We don't have any definite plans that I'm aware of.  I'm sure some Christmas movies, hot chocolate and sitting with the tree plugged in will be in order and I'm totally down with that!

What are you up to this weekend?

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Food Review: RX Bar Chocolate Sea Salt

I got this bar as a sample at the store and was holding it back for when I could fit it into our calories.  We've tried other RX Bars that we liked so I trust the brand.  One morning when I was working and knew a full meal wasn't happening for at least an hour or so, I split it in half to give it a try.

Here's a peek at the nutritional info.

I do wish they would package it so you can see the actual size of the bar opposed to the extra 1 1/2" they make you think you're getting.  It kinda puts a burr in my britches before the first bite.

There's 100% unsweetened chocolate in there so it's like biting into one of those bitter baking bars if you find a loose piece in the package like I did.  When the cacao is mixed in with the other stuff, it's much more palatable.  Good chunks of cacao, nuts and plenty of sea salt to hit all of your tastebuds.

But how did it taste?

Given how hungry we were at the time, it was decent and quelled that bit of hunger that was about to tip us to hangry.  If it was a whole bar, it might've held us longer.  We both agreed it wasn't our favorite flavor because the taste was a little on the bland side even with the salt.  I would try other flavors of this brand because of the simple, natural ingredients.  It's Whole 30 approved if you're into that kind of thing or if you plan to be after the holidays.  ;-)  I prefer the maple one we had before so far but this is a good pre or post workout snack (or split it for pre and post).  It's also one of the lower calorie options over other bars.  It's just a matter of finding the right fit for your taste buds.

They have a variety of flavors so I've got some others to blow through when I get the chance. (affiliate link)

What's your favorite natural snack bar?

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Hump Day Poll: Fall Bucket List Fail

I had so many plans for Fall this year.  I wanted to go to a pumpkin patch.  Carve Jack o Lanterns.  Enjoy a walk amongst the brilliant leaves on the trees.  Walk on crunchy leaves that had fallen.  Find the ultimate pumpkin and/or apple cider donut.  I'm sure there are other things I'm leaving out.

Instead, we both got colds (at our usual time though- always mid-October.  You'd think we'd hibernate.)  Fall color came late and by that time the winds were firmly in place and it rained for almost 3 solid weeks.  When the rain went away, the leaves had blown off the day before and blown off all of the trails into wherever leaves go when they tumble down the street.  I had so much work to do that I felt like taking any time off to do any of those things would only stress me out later.  So basically, I had no Fall this year.  Some of it my own doing, some of it Mother Nature's.  Next year we have to go to Florida for a friends wedding where it's 90 degrees that time of year (my idea of hell).  I assume if the past 10 years have been any predictor, we'll be hacking through the vows.  I'll have to take some cough syrup so I don't go into a fit when they ask if anyone objects.  😱

How about you?  Is there anything you wanted to do this Fall that you didn't get to do for one reason or another?  What fun things did you accomplish that you wanted to do for Fall?

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Product Review: Body Track Myofascial Track/Massage Balls

If you've been exercising for of period of time, you have probably dealt with a ton of knots, bunged up fascia and all that jazz.  If you're a fan of using a tennis, lacrosse or softball to get some trigger point release going, you know that they can pop out from under you when you're really trying to dig in.  Frustrating.  I think I saw a commercial for this Massage Track (called Body Track at the time I bought it a month ago) and the balls are sold separately.  (affiliate links)  Here's a gander at the track and balls in action. 

(via Amazon)

I got them because of my hip issues since the chiropractor alone wasn't doing it for me.  I saw that you could get your hips in different spots like this chick is doing or closer together where you could dig into one specific area for a more intense release.

(Via Amazon)

I also thought I could use them for my scar tissue since some of it was in a spot that was hard to get.  If I did the balls like the woman below is doing, I could massage both the extensors and flexors at the same time.

(via Amazon)

So how did they work for me?  Well, for us?

I'll admit, I was cursing at the thing the first time I tried to use it.  It felt awkward to me and I wasn't sure it was going to be for me.  Then I hit the right spot and I was all over that thing.  I was releasing this, popping that and rolling everywhere all with the balls staying right where I needed it.  The Mr still has shoulder issues on occasion from a cross-country skiing fall a few years ago.  I had him lay on it with two balls close together between his shoulder blades and then move his arms to go through the range of motion and it helped him quite a bit.  If I have a really bad tension headache that no amount of massaging will release, I can lay the track on the edge of the mat and put the two balls on my neck at the base of my skull and just lay there for a few minutes.  The horrible pain subsides by at least 75% so that I can get through a workout or my work day.  It really saved me two different days last week.  I have a lot of problems with my shin muscles overcompensating for my calves and rolling my shin muscles (with the shin bone being centered in the middle of the balls) help release them a good bit.  It's stuff I can't even get with The Stick sometimes and that thing gets everywhere.  (affiliate link)  I am so glad I got this because it truly helps round out my physical therapy "home office."  If you exercise most days, I think this could really help you as well.  It travels easily too and you can bet we're taking it on trips with us. 

