Retail Therapy

Turns out I was patient zero.  Dennis came home from work Wednesday so sick he  didn't go to his firefighter training (he never misses).  I tried to make him get up and go to urgent care but I couldn't.  He ended up going right after work on Thursday and had pretty much the same stuff I had but more bronchial issues.  They gave him a breathing treatment and an inhaler.  Apparently the radiologist told the doctor that he saw something on the x-ray that could be COPD.  That kind of pissed me off.  I seriously doubt Dennis has COPD and I don't like them stressing him out about it, but they are going to send the report to his doctor to see about setting up further testing.  He was feeling better but we are both still battling the cough.

I teleworked on Thursday and late that afternoon Bailey started up with the cough.  I ended up getting him to the vet when I got off work.  The best guess is kennel cough or allergies.  He got antibiotics and steroids and something for his cough.  I teleworked again on Friday so I could stay home with him.  I ended up taking him back to the vet because he was just not feeling any better.  He got a stronger steroid, another antibiotic, and some good cough medicine.  He is doing better but he still isn't his normal rambunctious self.

I'm not sure how long he will need to stay home from daycare.  I have read from 7-14 days.  If he can kick the cough I think he will be ok.  We don't even need to think about daycare until Wednesday so I will just see how he is doing then.

He was a sick cuddly little puppy.

I broke down Saturday and did a little shopping.  I really want to wear the cute new dresses I got but I just don't have shoes that I feel go with any of them.  Bailey was pretty drugged up so I didn't feel too bad about leaving him for a few hours.  I had to do a Target run so it was a good opportunity to see what they had to offer and maybe go by the mall.

I got my Target stuff done and stopped at Burlington but found nothing.  I decided to hell with it.  I hate shoe shopping and always buy cheap shoes because I have stupid feet, and they are never comfortable anyway.  But, I went to Dillard's to see if I could find anything that fit my flat wide feet and skinny ankles.  I was temporarily side tracked by a purse sale, which I had been looking for a new one so score.

I love all the pockets.  I usually hate Michael Kors because they are just open totes but this one has pockets for days..

I looked through the shoe department and found two pair that I really liked.  One pair was reasonably priced

They are pretty comfortable.  The leather is soft.  I wore them Monday and didn't get a blister.

I tried on the second pair, Sorel wedges and came close to buying them, but just couldn't fork over $150 without looking around.  Since they lace up they actually fit pretty well and I think they will be reasonable comfortable?  I looked online and found some similar but I wasn't sure they were exactly the same.  I went back and got them the next day.  Hopefully they will last me a few summers and they will look cute with all kinds of outfits.  I expected to feel a little buyer remorse but I haven't yet.  That may change the first day I wear them.  I will bring a pair of flip flops as back up just in case.  I hope they are as comfortable as they felt in the store.  I am really excited about my new wardrobe, now I just have to make sure I don't outgrow it.. The weather has been pretty gross so I haven't worn the wedges yet. 

Speaking of weather, we are getting hammered.  Monday the atmosphere was perfect for bad storms.  They cancelled schools and sent people home from work early, well, not us since we deal with emergency management issues and have to be prepared for the flood control aspect of the storms.  I think I left about 20 minutes early and traffic was kind of scary quiet.  It didn't start storming until later that evening, after I had fell asleep.  The tornado sirens started going off and cycled for a good 30 minutes.  It looked like it was going to come pretty close to us but it fell apart before it got too close.  I teleworked yesterday and woke up to the sound of tornado sirens.  I sat there for a few minutes trying to decide if I should take it seriously or not but finally got my fat ass out of bed and turned on the news.  Again, rotation at the airport about 9 miles from me but it was on a little different trajectory and was expected to go north of me.  I was a little cranky yesterday to say the least. 

We have several lakes that are in flood stage, one that has a direct impact on Tulsa so that is causing all kinds of issues at work.  I am glad I'm not a hydro engineer about right now. 

Alright, I need to call and check on my Bai and see how he is doing.  If he is coughing I will go pick him up.  They are closed on Friday and I am seriously considering taking the day off.  He has stayed home by himself.  He is about 10 months old though so he should be ok.... 

catching up

Not sure where I left off, it's been a minute.

There really isn't much going on.

