Couch to 5K.....Will it Stick?

So, I'm not really sure if I'm going to post this blog post on Facebook yet....I may wait awhile.  You'll see why later.

After seeing a co-worker post about her progress with the Couch to 5K program, and then hearing/reading others mention it as well, I was inspired to check this program out.  You can check it out for yourself at http://www.c25k.com.  Yesterday I decided to get started with it.

I did have to do some modifying.  Per doctors instructions, I am not supposed to run, I can walk, no problem, but running is out because it's too high impact for my hip joint. (probably all the other leg joints too.)  So if anybody is familiar with the Walk at Home program by Leslie Sansone, that's sort of how I tailored it.  Instead of the actual walking/running outside, I downloaded the Podrunner Intervals: First Day to 5K podcasts and used that to know when to run and walk.  But I did download the Robert Ullrey's podcast (on the c25k page) just to have a variety, but I did the walking/running in the same style as the Walk at Home program.  I was able to do the running part because the livingroom floor has more give to it, and the way that you jog in place like that is easier on your joints.  Amazingly, I was able to make it through without feeling like I was going to die!  That's something for me!  LOL!

For all you Pooch lovers there is also another website listed on the C25K page called "Pooch to 5K"  that helps you to condition your dog as well.  I was very happy to see that because my baby girl (not so much a baby as a senior) really needs to get into shape as well.  Even though I'm not supposed to, I tried today to do the routine outside this morning....long story short, we only got through the first part of it because it was SOOO humid outside (both my dog and I have asthma which gets worse in humidity) and lets just say that on a very foggy morning when nobody is around...a graveyard is not a place I want to be when I've forgotten to take my cell phone along with me...CREEPY!  Every single murder mystery book I've read was playing out in my head!  Anyway, even with just that little bit of exercise, she (my dog, Chloe) was POOPED!  This is her after that walk outside:

The only thing she would move was her eyelids.  LOL!   Poor ol' girl!

I did do the entire routine in my livingroom when I got home, so all is well.  My cousin Mae told me I should take "before" pics so I can see my progress, herein lies the reason I'm not sure I'll post this on Facebook....I HATE taking pictures of myself, I don't like to look at them because I am disgusted with what I see.  But, maybe that will help with my motivation, so.....be sure you're sitting down and you don't have any food....here are my before pics:

I especially hate the last picture...ick!  Oh, and we are in the middle of repainting here, so don't look at the icky walls and door.  It's DEFINITELY time to get moving and get into shape!  So here's the beginning of my journey.  Maybe I'll take another picture in a month or two....hopefully I'll stick with this.  I tend to start up an exercise program and after awhile end up stopping because I get busy or something.  But this just goes to show you, that if I can do it....ANYBODY can do it!

Ok, Let's "Focus" now...

My husbands car is a Nissan Sentra, and it has been acting kind of weird.  It isn't very old.  I think it's a 2009 model  We bought it new, but after 1 year it already needed a new engine. (and he doesn't drive crazy with it either)  The company (Nissan) even extended our warranty on it because there were quite a few issues with it.   We were trying to hang on to it, so that when he was ready to get another car, we could give it to our oldest, Justin, to use.

Well, life always has to throw a wrench in our plans, doesn't it?  Both Chris (hubby) and I have lost faith in this vehicle.  Sometimes I would have to drive it and I HATED driving it.  Over the past weekend we actually went to a dealership that was closed and looked at some Ford Focus's....and of COURSE we had to check out the Mustangs, how can you NOT look at those....so beautiful!  Anyway, I digress.

On Monday, we made up our minds that we were going to our FAVORITE dealership, Columbia Ford/Kia to look at one Ford Focus in particular.  Our salesman (Ed Carpenter) who also sold us our Ford Escape (My car) had the car pulled up, ready and waiting for us when we got there.  (If anybody local goes there, tell them we sent you and we could each get I think $50.)   The boys decided to come with us, so he let all 4 of us go out and take a ride in the car and test drive it.  (well, only Chris drove it.)  Long story short, we ended up trading in the Nissan plus getting a $1,500 rebate AND another $100 off because we had a Ford Ranger, and got a really great deal....AND lowered our monthly car payment.  Pretty good deal if you ask me. 