Do you roll or release your tight muscles?

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Holiday Weekend Recap

*For those who didn't see this Friday,  if you would like to participate again in my "share your holiday cheer" post, I need your submissions by Monday, December 10th.   Send me pictures of your trees, holiday display, holiday decor or favorite holiday tradition, and they'll go up in a post on the 18th.  Message me on Facebook or email me at mrs{at}successalongtheweigh{dot}com.*

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!

Our holiday was...different.  Obviously, the first one without Grandma here makes it different in itself, so it went back to the previous hosts' house.  A divorce with a favorite relative happened, so they weren't there and were missed.  I'm happy I texted them on their daughter's phone.  Finally, we have someone gravely ill there as well.  We tried to make it seem as normal as we could under the circumstances.  It wasn't.  But as mentioned on Criminal Minds the night before, "it can never be perfect, can it?"  "No, but sometimes good enough is good enough."  For Thanksgiving, I will take good enough, but Christmas is another story.

Friday was pretty low key.  I did a little work but not much.  My brain couldn't take much more so I needed the day to unwind from the previous three weeks.  We got in our workout (an hour of kettlebells), ate beef stew for dinner and I could've done nicely to do nothing the rest of the night.  It was also grocery weekend so about 8pm, we made our trek out and thankfully all of the stores were totally dead.  We got our usual stuff and our appetizers for the football game the next day.  We went to bed around 1am.

I got up and grabbed a shower Saturday morning, we went over to Hobby Lobby to get flowers for Grandma's "condo" for the holidays.  Of course, I picked up a few more things too especially since it was so dead in there.  It was actually a joy to be in there which isn't usually the case.  We got home with half an hour to spare before I needed to start baking all of the apps.  I felt like it wasn't worth it.  It's like any time you have something with cheese, it always leaks out, and you have like a 30-second window from when it's almost done to bursting out.  I had a bursting out day.  Didn't stop me from eating it though.  😞  I was on the laptop half watching the game for the first half then fell asleep for the second half.  I love food coma naps.  I did a little research I needed to do, chatted with a friend, and the Mr was starting to get a headache later, so I warmed up Thanksgiving leftovers, not from our holiday but leftovers I'd already made a few weeks ago.  I needed the room in the freezer anyway. 

The food and some peppermint oil on his temples helped the headache go away.  (Oil works almost every time!)   Then that was pretty much that.  I did use my new water bottle my grandpa's wife got us that we asked for.  They're 64 ounce insulated water bottles so it's your whole recommended intake for one day and it's heavy as a mutha.  But I'll tell you what, I didn't think I'd be able to finish one of them in one day right away, but I did!  That is a real feat for me, so I'm SO glad she got them for us!

Sunday I did a little work, we grabbed a quick breakfast and headed to an antique show a friend told me about.  I think I talked her out of it by accident by saying how bad it had been in the past but a check of their social media page and I saw it was supposed to have a few good vendors.  They lied.  It was the same ol' people, dragging out the same ol' crap with maybe four decent booths.  But it was a way for us to walk our two miles while doing something to take our minds off of it, so it was fine.  We stopped by Grandma's, and I put new flowers in and laminated her Christmas card and tied it to the vase.  We stopped by the grocery and picked up a few stocking stuffers and our strawberries and bananas for the week.  I thought I had enough light to get some work done but of course, halfway through, it all went away.  Oh well.  I'll have to figure something out with that one.  The Mr did wax my car and put the cushions on the patio away for the season.  So irritated that we never really got to enjoy our patio at all.  Literally, one week after it was finished (the second time), they began construction about 100 feet away with it going well into winter I'm sure.  God laughs.

We had to get in our workout then I made dinner, and we settled in with some hot chocolate and watched Home Alone with the tree on.  It was a long weekend, I've got a lot of stuff to get working on this week, but it should be at a bit more of a relaxed pace so I'm praying I can actually breathe now.  The past month has been nothing but stress, deadlines and the like. 

