A life where arts & crafts meets food & fitness

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Sunday, May 22, 2011

It's ALIIIIIIVVVVVEEEEE

Please update your readers and misc accounts of awesomeness.

Can't Surive on Yarn Alone has moved - http://cantsurviveonyarnalone.wordpress.com/

Old posts are remaining here (+ need to read on how to transfer but didn't want to keep waiting!)

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Mini hiatus

CSYA is going on a mini hiatus.

Why you might ask?

It is getting a makeover!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Hi Bob

After the debacle in getting a deal with my kettlebell kit, I was determined to find a kettlebell DVD that first and foremost got my attention and was challenging yet able to be done with lesser reps if needed. Having just a demo of the moves and a poster of them doesn't work for me. I need to be "distracted" by someone talking and telling me what to do or even just counting. As long as the music isn't too irritating, all is well.

We were at Target today and I picked up Bob Harper Inside Out Method Cardio Kettlebell Shred DVD. The price was good so that helped since I didn't have a lot of money to spend. I've watched The Biggest Loser for years and know I can listen to him. (Since I already have Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, I have my BL section of DVDs now.)

So I have been watching the DVD for a little while and plan to finish watching it before I go to bed. Watching? Why am I not DOING the workout rather than sitting on the couch? Watching fitness DVDs work for me. I like being prepared both mentally and physically when I start something. If I've watched it first, I know the best mindset to be in when putting in the DVD to actually do it.

So far I know that I want to be awake when trying this at first (so no first thing in the morning) so that I am not in full on zombie shuffle with being a newbie. I know if I want to do all the reps I can't be too worn out/ready to fall asleep on the couch if I turn on the TV.

Am I looking forward to doing this routine, or what I've seen so far? Yes.

Will I be worrying about the dogs being in my way for awhile? Yes.

Will I post something about it when I start? Of course.

Will I post photos? Maybe. I'm still not to sure about posting anything workout wear wise just yet.


Do you watch fitness/exercise DVDs before you actually do the routine?

Friday, May 6, 2011

Take (it) Out (side)

Years ago (when I was single) I had a pretty big take out/fast food habit. It was breakfast and lunch at least twice during the work week - for each. Otherwise I did eat well but I had the finances to eat out mixed with being lazy too often. Too easy. Now we have to watch our food budget but still get things from time to time. Sometimes it is a bit too much but I would rather find a good cheat recipe and make it at home. Today was one of those days.

One thing I got often was the Asian Chicken Salad from McDonalds - either grilled or crispy depending on my mood. (That was actually how I first tried edamame. True, it wasn't as great as steaming it myself but I had NO idea how great it could be at that time.) Then they got rid of it. I swapped it out with the Southwest one but it was never the same. Eventually I just stopped getting it and brought a salad from home.

Fast forward to the end of April - they brought it back. True it is JUST a salad but it got me pretty excited. Good memories of fast food lunches... yeaaaaaahhh. So I picked up a grilled version this evening as half/early dinner portion. While successfully not dumping the entire thing on my lap or in the train (though who wouldn't love the smell of sesame ginger dressing on their ride home right?), I realized DUH I can make this at home! Years ago I never thought that. Such a simple idea but it was considered a fancy salad. Weird.

So now the plot...errrr... plan is to find a cheat recipe or a general sesame ginger recipe we both enjoy since we already have too many bottles of light dressing in the fridge/pantry already.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

One of those days

Today was one of "those days" when things just seem, well, there but slightly off.

I knew this:

About 3 am when a thunk in the kitchen woke me up. SOMEONE was protesting the "inadequate" amount of food issued earlier by launching magnets off the fridge. The orange meowing suspect will remain nameless.

When I woke up from a dream where someone was telling me that the proper way for grilled cheese is to FOLD the bread over then cook, not use two pieces. Hmmmmmm... ohhhkaaaaay?

When I decided sleeping in a few minutes would be a good idea leading me to throw together a lunch of misc leftovers - brown rice, sauteed green peppers, parm/garlic instant potatoes, pineapple/coconut yogurt.

When all I wanted was a bagel yet the lines at two places were insane, one CVS did not carry bagels (another does), and I ended up at DDonuts.

When I decided McDs coffee is superior to DDonuts where I had gotten coffee with my everything bagel that surprisingly wasn't burnt - their toaster is evil

When my fav pair of mary jane style shoes decided to start making bicycle pump pfffft pffft pfffft noises due to a small crack. It also made my walk lopsided since one shoe was then technically taller than the other.

When Cosmo has horrible dog gas and I keep chasing him/telling him to go away bc he is a stinky dog. Of course he insists to sleep below my chair right now.


Safe to say waffles were a smart idea for dinner. Too much would have probably ended up being a disaster.

One thing though that was a GOOD thing = NO RAIN!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

And exhale....

HLS 2011!

As I go back to happy squeaking!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Hello? Is this thing on?

I think the Internet finally fixed itself.... and then FitBlog breaks Twitter. I can't help but laugh and say that it is due to the greatness of this particular blogging community but since it is a technical thing I hope it all works out for Katy.

I was doing the "let's sit on the train and ponder but forget to actually write it down" lately. With this year's Healthy Living Summit in the AHHHH NEWS SOOOOOOOON! mode, I can't help but think of last year. I have technically been blogging for over a year now (April 2010) in this incarnation. (I had considered myself a craft blogger before and did have a blog of that kind yet still had this account since October of 2009. I guess the name was so stuck in my head that I had to hang onto it even if on hold.)

I recently met someone new via a friend of mine. She and I hit it off pretty well and spent a good part of the night chatting yet not ignoring the large group of which we were both part. It was a mix of what do you do, where are you from, pet talk (surprising right?), random misc and whatnot. This night, however, was the first night I mentioned that I was a blogger to someone. Odd right? Maybe. By "someone" I mean someone who I had no idea if she was a blogger, knew a blogger (ended up she knew a Mommy Blogger,) or even had any interest in it. Hmmm.

So it was out there and she asked that question that before made me go "Ummmmm?" for a moment - the topic of my blog. Without much of a pause the response was food, fitness, newbie running, arts and crafts and of course pets, basically life in general too. I think it was a genuine response. There are bits and pieces of everything included though I know my future plans is to get things a bit more settled with each as well as have a general misc category. (How else can I talk about the weeds trying to take over a section of a flower bed, the squirrels digging tiny little holes in our front lawn, or how annoying it is to have damp clothes on the clothesline attack me when I'm taking stuff out of the dryer?)

So a belated Happy Birthday to my darling CSYA and best wishes for many posts to come.