My weight is down to 120.2, which I am very surprised about with all the travel.  I also had to really cut back on the Saxenda because the savings card I had been using expired after 12 uses.  At the max dose, which I was taking, I went through one pen every week.  The card made the cost of one pen $29.99, without the card it was $275 FOR ONE WEEK!!  Since I am more or less at my goal weight I figured I probably needed to cut back to more of a maintenance dose anyway.  So I went back to the minimum dose.  I started on a different medication today which is the same active ingredient but marketed as a diabetes drug and insurance paid for it!!

So two weeks ago was my national advisory meeting in St. Paul.  It was fine.  I froze the entire time.  I was impressed with the skyway system, which kept you from having to walk much outside, kind of like a human habitrail.  It was difficult to navigate but we had a local with us most of the time.  She said it took her forever to figure it out.  I got there on Monday and decided to do the obligatory mall of america trip.  I'm not sure what I was expecting but it was just a mall.  I think I was picturing it with more open space?  I did a little shopping, bought 3 adorable dresses at H&M, a store I had never been to.  I also ate dinner at the Hard Rock, which was expensive and barely edible but I got to see the Prince memorabilia.  I would have been better off eating at a fast food place but I sat and watched some kids ride the roller coaster and the small amusement park so it was entertaining.  I only spent a few hours or so at the mall before I derided I would rather just go back to the room and sleep.

The meetings themselves were long and monotonous but interesting none the less.  I learned a lot and found out I have lots to learn.  The group is pretty good though and I think they will help me fumble my way though.  Food, overall, was ok for having to eat out.  Lots of salad and grilled chicken. I mostly did what has been working for me over the last several weeks, eat until I'm full and if I'm really not hungry, don't eat.  My biggest downfall was this place called Legends Chocolates, which had the best truffles!!  I tried the 41%, 68% and the 85% with the 68% caramel pecan being my favorite.  They also had brownies and cake and all kinds of sinfully good treats.  Besides the truffles I got a brownie and split it with a few co-workers.  By Thursday night, the day before I left, I was not the least bit hungry and it was too cold to do much so I mostly ate the remaining chocolate and got ready to go home.  Nothing super exciting.

I got home Friday in the middle of a torrential downpour, which made my flight lat getting in and traffic horrible.  I got my car from the airport lot and went straight over to get Bailey from daycare.  He was so excited to see me.  It took forever to get home.  I realized that I forgot to request my ambien refill and the doctor's office was closed for the day so I would have to scramble around and get to an urgent care that would be willing to write the prescription.  So much for my one full day home.

So Saturday I tried to do the online doctor but they wouldn't give the script so I ended up going to a small urgent care close to my house.  That doctor said he wouldn't write a script for it either because it can be abused (I had my old bottle showing the date and with like 3 pills left) so I ended up scrambling to the main urgent care.  Luckily it wasn't busy.  If I hadn't been leaving town the next day it wouldn't have been that big of a deal but I know I wouldn't be able to sleep in an unfamiliar hotel room.  I finally got that all taken care of about 8 Saturday night.

Sunday about 3 am I woke up with the worse sore throat.  I was miserable.  My flight left at 2:30 and I hadn't started packing yet so I didn't want to waste another day at urgent care.  I ended up doing the online appointment through the urgent care I used Saturday.  As luck would have it, the same doctor got the request.  He told me that since I was fine the day before it was probably viral and called in a dose pack for steroids.  It made the trip kind of miserable.  That being said, I love Boise.  I could live there.  We did a lot of group meet ups in the evenings to different brewery's.  Monday night I went with the group, Tuesday I went shopping at the downtown boutiques and met up with the group later for a drink, Wednesday we had a group field trip to Lucky Peak so a lot of us didn't want to do a big dinner, we splintered off and went to a place called Boise Fry Company (you pick the type of potato and the way you want them cut) for happy hour.

By Thursday I was full on sick.  I really wanted to stay in my room and sleep but that wasn't an option.  I considered going back to my room after class and sleeping but I don't know when I will be back to ID and I really did enjoy the town.  So I took my sick ass out with the group again.  We ended up at a brewery that made an amazing cider and an ice cream shop that made alcohol infused ice cream (I didn't try it) and served beer/ice cream flights (again, nope).  I didn't stay out very long but tried to enjoy the last day there.

Friday my flight was supposed to leave at 7 am but I got a text before I got back to my room Thursday night that it had been delayed an hour.  This made for a really tight connection but I made it to the gate as they were loading the last group.  I mostly slept on the long leg of the flight but was so miserable I just wanted to get home.  I broke down and went back to urgent care Friday night and got a shot, which finally started helping.