Oh, and a little heads up, you're probably going to see more affiliate links in upcoming posts, and I wanted to explain why.  This blog has flipped this year to no longer breaking even for me but actually costing me money to run.  While I am certainly not in this for the money and have never made more than it costs to keep it up, if this continues, I'll have some tough decisions to make at the end of the new year.  I've tried not to be like other blogs that bombard you with videos, popups (except the ones I have to have by law now, which sucks by the way), distracting ads strewn throughout posts in addition to the one at the bottom.  I don't like to read blogs like that myself, so I never wanted to do that to people even if that meant sacrificing my income potential.  I've always been honest with you guys, and I didn't want people to see the affiliate links and think I was getting greedy.   I also don't want anyone to think I'm trying to garner sympathy clicks, I'm just trying to be as transparent with you as possible.  Those food or product reviews I do are at my own cost.  I've only ever gotten one sponsored post, but I assume my mouth makes me undesirous to marketers which I'm okay with if it means I don't have to blow rainbows up your butt and be disingenuous.  (Lines like that are what I'm referring to.)

I also get it that I haven't exactly been a model for weight loss in the past years even if we continue to work out and eat right six days a week.  This has been a very bad year for us, and it's not been sunshine and rainbows for most of it.  I understand if between those two things that it's just not fun to read anymore as it was when we were dropping sizes left and right.  So, I'll press on in the coming year, and hopefully we'll get our act together on the last chunk of weight we need to lose, and it'll be a little more entertaining and upbeat...peppered with my realism and snark you've all come to love...or hate.  HA!

How was your holiday weekend?  Anyone venture out on Black Friday?

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What I'm Reading This Week #47

Happy Black Friday everyone!  How was your holiday?  Are you still in a food coma or ready for round three?  😋   We had a lovely gathering with my grandpa's wife Tuesday night.  She took us out to dinner where we talked for two hours.  Then she came back to our place (aka- Christmas Central) where she stayed two more hours while we opened gifts.  We talked about my grandpa and she talked about some personal things I never knew.  I can't convey how nice it was to have that time with her.  We talked about things that would never have been said at the family gathering so I consider it a blessing.  I really feel like my grandpa was happy especially since the Mr had a dream about him a few days prior out of nowhere.  We'll have to have her over more.  One thing about her, that woman tells it like it is.  LOL

Oh yeah!  Here's your first notice that I'm doing my annual "share your holiday spirit" post mid-December.  I know some will be decorating this weekend for whatever holiday you celebrate.  So if you'd like your tree, holiday decor or a pic of your favorite traditions shared, Facebook message me or email me:  mrs{at}successalongtheweigh{dot}com.  Feel free to share any stories or meaning behind what you're sharing.  Deadline is December 10th.  Remember, some of y'all asked for this on FB!  Lookin' at you Marisa, Dawn and Donna!  😁

I suspect a light crowd today so for you hardcore folks, let's jump into...

You Burn the Most Calories at This Time of Day, New Study Shows  (Pretty small study but still interesting.)

My Body Size Does Not Determine My Ability  (Preach sistah.)

20 Ways to Beat Post-Holiday Weight Gain  (Good tips to get back on track.)

11 Simple Habits That Relieve Holiday Stress and Anxiety  (Get ready y'all!)

8 Secrets to a Debt-Free Holiday Season  (Great ideas!)

40 Ways to Recover From Thanksgiving  (Um, sunset is like 5pm so I won't be doing that one.)

21 Amazing Things That Happen to Your Body When You Eat Bananas  (Every day yo)

This Is Why 350 Degrees Is Your Oven's Magic Temperature   (Fire up the oven, it's baking season!)

This Hallmark Christmas Movie Drinking Game Officially Wins the Holidays  (Tis the season to be pickled in 13 minutes.)

50 Outdoor Christmas Decorations That'll Get You Feeling All Festive  (Yes, please!)

Tomorrow is the one day the Mr claims for live football so we have an app fest since I'm all baked out and it should be a low key weekend in the scheme of things.  No way in hell I'm going shopping especially since I'm done.

(via Giphy.com)

What are y'all up to this weekend?  Anyone Black Friday shopping today?

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Just a note before the chaos to let you guys know how thankful I am for you all!  Take time to enjoy all of the wonderful, weird and whimsical happenings you may encounter today because tomorrow they'll be memories. 

If you're hanging around for a few, feel free to share what's on the menu in the comments!

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Iron It Out: Hump Day Poll

I was watching a vlogger the other day who said something about "I'm waiting for my clothes to dry again in the dryer because obviously I'm not going to iron.  No one irons."

Uh, I do.  Always have, always will.

I've tried that dryer hack and it NEVER works for me no matter what I try and by the time I wait around for that thing, I could have my clothes ironed and wrinkle free instead of standing around for 2-5 minutes for "good enough" and still look sloppy.  When you tell people you iron your jeans, they look like you've just told them you're about the birth a three-headed moose.  I'm apparently in a very small minority of people who actually iron their clothes.

How about you?  Do you iron your clothes?  Only work clothes?  Do you own an iron?