I LOVE the women's bathroom at this dealership, it's SO elegant!

I especially enjoy the sign on the wall. ;)

So we ended up getting a "Sonic Blue" 2012 Ford Focus.  Hubby wanted it to be manual transmission because he missed driving a standard.  I think it's great that we have one so that our kids can learn how to drive one.  Everybody should have the opportunity to learn how to drive a standard, it can be so much fun once you get it down.   Here are some pictures of the car:

I think this cute little car looks kind of sporty.

I love the color

Chloe, (our boxer) had to "meet" the new car and check it out.  You can see our Escape in the back too.

And it even has a little spoiler on the back. =)

I didn't take pictures of the inside, so I used the ones from the dealership.  This is the backseat.

Here's the front....it's REALLY cool at night when everything is lit up blue and white!

And 2 words for you........HEATED SEATS!  That works for me!  When I had the Nissan Frontier I had heated seats and I really miss that in the winter.

Easy Fabreezy

I'm on a roll here.  I checked my Pinterest board entitled "Cleaning" and found yet another homemade solution I wanted to try.  Homemade Fabreeze.  ( See Original post here: Homemade Fabreeze ) I always WANT to have Fabreeze in the house, especially with 2 teenage boys, 2 cats and a dog in a small house.  But, it always seemed like there was never enough money to get it and keep it in the house.  After all, it's not a necessity, and at this point in this economy, we have to choose what we splurge on. 

In comes the experiment, I'm calling it Easy Fabreezy.

This is SO easy to make and VERY inexpensive!

2 TBS. Fabric softener (I used Downy April Fresh because that's what I had on hand)
2 TBS. Baking Soda
Hot Tap Water

Just use a funnel and put the baking soda in, then the fabric softener.  Add hot tap water (to dissolve baking soda) to fill the bottle.  I used a SHOUT bottle because I didn't have a Fabreeze bottle to use.  I shook the bottle a bit to mix, then just spray whatever you want to spray.

I decided the cover to the old dog bed was a good victim, even after being washed yesterday, it still had old, stale, dog smell.  So I sprayed it, then sprayed all the carpets in the house, the couch and some old pillows....well...you know, I have to play with my new "toy".  LOL!   

The old dog bed cover.....well, it smells better after a couple of applications, but still not great, it might be hopeless.  But everything else I sprayed....mmmmm!  It smells so good in my house!  Obviously I can't show a picture of results, you'll just have to try it for yourself.  But in my opinion, this was also a good experiment and something I will probably continue to make.

It's a MIRACLE!

Ok, I'm not one of those high-powered bloggers that blogs several times a day or even once a day.  I'm surprised when I've blogged more than once a year.  LOL!  I'm just a small town girl, but, since joining Pinterest, I've come across some pretty interesting claims, especially for homemade cleaning solutions.  Although other bloggers post that they've tried it and post their results, I tend to believe when I see it for myself.  So here is my first post regarding these claims.

Let me back up and say that I have a HORRIBLE time keeping up with the cleaning of my tub and shower.  With only one bathroom and 4 people using it, It's a chore that I don't get to much because it's often a back-breaking/wrist-breaking chore that I'm not usually up to with the back troubles I have and the wrist issues as well.  So, when I saw a homemade solution "pinned" there that boasted an AMAZING result in getting rid of soap scum, (see post here: The Craft Patch ) I decided this would be my FIRST experiment. 

Now, meet my disgusting tub: (I'm SO embarrassed!)