So I didn't partake in any of the mother's day festivities, I had planned on taking my mom and sister to a nail day but I will see if they want to go this weekend instead.

I had my 3 month doctor appointment that is required for my anxiety meds Monday afternoon.  I told her about the $$ associated with Saxenda, she knew it was expensive but didn't have any idea just HOW expensive.  We had talked about the alternative previously but didn't think insurance would touch it without blood sugar issues.  I was completely shocked that it went though. My doctor asked me how much more weight I wanted to lose and I told her that I didn't really care if I lost anymore, I just want to maintain and I know that going off the medication completely is probably not conducive to keeping the weight off.  She found a sample pen of Sax and wrote the script for Victoza so I hope I am set.  On the minimum dose one pen should last a month. 

I was supposed to meet up with my trainer last night but I decided to take the week off and recover from the crud.  I hope I feel well enough to get back at it on Tuesday.  It feels like I have been out forever.  I need to get online and see what the group schedule looks like.  I know it will change around a little for summer and I want to see if there is anything that looks like fun. 

So in my travels I bought 4 adorable dresses but I don't have a single pair of shoes that looks good with them.  I have super flat feet and I have a horrible time finding shoes that look nice on my fred flinstone feet.  I might take Bailey on a shoe hunting trip Saturday if I am feeling better.  There is a DSW that I can hit up.  As much as I love shopping, I could really just live in flip flops all summer and not deal with shoe stores.  Finding the shoes is hard enough but I always get blisters too.  I need to get some foldable flats to keep at my desk.  I really have to be in the right mindset to take on shoes.

Much to do...

It's been awhile

I am having a hard time remembering the workout...but it has been a minute.  I have really slacked off on putting my workouts in here, on days that I can figure out what to call the madness PT has us doing.  I know we did inch worm to push ups, ball slams, and rope pulls.  My mind is a blank.

I have kind of slacked off this week, getting ready for a couple of back to back travel weeks that I am not looking forward to.  I haven't left Bailey ever and he will have two weeks; with a little break, of daddy in charge.  My schedule looks like this:

Monday fly to St Paul, leave at 9:15 arrive 3ish,  An hour layover in Houston so hopefully enough time to grab a quick snack.

Friday my flight leaves at 8 and I land in Tulsa at 1:30 with a very short layover so fingers crossed that doesn't get delayed.  If it all works out I will get my car and have Bailey home from daycare and a nap before Dennis gets home from work.

I get one full day home before I leave again

Sunday flight to Boise leaves at 2:34 with a nice little layover in DFW before I get there at 7:15.

Friday my flight out is at 7:10 freaking am!!  (UGH) so I can get home around 2 to pick Bailey up from daycare and get a nap before Dennis gets home. 

I looked at the weather report and it looks like I am going to have to dig out my Uggs because it is going to be low 50's for a high next week.  I will just wear them out since they are bulky.  I have the TSA fastpass, whatever that is called, so I don't have to take my shoes off but even if I did they are pretty easy to get on and off.  I feel like I have to do the obligatory trip to the MOA Monday night but that is all I really have planned.  I am going for a National Sign Managers meeting, 3 whole days of talking about national sign standards for COE parks (don't be jealous) so I can't imagine the group just being a bunch of hardcore party animals that will want to go out on the town.  I should be a hotel gym workout in pretty easy.  We have a field trip planned for 3M, don't hate me because my job is so cool, lol.

I'm a little bummed that I'm not going to get to spend more time in Boise.  I had originally planned on it but the first trip was sprung on me kind of out of the blue.  Our boss loves to have team members on national committees and saw this one open up and asked me if I would do it.  Our last representative was an idiot so I figured that if she could do it I sure as heck could.  If I could have gotten Dennis to come with me it would have been really fun I think.  I'm not so sure about hiking and rafting solo.

So that's my next two weeks pretty much summed up. 

I haven't done anything too exciting.  I pulled Bailey out of dog school because the teacher was too much.  HMF is going to help me with him since she teaches at the same place.  I told her the instructor was having them sit/stay with distractions upwards of a minute.  He isn't ready for that.  He was getting frustrated and at one point started chasing his tail.  Although adorable, I'm pretty sure this was a sign of insecurity and frustration.  I will be out the next two weeks anyway so I will have to do a makeup class.  HMF teaches the Saturday class so there ya go.  George, the guy who taught kindergarten that Bailey loves teaches a beginners class at 8 on Mondays but I think that might be a little late for me.  I am just going to get these next two weeks done and we will figure it out later.