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Food Review: Boom Chicka Pop Frosted Sugar Cookie Popcorn

A month ago, I saw some article that Boom Chicka Pop was going to have a few holiday flavors and they said they were at Walgreens.  We went at that time and they didn't have them and I forgot about them.  Then at the big box store, I saw they had a display of them.  I could've sworn Gingerbread was the flavor I was looking for (it wasn't, they don't make it) but this would've been a close second.

I do like Boom Chicka Pop because they're a little more healthy, non-GMO and all that jazz.  Here's a peek at the nutritional info.  It's pretty close to our TJ's lite kettle corn bags.

Here's a look at the ingredients.

It's a mix of half and half.  Half regular popcorn and half of these festive sprinkle covered pieces.

So how did it taste?

Hmm.  Well, if you can melt white baking chips over popcorn, that's exactly what this is.  I guess I was expecting a little more flavor.  Maybe the coating with salted popcorn would've brought out a good balance but I wouldn't get it again.  I think the only other seasonal flavor we'd probably try is the White Chocolate & Peppermint since we're suckers for peppermint bark and it should have quite a bit more flavor.

What's your favorite flavor of popcorn?

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Ready As We're Gonna Be Weekend Recap

Can I get a weekend from my weekend, please?  No?  Just checkin'.

Friday we got started on cleaning.  There's no doubt, we need to start tearing apart the basement and going through crap we don't need.  I did go through half of the shelves down there 2 weeks ago, but all that really did was better arrange stuff even though I got a box to donate out of it.  The area under the stairs hasn't been touched in over a decade except when we grab the suitcases for trips but otherwise, I couldn't tell you what's there which means I won't miss 80% of it if it were gone.  (There are some things from our childhood that we won't be getting rid of in two bins.)  Sorry, don't know how I got off track there!  We got enough done that I felt like I could breathe a little bit.  We decided we earned our road trip to an antique show (I'm looking for a few boards of red barn wood) and a store I like to go to at the start of the season to stock up on gift bags or stocking stuffers and such.

Well, that was pretty much a bust.  The antique show was not good and a waste of $10.  The store was also a bust not just because it was gross crowded and you could barely move but the quality of the merchandise seems to have tanked the past two years, and I no longer think it's worth an extra trip if we're not going that way for something else.  Sigh.  We did have a nice Italian lunch of meat lasagna, but that put us both in food comas.  One of us took a nap on the way home, and it wasn't the one driving the car.  It was refreshing.  😄

We got home, and he watched some football (thank God the season is almost over) while I got some work done.  Then I wanted to hit Whole Foods because you all saw those snacks they had.  Well, I wanted the maple vanilla whipped cream for my pumpkin pie Thursday and apparently so did the rest of the city because they were out.  So we'll be stalking the store on the daily to see if they get it back in before the holiday.  But we did pick up some Christmas snacks.

I also grabbed some stuff for a salmon recipe I want to try and our favorite 9-grain bread to have with brunch the next morning since I was craving toast.  We swung by the liquor store since one of my ingredients is bourbon and boy could you tell we're not drinkers.  We spent so much time researching online what the difference is between whiskey and real bourbon that one of the employees kept circling us thinking we were stealing or something.  Then I nixed the $20 in cheap booze for $4 in what the Mr referred to as "travel sized bottles" to the cashier.  *street cred revoked*  We came home, he tested all of the indoor Christmas lights and replaced the few that were burned out.  That was the green light to put up the tree which I really had no interest in doing, but I put on my 60's Christmas list, and we got the job done.  We strung the lights, and I was really irritated I couldn't find this ribbon I wanted to use this year for the garland that I thought was at Hobby Lobby.  I hopped online, and it was actually at Joann, so I ordered it for pick up the next day.  That meant we couldn't decorate the tree until that part was done, but  I got the rest of the house about 80%  done.  That was just Saturday.

Sunday, we got the ribbon, had brunch and I had work to get done.  We had to stop and get the final gift for my grandpa's wife for Tuesday.  That meant we got to take a stroll around the historic district which we haven't done in a while.  We got her gift, then gifted ourselves with a treat at the French bakery because we've earned it after walking three miles on uneven sidewalks.  This little lady escorted us 6 blocks back to our car.

She wanted nothing to do with us touching her, but she'd trot ahead, beside or behind us.  When she got behind, I'd look back, and she'd speed up.  I'd wait for her to get safely across the street and on we'd go.  She crossed the street to our car and then was like "oh, fun' over?  Bye guys" and trotted off.
My ankles and legs were throbbing messes Tom and Jerry style.  I'm going to decorate the tree after I type this and pray for a LOT of sleep.  We should be rarin' to go for our Christmas gathering Tuesday, I'll bust my hump Wednesday then hopefully have a lower key Thursday morning and try to enjoy dinner with the family before collapsing into a heap Friday.

