We went to a Harvest Festival yesterday with some friends.
2 Halloween parties down.
2 Halloween parties and 2 Jack O Lanterns to go!
Go Team!
Hey Shaboomy, I want to see some French costumes!
Rated PG of course.
"Choose Carefully And Eat With Passion."
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Karen - Day 107 - Chinatown
Karen sends her posts from Burbank, CA
We were done by noon and on our way home.
For my new phase of FSE I do a little research and find a walking tour of Chinatown, print it out and we're ready to go.
Hubby: "What's that?"
Me: "A self guided walking tour of Chinatown."
Hubby: "Chinatown's only about 3 blocks."
Me: "But I don't know where it is or anything about it."
Hubby: "I do."
Me: "What? When was this?"
Hubby: "Back in the day."
Obviously this is a surprise to me. I bring the self guided walking tour along anyway.
"Momma look! Dragons."
Many years ago, before I met him, Hubby was a bass guitar player in a punk band. They played in the building he's looking at. He said people would climb in the second floor windows to get in free.
He said he used to eat here all the time.
4 was having fun.
We bought a few things then it was time to eat.
Hubby spotted a restaurant with a lot of locals in it. He said this is how you know a place is really good. Don't go for flash, go with the locals.
(Who needs Anthony Bourdain when I've got Hubby?)
The first thing we see when we walk in are the roasted ducks.
I'm in the right place.
We order a simple lunch.
Rice.
Soup.
Kung Pao Shrimp.
I spice it up.
It was the best Chinese food I've ever had. Next time I'm getting some of that Duck.
My treasures from the day.
We were done by noon and on our way home.
While I ran errands, Hubby and 4 were home playing with the Chinese Party Snaps
You throw them on the ground and they pop.
4 passed out early and stayed asleep for the rest of the night.
Sleep Tight.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Day 106 - Talking with Shaboom
Karen sends her updates from Burbank, CA
"Mommy, look, I did a picture of you!"
My new curtains.
After the art project, it's off for my final day of this madness.
I call Shaboom along the way.
"I can't do 8 miles and 80 flights of stairs anymore. It takes 4 hours out of my day, I'm exhausted, I've gained a pound and a half and really.....I'm not having fun."
"You have to stop it then. The whole point is for you to enjoy your life."
"Exactly. Well...... enjoy my life 35 pounds less. But yes."
"When I went sightseeing, I took the train a lot. Maybe you could plan some day trips, explore and eat at new places."
"That sounds so much better than my last idea."
Once home, I informed Hubby about the new idea.
I choose to believe the shaking of the head while walking away was his way of saying "Wow! You are amazing to keep going! How fun this new phase of your super important experiment will be! Count me in! How can I help?"
Total: 8 days of 8 miles and 80 flights of stairs = 64 miles and 640 flights of stairs.
(THAT'S CRAZY)
The great thing is, I now know I NEVER EVER, EVER have to do that again.
(Thank goodness that wasn't the answer.)
Today I said Au Revoir to The New, New Plan.
Tomorrow, Bon Jour Chinatown.
-----------------------------------------------
FYI
How to build a better Monster Trap if you are a 4 year old boy.
1. Invite your friend over who is 5 years old and a girl.
2. Take EVERYTHING out of your bedroom and move it into the living room.
3. Arange everything in an orderly manner.
4. Set up witnesses.
Bon Chance!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Weigh In Week 15 - Well.....that didn't work.
Weigh In Week 15
Goal: Lose 35 pounds in 6 months the French Skinny Way.
Gained 1.5 pounds this week.
Total lost so far: 13.5 pounds
Well......that didn't work.
This put me in a funk today. And NO I didn't gain muscle. My pants are tighter and I can't even get my jeans over my enormous calves.
I know I'm missing something.
The answer to this thing.
It's almost there, like that dream that makes sense out of everything but you can't quite remember it when you wake up.
I did my 8 miles and 80 flights of stairs anyway. Why? To be honest, I don't really know what else to do. Shaboom told me she did this for a whole month so that's what I committed to. But I know I can't keep it up. I'm too exhausted. Tomorrow will be my last day. I will call her on my journey and try to figure out a new plan.