I've already sprayed the solution on it.  Here are the directions for the mixture:

1 part BLUE Dawn (they said it HAD to be the blue one)
1 part White distilled Vinegar (Although, I read somewhere you could get cleaning grade vinegar to use and it doesn't cost as much, at Walmart)

I used a 1/2 cup of each for one application of the solution.  You first heat up the vinegar in the mircrowave (for a 1/2 C. I heated for 1 minute).  You put the Dawn in a spray bottle using a funnel, and then pour the hot vinegar in, shake it a little bit to mix, then immediately spray it on your shower/tub.  Apparently it's the hot vinegar that makes the difference.   Then, according to the directions I read, it's best to leave it on overnight, but the original poster only left it on for a couple of hours, so I left it on for 2 hours.  I went shopping and got a dog bed for my dogs kennel, and other things.  Finally, 2 hours elapsed.  I grabbed my sponge, the kind with the green scrubby material on one side.  I figured my tub was SO bad, I should probably use that.  You use warm/hot water (as hot as you can stand it) and go to town wiping it down.  I did use the scrubby side, but was TOTALLY amazed at how easy it all came off!  I did scrub in some very hard places that I never could get clean no matter how hard I tried, and all that came off!  My tub has the textured bottom, which is really hard to get clean, but I'm actually impressed with the amount of "crap" that got cleaned.  I bet with another 1 or 2 applications, the bottom would be totally clean!  Here's the results on my OWN shower/tub:

And here's a side by side comparison:

Isn't that AMAZING?? Ok, so maybe not a side-by-side....but you get the idea.  Although my wrists are a little sore, I think if I kept up with this, I wouldn't have to scrub at all, so I declare this a fantastic success of an experiment and pronounce the solution a "Miracle Solution". =)

6/30/12 - I'm editing this to add that the vinegar smell is VERY strong when you spray this solution.  While not toxic, it might be a good idea to open a window or have a fan blowing in some fresh air, just for comfort.  I was coughing when I was spraying it.

6/30/12 - Update!  I decided to spray the floor of my tub again to see if I could get it cleaner....see for yourself! The first picture was taken yesterday after one treatment, the next picture was taken today after a second treatment.

I think if I did it again tomorrow, I might pretty much get ALL the textured part of the tub floor completely clean!   I am just beside myself....speechless really....just completely in Amazement!

Summer is HERE, And the Boys are Blooming!

It's been quite awhile since I last posted on my blog.  I have good intentions, but sometimes life gets in the way.  We just had Justin graduate from High school:

And Nicholas graduated from 8th grade:

Both boys graduated with high honors.  SOOO proud of my two boys, I can't even tell you how proud I am!  It's so amazing to watch your kids grow into young adults, and then into adulthood.  It's also slightly scary.  As proud as I am of them, I still feel like hanging on to them and finding a way for them to stay little for a while longer.  All the parenting books and magazines talk about kids going through growing pains, but I don't recall any that I read talking about the growing pains that PARENTS go through.  With our kids reaching and striving for independence, it makes us feel good that we've brought them up well, and that they are right on track, but it also hurts that we have to let go and LET them have the independence that is appropriate for their age.   How I long for another "Mommy, I love you more than anything!", or the sweet snuggles, hugs, and kisses of the 3yr. olds they used to be.

I long for those days, but I am trying not to look back too much.  The wonderful, responsible, and spiritually-minded young man that Justin has grown into is such a pleasure and a blessing to us as parents.  I honestly don't even know how he got that way, or what we did right, but apparently we did something right, and he did a lot right.  =)

When I think of how much Nicholas has grown, I'm just amazed at all the obstacles he has overcome to become who he is today.  Again, he is a fine young man, who is on the verge of blooming into his "real" self.  He's got 4 years of High school to go through yet, and I am so looking forward to watching him bloom.  Already, he has turned out to be a nice "kid" and while he's not at that "responsible" level that Justin is at yet, I can see little glimpses of it starting to peek out ready to emerge and help him become the young man he is meant to be.  I am SO proud of this kid, it actually hurts and makes me tear up thinking about all he has overcome and accomplished in his young life.

So, there's my mushy post for the year.  LOL!  I am just looking forward to what lies ahead for us as a family as well as for the boys.  =)