My goal this week is to get to bed by 11:30pm since 12:30-12:45am has been my usual with my actual "getting to sleep" time being just after 1am then up at 7am.  I'd like an extra hour and some change please.  I also especially need to work on my water and stress this week since the first was low and the latter was high.

What kind of trouble did y'all get into this weekend?  What's your week looking like?

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What I'm Reading This Week #46

Happy Friday everyone!  We made it.  Do your Friday dance.  Go ahead...I'll wait.

It's been another crazy busy week and I can't wait until I don't have to say that anymore especially given we've got a lot coming up this week.  It's not just the usual holiday stuff with Thanksgiving either.  We're going to be hosting my Grandpa's wife this Tuesday for our Christmas gathering so the house needs to be cleaned like we're bringing someone with no immune system home and have the house decorated.  Before anyone says it doesn't have to be decorated...yes it does.  ;-)

But enough about that, let's jump into...

5 Yoga Stretches to Relieve Tight Calves and Shins (You know I'm all over these this week!)

Shoe-Tying Hacks  (You won't believe how much these can help!)

This Healthy Holiday Hack Will Save You So Many Calories This Season  (I can wait to try sugar cookie tea!  YUM!)

How To Solve Achilles Tendon Pain  (Mine have been real a-holes this week)

8 Ways to Improve Your Sleep (I swear if ONE MORE article tells me not to workout in the evening, I'm going to scream.  Don't workout like 30 minutes before bedtime, otherwise workout when it fits your friggin' schedule.  *nerve obviously hit*)

Feeling Dry & Itchy, Sad, Or Sick? Here's How To Help Your Body Adjust To The Cold  (word.)

The Best Way to Build Boundaries With Difficult Parents  (In case you'll be dealing with any next week)

10 Other Conversation Topics for Thanksgiving Dinner  (Some of these are good but some sound like ways to initiate a whole new shite show!)

Man who was photographed eating with a stranger hopes to have breakfast with her more often  (While I love this story, and I do hope a new friendship has been formed.  But I really wish people would stop taking pictures of strangers and posting it on social media without their permission regardless of the situation.)

Super guilty dog literally can't keep a straight face  (HILARIOUS!)

Christmas gift?  (The Mr claims he doesn't want this for Christmas but he got way too excited showing it to me for me to believe that.)

We're doing a little antiquing Saturday then probably putting up the tree.  Soooo much to do.

What are you guys into this weekend?

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How Crappy Things Sneak Into Long Term Memory

I was reading an article a month or two ago about the effects of adrenaline and long-term memory.  This article says the same basic thing if you're interested.   It was saying how when you have an event that produces adrenaline no matter how insignificant, it will more likely stick in your long-term memory and vividly so.  This is why I can distinctly remember the day my aunt and I were in a car accident.  I was the passenger (about 12 or 13 maybe), and she went to turn left and didn't see the car hiding beside another car until it was too late.  I hit my knee pretty hard but the adrenaline was high, and I ran 1/2 mile back home to my mom who was coming out of the house to leave.  I didn't feel my knee pain at all, I remember every detail.  That is something you'd expect to stick.

I also remember being a kid and my dad yelling at me and calling me a not so nice name when I accidentally conked my little cousin on the head.  I immediately apologized to her and gave her a hug but dad yelled at me in front of my uncles, and I felt even worse and ran upstairs crying to my mom and told her what happened.  My uncle (her dad) came up and said she was fine, I didn't hurt anything, and my mom let my dad have it for what he said to me.  (A VERY big thing for her at that time.)  To this day, I remember how I felt when he called me that, and I don't know if he'd remember it if I brought it up.

Additionally, I remember something much less significant in the scheme of things, but because my adrenaline kicked into overdrive, I remember it very vividly.  My parents were in the middle of their divorce, and my mom wasn't eating at the time and was crying a lot but trying to hide it from me.  On what I can only assume was a bad day for her, I asked her if I could make a tuna fish sandwich for lunch.  She said that was fine but only use half the can.  Well, I never used half the can that's like nothing in tuna fish terms, even for a 9-year-old.  I, of course, used the whole can and added my tons of Miracle Whip as usual ala "would you like some tuna with your Miracle Whip?" and went out to watch TV beside her.  She laughed and said "God, did you use the whole can?"  Being stupid, I said yes.  Well, she went off and yelled at me saying she told me not to, and I did it anyway and why didn't I listen...blah, blah, blah.  I don't remember everything she said, but I remember how I felt.  I felt fat, I felt like I couldn't do anything right, I felt like I wasn't a good daughter because she was already going through enough and I made it worse.  I know she was probably worried about how she was going to be a single mom and support us on a retail salary, that food wasn't cheap, and we needed to make things stretch, that she didn't want me to have the same weight problems she had and all kinds of things.  She didn't handle it well, and it made an impression and is burned in there forever.  I guarantee you if she ever read that paragraph she'd tell you there's no way that ever happened.