I called The Sgt. Major. He said, "Just think of this as war. You make a plan. If the plan doesn't work, you make a new plan." God, I love having him as a big brother. He is very wise and very brave. Solid as a rock. I start to think about what he has sacrificed for his country. How silly all this other stuff seems. But he's behind me in this so I keep going. I know what he's done. That's why I can do day after day of my 8 miles and 80 flights of stairs plan. He's done more and never talked about it. Yes, there are people like that. And I get to know one of them.
4 and I walked to Toys R Us then ended up at Chili John's.
Hubby met us there for dinner.
Chili John's is famous in Burbank.
You want some real chili? Head on down.
I ordered the spiciest chili they have with the works.
It was a fun night.
Mmmmmm.
The sky was so beautiful when we walked out.
I can tell Hubby is relieved that tomorrow will be my last day.
It takes me 4 hours to do 8 miles and 80 flights of stairs.
I'm going to figure this out.
Tomorrow I call Shaboom.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Day 105 from France:
Adverts
Shaboom sends us her update from
Images from the Paris Metro...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone 4
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Karen - Day 104 - Poke Salad Annie
Karen sends her posts from Burbank, CA
Grandma Dee has a mystery plant in her garden.
Grandma Dee has a mystery plant in her garden.
It shot up so fast and so high, Tammy was calling it The Beanstalk Plant. It doesn't seem like a weed, is kind of pretty and has little berries on it.
My brother, The Sgt. Major, took a branch with some berries over to the Nursery to find out what the heck it is.
It's called Pokeweed but some people call it Poke Salad. It's a bit controversial because the seeds of the berries are poisonous along with other parts of the plant but some people eat the leaves before they mature. I enjoy my salad triple washed and already in a bag so needless to say, we will not be eating any of it. The birds eat the berries but do not digest the seeds so it's safe for them. (Which is how we suspect the ginormous Pokeweed was planted in the first place. If you know what I mean.)
Turns out it's a pretty famous weed. The Sgt. Major found this and we all sat around watching it. Until Tammy and I couldn't take it anymore and had to get up and dance.
Grandma Dee then told us a story about how she went to see Elvis before he was famous. Her friend Willy, a girl from the south, dragged her to a concert. "He was dancing all funny and all the girls were hoopin and hollerin. Willy was jumping up in her seat and screaming and I couldn't figure out what all the hype was about. I figured he would never make it as a singer."
For the record, I love all things Elvis. Not in a 'please don't put your purse on my Elvis shrine because when they find where he's really living I know he'll want to see it' kind of way. In fact I don't have any Elvis stuff. But man oh man he was one sexy, talented, charismatic guy.
Day 6 of the New, New Plan. (8 miles and 80 flights of stairs) Goal accomplished for the day. I'm eating everything and I hurt.
Rock On.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Karen - Day 103 - Not Thinking About It
Just a little recap.
Shaboom: In Southern California, working for a CRAZY person 24/7. She's taking the classy road and not talking about it at all. Instead she's posting beautiful pictures of Paris for the next few days.
I'm on Day 5 of my New, New Plan. Walking 8 miles a day and going up and down 80 flights of stairs. Yesterday's beach day with Hubby and 4 has reinvigorated me.
I have to say that this feels like a job now.
Doing this much exercise takes a lot of time. And believe me when I say I have stopped trying to get motivated. I just grab my ipod and head out the door. For the next week or so Hubby's off work so he's hanging out with 4. I really have no idea how I'm going to incorporate this into my life when he's gone. But I'm not worrying about that now, just sticking to the New, New Plan.
My 8 miles included a trip to Starbucks for a latte. Then a stop at a bakery for a croissant. It's so early I feel a little like a freak. Not thinking about it. This is not really what I had in mind when I started this. Not thinking about it. The laundry needs to be done. Not thinking about it. I wonder what the guys are doing? Not thinking about it.
Lunch was fresh baguette with cheese.
Hubby and 4 had gone to the store and brought home goodies.
That night Hubby made dinner. There's cheese on top and inside the grilled burger. He used some baguette for a bun.
I ATE IT ALL.
It will be interesting to see what happens at the end of this week.
I don't feel any thinner. Just tired, hungry and grumpy. Not thinking about it......
Much.
Bon Appétit.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
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