They are starting up a Galloway training here and the kick off was last night.  I had a dentist appointment but had planned on going after because Jeff Galloway was going to be there but it was a whole ordeal and I forgot about it.  The dentist found a spot on my tongue that he wants an oral surgeon to look at.  I am not in the least bit worried that it is cancer or anything but I am worried about what the oral surgeon is going to want to do.  It is way back almost to the base of my tongue so it is unlikely a place that I bit and it doesn't hurt at all.  Again, it will have to wait.  They are supposed to call me today with an appointment. 

I have had a hard time getting pictures to load but I will try and put up some pictures of the boys from Easter weekend.  Ugh, they loaded at the top.  I'm not going to try and move them.

fundraiser at a local ice cream place for Animal Aid.  Bailey approved!!

 

workout recap

Tuesday's workout didn't happen thanks to a work trip but there was lots of walking.

Yesterday's workout seemed light but there were a few things that I really surprised myself with.

4 rounds - 30 seconds each

arcing ball slam with 12# ball

pull apart pulses

2 rounds

45 second plank (!)

30 second bridge pulse

4 rounds

one leg box squats 10 each (!)

TRX squats

squats with 12# med ball press - arms weren't having this AT ALL

I was shocked that I was able to do the plank and the box squat with little trouble.  I mean, I was hurting by the time we hit 30 seconds into the second plank but I held it.  I think I might be able to do a 60 second plank, not sure if I could do 2.  After my shoulder surgery this is huge for me!!  I felt so freaking strong.  Yeah, it isn't much but I am starting to feel stronger every workout.

I need to find a class to take Saturday morning.

Last weekend little Bailey met the Easter Bunny

For some reason I can't get the other picture to load 😡

For the most part everything is going well, which means I don't have a lot to talk about.  My mom is getting on my nerves.  Little things like telling me she needed to go to the dentist.  I told her last year to make an appointment at the clinic I go to because they will do her cleaning and x-rays for free.  She told me last week that she needed to go and wanted me to make an appointment for her to go WITH me.  The dentist is about 2 miles from my house and she lives 30 + minutes in the other direction so I'm not exactly sure what her logic was.  It isn't like you can go back together?  I told her I would get her the number again so she could call them.  She is also going on none stop about my sister and the fact that her phone is broken so she can't call her.  Well my sister's house is on the market and she seems to be able to accept calls when they want to show her house?  My mom blames it all on my sister's aneurysm last year 🙄That's the tip of the iceberg and I am doing my best to swallow the screams because I know she won't be here to annoy me forever.  In the meantime she is making plans on all of us meeting up for Easter (when me and my sister are agnostic at best) so my sister won't have to be alone for the holiday.  I am sure this means that I am expected to pay (slowly counting to 10).

In other crazy family news, the stalker cousin who I am afraid will find this post (if your here 👋) claims that her house burned almost down and is living in her car.  This is from third hand sources.  My parents drove by the house and said it looked fine from the outside and cousin has posted nothing on facebook or insta, which is kind of odd with how much she loves attention.  I'm not saying it didn't happen but it is kind of odd and I wouldn't put it past her to lie about it.

Family drama at its finest.

It makes my life seem boring.

Finally, my little bunny picture uploaded.

April

Tuesday's workout

300M row

TRX - 10 single leg squats
TRX - 10 lunges
squat pulse
X3

300M row

15 front raise - 5 pounds
15 bent rear delt raises
10 bird dog rotating leg and arm out
X3

Thursday's workout X3

300M row
20 TRX upright row

stack carry across gym floor
15 Romanian Deadlift

Walking side squat with band
reverse lunges with crunch 12

30 second plank
20 dead bug

I haven't been feeling particularly chatty lately.  I am dragging around in a benedryl haze most days thanks to my allergies.

Tomorrow I may try out bodybump at 8.  They are doing a tour of group fitness classes at the gym and the class is only 30 minutes.  If they do more lunges I will walk out though - kidding but not really.