All kinds of things stick in our heads for things that are trivial to others but become significant to us because of adrenaline.  After I knew that because of that article, we were walking on one of our last morning walks for a while.  I almost stepped on a frog, and the Mr saw it before I did and yelled at me to watch out.  It kicked up my adrenaline really high because he scared me by grabbing me when he did it.  I looked down and saw the frog on it's back in distress.  It had obviously been hit, but because of the adrenaline, I could actually feel it being seared into my mind.  (This kind of thing happens with horror movies or scenes I find disturbing like an abandoned animal that makes me cry.)  After having just learned my new factoid, I knew I did NOT want that image burned into my brain and tried very hard to calm myself but felt like it was too late.  So I tried a different approach.  I pictured the frog flipping over and hopping away.  I did this over and over again as I was still adrenalized but coming down from it.  A few days later when I saw a flat frog on another part of our walk, I thought of that frog, and you know what?  I remembered it "hopping away" more than I remembered the blood and stuff that was starting to sear in there.  This also shows how 10 people could go through the same event like say a bank robbery and all tell a different story.  You could have people that process it differently or people who start to add in things that didn't actually happen based purely on adrenaline and what they were thinking at the time.

Cool, weird and scary, huh?

What insignificant to others moment is burned into your brain because of adrenaline?

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Hump Day Poll: Gobble Til Ya Wobble

Can you believe Thanksgiving is a week from tomorrow? 

I always like to hear what people have as staples on their Thanksgiving table because so much of it is a regional thing.  Since y'all are probably going to be busy next Wednesday, I thought we'd make that this week's fun poll.

Ours is turkey, grandma's noodles, mashed potatoes (me), stuffing (me), cheeseball if someone makes it and I don't, deviled eggs (bleck),  a can or two of veggies (usually corn and/or green beans), dinner rolls, and desserts.  Someone grabs store-bought pumpkin pie because most people like that.  The Mr and I prefer my light pumpkin pie with gingersnap crust.  So I make that for us (others always dig into it though), apple pie (me) and this year I'm making dark chocolate pecan pie because I want two pieces to save back for the weekend but without the temptation of having more of it hanging around so I'll take it with us.  I bought a 3 tier pie stand last year, so it's going to get a workout this year.

I remember as a kid my great aunt made oyster dressing, and I actually loved it.  I sure do miss her.  (She is still with us but in Florida.)

What is on your Thanksgiving table?  Does it differ from what you had as a kid?  Any relatives known for a dish that makes it a holiday like my grandma's noodles?

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Step back, lady

Happy Tuesday you sassy people, you!

I got up around 8:30am and got some work in before the clouds rolled in and the Mr came down.  He was looking at some shoes and I had some stuff I wanted to look at so we decided to make it a shopping day.  We wandered around covering two miles according to my pedometer.  I got a Christmas plate and we replaced two skillets that are kaput.  I thought it was a pretty good deal getting a 10" and 12" skillet for $50.  (affiliate link)

We went to a high falootin' store after buying those at Crate and Barrel and the Mr was looking at the Calphalon sets they had there while I looked at some Christmas stuff.  I went over and we were looking to see we if got a good deal because this place sold the same sizes for $100.  Apparently, that was the woman's cue to run over and ask if we needed help.  We politely declined and she started asking if we needed pans.  I said no we'd just bought some and she started snooping in my bag and said "oh, those are the old ones, these are much better.  You should actually get these."  Um, you should actually back the eff up because I'm not above flicking someone pawing through my bag and skillet "shaming" me square in the forehead.  Step back, lady.

We came home and my legs were killing me (they are SO screwed up again now) and we hit the proverbial wall so we napped...for an hour.  Then we did some shopping online from stuff we tried on because we knew we could get cash back through Ebates.  I know I've said it before but seriously, consider Ebates if you're a big online shopper.  They don't sell your information, they just split the commission if you use their website to shop on qualifying sites.  I just got $27 yesterday and in total over the years, I've gotten $730 back.  That's money that would've gone to the merchant and not back to me!  I don't think so!  I've gotten money back when booking our hotels and property rentals too.  If you use my referral link, if you sign up, spend $25, you'll get an extra $10 back in addition to the cash back you'll get from your purchase.  Not bad!  If you're down with Cyber Monday, they ALWAYS have double cash back from a ton of merchants.  I actually got 3% cash back the other day from buying a gift card!  Stepping off my Ebates soapbox.  😆

Because we putzed around, we ate a little late but it was worth it.  Homemade fish and chips with green beans.  Then the Mr put on some classic 70's and 80's Christmas commercials because he knows how to warm my cockles.  (That's what she said.)  We watched this show called "Epic" that showed people's epic massive RV's and just how many people in this country have stupid money.  Then, before we knew it, it was 10pm and the day was gone.  Pffft.

