feeling blah

I feel like I need more vitamins or something because I feel like I'm in some sort of haze. I'm managing to get everything done but just feel icky about all of it. It's not hunger or overexercising, I'm just in a funk and feeling unmotivated.
We walked 1.5 miles to swimming lessons and then K picked up C so he wouldn't have to get quite so much exercise. :) The baby and I walked home. It was good.

My daily calorie budget is 1,312.
I burned about 300 and I actually consumed about 1,600. So, I basically stayed where I need to be.

K and I were just discussing BMR, the basal metabolic rate aka the number of calories you burn just being completely sedentary. You should be able to take that number, adjust it for your own amount of activity, and then take away calories to lose weight. It takes a 3,500 calorie deficit to lose a pound.
That's two days worth of food for me. The issue I have with using these online calculators is that I bet people overestimate their amount of activity in a day. If it weren't so expensive, I'd love to try one of those Body Bug gadgets. They look like a souped up heart rate monitor and supposedly calculate how much you burn at all times.

fitness goals

On February 27th I was:
lean body weight = 125 lbs
fat body weight = 67 lbs
current body fat 35%
target body fat 31% means weighing 181 lbs
26% means weighing 168
23% means weighing 163
18% means weighing 152
15% means weighing 147

So, my goal over the next year is to get down to 23% body fat.
I've been working out regularly and was in two events this weekend.
On Friday I walked 12K in the Twilight 12K with Laura K. and Mary B. I brought Finley along in the jogging stroller but ended up carrying him about half of the distance because he got a little bit cranky.
This morning I biked 25K for the Tour de Cure, for which I raised $755. Not a bad amount, but a lot lower than what I'd hoped to raise.
My next post will be smaller, more easily achievable goals.

I made this!

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Originally uploaded by walrissa

I love how this last-minute birthday gift turned out. I didn't use adhesive underneath because I wanted the skull part a little bit puffy. I also love the grungy fraying around the edges.

a little craftiness

Yesterday I finished eighteen little cloth napkins. I bought quilting quarters at Joann's (on sale for $1 a piece), washed them, ripped each in half, sewed the right sides together, turned them, and top-stitched. All told it took about a month because there was ironing involved, but I love how they look. Next I just need to crochet a little basket for them to sit in on the table.


Oh, and here are my new crochet books. I have yet to make anything but I like to look at the pretty pictures.

Finley's new hat

I crocheted a super cute hat for Finley the other day. Of course, when it was time to photograph him he cried because I put him down.




I bought Rowan Handknit cotton for this project and it is amazing to work with. After working with Lion cotton, which I still like because it's inexpensive and easy to find, the Rowan was just SO smooth and easy to work with.

cookies, Kindergarten, and crochet

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Originally uploaded by walrissa

We took C to a 2 hour session at the German Immersion school today. It was really interesting and informative. "Taught" by two of the Kindergarten teachers, the preschoolers who came were primarily spoken to in German with lots of pictures, sign language, etc. to give them connections to the words. The teachers were really sweet and patient with our little guy who, though he was interested, refused to participate. He said he loved it there though and can't wait to go back! :)
We're looking at a bunch more charter/optional schools too before the lottery in March.

I made more of the Ginger Spice cookies I found on the Our Best Bites blog last month. These are the best cookies ever. They are easy and delicious. I could eat them for the rest of my life.

Ginger Spice Cookies
recipe by Paula Deen

3/4 C Butter flavored Crisco (don't use plain butter!)
1 C sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1/4 C molasses
2 C flour
2 t baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whip together the shortening and sugar and cream until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the egg and the molasses and beat until fully mixed.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. I've been using fresh ginger though (well, fresh from the jar) out of the fridge so I add it separately from the other dry ingredients. I think it has more flavor than dry ginger.
Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.
Place of cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Don't overbake because you want them nice and chewy. 8 1/2 minutes is almost too much in our oven.

SO good. You have no idea. Well, you will have an idea if you make them yourself.

I need to take a picture, but I finished the hat from my own pattern. It's a tad big though so I need to take out an increase round but it's pretty cute. I'm not completely sold on the brim yet.
I'm making a visor beanie for the baby and have only to finish the brim. He's going to be so stylin'.

fitness

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Originally uploaded by walrissa

We watched an hour or so of the women's 10K at the U.S. Cross-Country Skiing Championships this afternoon. It was incredible to watch these women at the top of their sport and made me very motivated to go to the gym afterwards.
I did day one of week three in the Couch to 5K program and wow, did it feel good to run. I can't wait to run for longer periods of time without fear of hurting myself. I wish I'd found this form of stress relief earlier in life, but I honestly hated running when I had to do it in high school during lacrosse season. Now I love it. I look forward to it.