Tomorrow I am taking Bailey to get Easter pictures taken.  I would love to take Truman but he needs groomed in a bad way and I'm not sure I can handle both of them.  Truman demands to be carried when we are out and it isn't easy to carry a 20 pound dog while trying to control a 35 pound perpetual motion machine.  Plus Bai has taken to growling at strangers that come up to us lately.  I don't think he would actual bite anyone but I need to be able to keep him calmish.

I have stopped weighing obsessively.  I am wearing a pair of 27 jeans and they are comfortable.  I need to step on the scale over the weekend just to make sure I am not going in the wrong direction. 

Last week I had headshots taken.  I had to have one for a weekly seminar I am in and I didn't have any from this decade.  The girl that normally does my pictures when I can afford it was having a flash event at the right time.  I'm not sure about putting my face on this blog but seriously, I don't have a lot of personal info out here.

OK, I am off to a workshop at the lake.  My job sucks 😝

My good boi

Bailey graduated from kindergarten!!

Workouts are going well.  My PT has gotten very creative so it is hard to figure out what to call the things she has me doing.  The whole reason I was doing that was to have some backup workouts just in case.
Some of the things we did last night:
30 second each side -
step ups
standing leg raise with band
side suffle
some strange hybrid where you are on your hands and knees (but with your knees barely off the ground) straighten to a push up and back again.

suitcase carry
plank position but doing battle ropes one each arm 30 seconds.

plank with alternate leg raise (on elbows)
plank on knees but pushing one arm out with slider.

I will never remember how to do these again but I am convinced she sets up at night thinking of fresh ways to torture.  She finds it funny, I do not but it is very effective. 

I found out last week that I will be going to St. Paul the end of April.  I have never been and for some reason I feel the urge to visit the MOA.  Not sure if it will really be that much fun solo but I only plan on going the night I get there.  I don't plan on spending a lot of extra time there.  I need to do an overnight trip to make sure the kiddos will get along.  Dennis hasn't had to do the daycare routine yet.  I am sure he will be fine but will I?

I am less than a pound from my first weight loss goal!!

biggest loser

Guess who is the official winner of the workplace weight loss challenge?!?!  I almost didn't participate but a coworker was going down to weigh in and we were talking so I just went with him.  I couldn't remember what my start weight was but I knew I had lost in the 8 weeks.  I was last to weigh in and the guy over it told me I had to beat 6%....over 8% lost baby!!!  The reward for my efforts, 59 minutes of leave 😆

Marcy is eating better but still back to her normal self.  I have found that chicken deli meat works wonders in getting her pills down.  I had some leftover nuggets from Tuesday that I had set out and after I gave her her afternoon pill she went sniffing for them.  Well without thinking I gave her a few.  At this point I don't think it makes much difference.  Her liver enzymes are pretty elevated, not off the charts but high.  I called to ask the vet about bringing her in to get her vaccines that she needs and she told me that it probably wasn't necessary to stress her out. 

I made it to the gym twice this week for training!!  I found out Tuesday that my Thursday group changed times so I don't have a group anymore.  They meet at 5:30, which I could do but with the baby shark aka Bailey it is just easier to wait until Dennis gets off work and go at 6:30.  Well I am almost out of sessions and I really can't afford to buy one on one training and group training sessions, hell, I can't really afford the one on one period.  Anyway, we talked about it Tuesday and couldn't figure out how to go about it but we both came up with the same solution of coming in at 6 and doing 30 minutes with the group and 30 minutes on my own.  She gave me the option of continuing, buying the group sessions and using 2 of them per session (which is about the same price) or just doing 30 minutes.  Although the 30 minutes option sounds appealing, I don't think I get a good workout in that amount of time.  We will see how it works out.  At any rate I bought 20 sessions.  That should hold me over for awhile. 

Work is going really well.  I am finding my groove finally.  I was appointed to a national committee and feel like I finally have something to contribute.  We have an annual work group meeting 29 April - 3 May in Saint Paul, MN.  The next week I have training in Idaho so it will be a stressful few weeks.  I haven't left Bailey overnight yet.  I probably need to do that for a trial run to let him get used to having daddy in charge.  I know he will be fine but he is my little baby.  Truman and Marcy don't need me anymore and are used to the routine.  I don't want to think about leaving Marcy for two weeks in the condition she is in but we are taking it one day at a time right now. 

I would write out my gym routines but I can't for the life of me remember and she is having me do some strange multi-muscle things that surely don't have names this side of hell..