What are your favorite classic holiday commercials?  (This is one of mine.)

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Whirlwind Weekend Recap

Good Monday morning everyone! 

My Lord, it was a busy weekend...again.  Friday was grocery night and we went to Trader Joe's and Target the first part of the late afternoon into early evening.  We picked up our turkey that I always make and that mutha was big so fitting everything into the fridge was fun.  Then we went down and worked out because we knew if we didn't, it'd be too tempting to skip.  We went down and did T25 which handed us our butts then it was time for dinner and back out for our last two grocery stores.  When we got home, we knew we had more crap that wasn't going to fit with that behemoth turkey in the fridge so I cut my veggies for our beef stew and he cut my veggies for the week.  By the time we were done, it was 11:30pm and we were ready to pass out.  I think we went up around midnight. 

OH but grandpa's wife finally gave me an idea so I'm finally DONE Christmas shopping!! 

I couldn't sleep past 6am but laid around until 8am then got up and did some work.  Even though I did a ton of prep work the night before, putting the stew together took longer than expected so we got going a little later than we wanted.  We stopped at a park along the way and enjoyed the few leaves that were hanging on.

We wandered around and found an arcade and the Mr and I played Ms. Pacman.  Before we left, the Mr did his usual.

He likes to put get change for a dollar in tokens and leave it for (hopefully) some kid to find.  We both remember how awesome it was to find a token or two in the change return as kids at the arcade.  It was like hitting the jackpot.  There were four kids in there when we left so hopefully they split it between two of them.  (Because you know, four tokens only gets you TWO games to play instead of four.  Jerks.)

We went shopping a little after lunch and when we stopped by a place to grab hot chocolate, the Mr pointed out this sign and we both cracked up which is why it's blurry.

Sunday I did a LOT of work from basically 9:30am until 5pm which kind of sucked.  The Mr pulled some dead plants up and threw them away and put up the outdoor lights since it was a nice day weather-wise.   He had a pretty nasty headache going on all day.  We had brunch in between and I also baked the monster turkey.

Look at that breast!  (That's what he said.)  Got it all cut up and will Food Save it to enjoy through the season.  (affiliate link)  Then there was no rest for the wicked and we had to go down and do our strength workout and then had dinner after and collapsed into a heap.

I have a crap ton of online work to do today so my twitch should set in soon.

What did you guys do this weekend?

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What I'm Reading This Week #45

Sorry I've been so absent this week.  It has been utterly crazy and I'm trying to cram everything in with limited time.  There was literally nothing to report so I didn't feel like basically regurgitating Monday's post two other times the only other exception being one day included a killer migraine that lasted all day.  Jealous?  😏

But enough of my crazy week, let's jump into...

The Tiny Muscle That Can Be a Pain in Your Butt, Back and Knees   (I roll this EVERY day and if you sit all day, you should too!  The Mr always laughs when I say I'm going to roll my piriformis)

Are you on your way to dead butt syndrome? Here’s how to combat it  (Hence the reason the above article is so important!)

Lifting Weights Just Once a Week Can Cut Your Heart Disease Risk in Half  (Score!)

6 Essential Oils That May Help Kick Your Cold Symptoms to the Curb  (I don't know about kicking it to the curb but the eucalyptus and peppermint oils in my diffuser made a big difference in comfort with ours.  (affiliate link))

Mega companies are investing in small, healthy food brands—are your indie faves selling out?  (*waiting with bated breath*  what a weird saying.)

Satisfying Alternatives for When You Can't Say "F**k You"  (I suppose these are okay but they don't list my favorite which all good Southern women know..."bless your heart" with a forced smile.  It is literally the same as saying eff you but classier.)

Bad Posture Isn't Why Your Back Hurts, Says This Physical Therapist  (This is VERY true)

12 things you should never do at the airport this holiday season  (For those of you traveling.)

Wash Your Hands Immediately After Touching These 8 Things at the Airport   (Basically rent a hazmat suit.  We ALWAYS wipe down the seat, seat belt buckle, window blind, armrests and tray table with wipes before we even sit down.  Between that and the air purifiers what used to be a guaranteed way to catch a cold has saved us on long haul trips. (affiliate link))

10 Turkey Myths That Could Ruin Your Thanksgiving (God love my Grandma but she put that bird in at 4:30am every year and it practically disintegrated upon being cut.)

Christkindl Markets: Old-World Charm for a Modern Christmas  (I see a few road trips in our future!)

We're going to get in some early holiday cheer this weekend and we're going shopping too.  (Window shopping, I don't need anything.)

What are you guys up to?

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Hump Day Poll: Have You Started?

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and she said she was 90% done with her Christmas shopping just like me.  Another friend was talking about the scads of Christmas shopping she was doing so I thought I'd make that today's fun poll.

Have you started holiday shopping yet?  When do you like to be done? (Or try to be done)

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Working Weekend

It was a working weekend for me.  I mean all weekend long.  After dinner Friday, I put in another 6 hour workday until 2am.  Then up and at it for 3 hours Saturday.  We took a break for lunch to try a new to us restaurant that was pretty good and make a stop at a few stores in a little town close to the restaurant and then it was back home and at it again.  Sunday, it was an all-day affair from morning to night before the weather changed and the light I needed was gone.  So literally with an "extra hour" from the time change, there were still not enough hours in the day. 

By the time I was done doing what I could yesterday, my ankles and legs were pretty locked, achy and throbbing.  The thought of doing a workout was truly the last thing I felt like I could do but I knew I had to.  I did a little stretching beforehand to try to unlock my ankle and we did WATP Firm 30 then my whole routine of PT, rolling and stretching for 30 minutes.  (affiliate link)  Thankfully, I made chili a few days ago so I just had to reheat it and some cornbread. 

Then it was time to settle in for what I've been looking forward to since July, Marrying Father Christmas on Hallmark channel with a nice cup of hot cocoa.  It was the perfect way to cap an otherwise busy non-existent weekend.

How did you spend your weekend?

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What I'm Reading This Week #44

Welcome to the first Friday of November, y'all.  

It's been a long week and I think the weather has had something to do with that.  We were only able to get out to walk one day this week and I wasn't smart about it.  We walked two miles then 30 minutes later did 30 minutes of HIIT and my legs have been letting me have it ever since.  That plus trying to get some work stuff done has made it feel like one of those "not enough hours in the day" kinda weeks.

But enough about all of that, let's work into...

10 Ways You Might Be Giving Away Your Personal Power Without Even Realizing It  (This was a real eye opener for me but thankfully some don't apply anymore.)

Why Is My Shoulder Blade Grinding, Popping, and Feeling Achy?  (Interesting stuff if you have shoulder issues.)

How To Fix Foot Pain   (Excellent article)

8 Habits That Are Worse for You Than You Think  (Well bust my buttons.)

9 Things Only Type A People Will Understand   (Not that treadmill thing, I don't care if you're "first" on the road to nowhere.)

These 9 Signs Prove It's Time For You to Take a Rest Day (or Two)   (I know I've felt this way sometimes.)

2 yoga moves you can do at your desk to ease neck and back tightness  (*bends forward*)

'Bridezilla' secretly fattens up her bridesmaids before her wedding to be 'center of attention'  (Um, wow.)

15 Cleaning Secrets Only Car Detailers Know  (For the Mr but you can read it too.)

Pierce Brosnan Reunites with Mrs. Doubtfire Child Stars 25 Years Later: 'So This Just Happened'   (Stu...more like a thick soup than a name.)

Since we didn't get to leaf peep last weekend, I'd like to get out and see some color this weekend.  I've got some comfort food on the menu for tomorrow night with meatloaf and mashed taters.  Other than that, not really sure.

What are y'all into this weekend?

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Happy November

November.

Seriously, how did that happen?

I got some stuff done during the day but still not quite as much as I wanted to.  Isn't that always the way?  I got the Mr's Christmas gifts wrapped and the last few arrived while he was at work so I was glad I didn't have to do it in stealth mode because on the dining table is much better.  I just have to grab some small stuff for my MIL to open Christmas morning and if my grandpa's wife would give me her dang list, I'd be done.   She wanted our lists a month ago and has been done since then so next year I'm going to tell her she gets ours when we get hers.  I'm ALWAYS done by November first so she's ruined my perfect record and must be punished. 

It was a rainy mess here yesterday so the people who never get trick or treaters REALLY didn't get them.  I don't remember kids being deterred by such things back in the day.  We got in an earlier workout of Power 90 in case any goblins stopped by but dang it handed us our butts because we were still recovering from the previous night's upper body strength session.  By the time it was over, we collapsed on the floor and I did my 30 minutes of rolling, muscle release and stretches.  I've gotta admit, I'm getting really tired of this routine only to have all of the muscles I supposedly released tighten back up an hour later like I didn't do it.  It was nothing some boo-ghetti with turkey eyeballs couldn't make feel better in the moment.

I've got lots of busy work to do today and I need to keep all of the tabs on my laptop closed because I get distracted way too easy.  If I can power through the crappy stuff today, I might be able to breathe a bit.

How many trick or treaters did you get?  What was the cutest or most unique costume you saw?

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