One woman. 50 days. A lot of exercising.

50 days.
14% of the year.

And it's true.  I didn't always look forward to getting up early to exercise.  Or lacing up the shoes and heading outside in sub 40 degree weather to work on my couch to 5K training {for the second time, if you're keeping track}.  But I did it.

For being of the items on my 34 in 34 list that I feared might not actually get accomplished, I'm pretty excited that I can already check it off the list.  

 Most of the exercise? Took place before 7 a.m. on the weekdays.

At first that was to get it out of the way, because I was worried I wouldn't make myself do it if I waited until nap time, or even worse, after my husband got home from work.

But now?  It's because I want to do it early in the morning.  My day is a little 'off' if I don't get up first thing, put on my work-out clothes and spend some time with Jillian Michaels.  Or on the trails. 

I didn't work out to the max every single day of those 50 days.  I mixed in Jillian Michael's work outs (30 Day Shred, and Ripped in 30), running/walking doing the Couch to 5K training and using our Wii Fit (those were the easy days).

Plus, my favorite form of exercise.

Hiking.

Getting to be with my family.  Enjoying the lovely landscape I'm blessed to live in right now.  Burning a HUGE amount of calories.  Sounds like a win-win-win to me.

Trust me when I tell you that back in August, I didn't think I'd be sitting here on October 15th saying that I had done it.  That I had found the time every day to focus on me, and that I'd use that time getting more fit and more focused on losing weight. 

You know what that means?  People can change.

Old dogs can learn new tricks. 

The funny scary true thing?  I don't want to stop.

I'm considering what to make my next goal.   Maybe I'll run/walk a certain # of miles in a certain # of days.  Or actually run an entire 5K. What do you think? Any ideas for me?

Now, I feel like the possibilities are endless.

And let me tell you "one more thing" as my son says, when he's delaying bedtime:
                  If I can do this?  You can too.

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Today I'm linking up with Ashley for Move it Monday.  Seems appropriate, right?

tv, tv, tv {the return of top 10 Tuesday}

Oh boy.  I think I've come to a realization.  And its a bit scary.  {well, at least for me}

I think I have to give up watching t.v.

What?  What was that you just said Jenny?

I need to give up watching t.v.

It wastes my time.  I could be writing, reading, exercising.  All things that will "add" to my life {so to speak}, instead of just wasting time.

So, what better thing to do as I consider this change than to talk about my top 10 favorite television shows of all time.  Maybe that will help me decide?

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10. Awards shows. {or maybe its just the red carpet} But they seem to have been boring lately...and I haven't been able to watch them for the last two years either.  This being the reason this is #10.

9.  Gilmore Girls. Never watched this when it was on the air, but got caught up later.  Love Lauren Graham.  Probably part of the reason for #1 on the list too.

8. Rules of Engagement, Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother.  Best comedies right now...they are all still on the air, right? I KNOW HIMYM is since we haven't met the mother, and pretty sure about Big Bang Theory too...but Rules of Engagement?  Oh, and The New Girl should probably be added to this list.

7. Guiliana & Bill.  Has become the only reality t.v. show I seek out. They seem down to earth (please don't shatter that image if you've met them and they aren't), and they have an uplifting, inspiring story. 

6.  The Good Wife, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice.  Just good stuff.  Drama, at its best.

5.  Ed.   Before Julie Bowen made us laugh me on Modern Family, she was on Ed (and in Happy Gilmore...but this post is about t.v.).  And Tom Cavanaugh.  Cutie.

4.  Las Vegas.  I own just about every season {if not every season}.  And I'm still bitter about the ending. 

3.  Ugly Betty.  I rarely watched this when it ran on the air the first time, but I've fallen in love via reruns.  Talk about a strong female role model for young girls. 

2.  Friends.  Can always make me laugh.  Seriously, the show is like an old friend. 

1.  Parenthood.  For real.  May be the one reason I can't 100% give up t.v.  Have you watched it?  If you haven't...you must.  That's it.  And have tissues nearby.  Because your bound to cry.  I just found this on t.v. here; reruns at about noon.  I'm crossing my fingers that they continue through to this season. And, of course I am watching the previous seasons again.  Gotta get my Braverman fix.

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So...hmmm.  All three of these photos were in my instagram feed (jenlives) from the last three weeks or so.  Perhaps that's a sign that t.v. has just a little too much presence in my time.  Oh, and the fact that its on my 34 in 34 list to give up t.v. for a month.

Maybe November will be the month???

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I'm linking up with Lena B, Actually  for Tuesday Ten and Many Little Blessings for Top Ten Tuesday.  Because, obviously {look at the name of my blog}, I like lists.

34 in 34: Spending Freeze.

Monday I mentioned our trip into Glasgow for the day last Friday.  And the fact that I'm on a spending freeze this month. 

It's a self imposed spending freeze, but I'm pretty sure J#1 doesn't mind.  {wink}

Why a spending freeze, perhaps you are wondering?  A few reasons...

1. It is EXPENSIVE to live in Scotland.  For some reason it seems more so  than when we lived in the Netherlands, even though supposedly the Netherlands has a higher cost of living.  It has to do with the currency exchange; lets just say it's not friendly to us.  
2. We have a trip planned back to Minnesota in November.  I always spend a lot {probably too much} stocking up on all of our favorites when we are there.  And hello, one word: Target.  So I need to save up for that.  
3. {& this one is the most important} I wanted to focus on the important people in life {not the things}

I actually started in late August, but am maintaining it through the end of the month.  In all honesty, I'm not too much of a big spender {except pertaining to #2 above}.  It's really random things I find at the grocery store that I can't seem to say no to.  Like:

 

Yes, they are plants. Yes, I know that I just wrote a post yesterday about my inability to garden.  

But they were £2.50.  If that's not the perferct price for someone with a black thumb?  

I don't know what is.  

Heck, just the pots that they are in are worth £2.50. 

I hope they are still in stock on October 1.  {Yes, I'm dreaming.}

And then there is my real guilty pleasure. 

 

 Office supplies.  Oh how I love you.  

If I was a poet, I'd write a sonnet.

But alas, I have four more days of September.  Four more days to resist my silly spends. 

Lets just hope I don't undo all the good I did in September on October 1st.  {wink}

What is it about challenges?

There is something about a challenge that makes me thrive.  Not necessarily the every day life kind of challenges {those just have a tendency to stress me out}.  But challenges like writing a novel in a month or training to run a 5K. 

I have to believe that its one of the reasons that I am finally able to really concentrate on losing weight too, because the Game On Challenge I've been doing for most of the year has been pretty effective (well, mostly) at helping me lose weight...although I'd be better if there was no time off {wink}. 

So that's one of the reasons I put together my 34 in 34 list.  There's a link to it up top there, and I'm also writing about it and my progress so far over at Intend to Live. 

Unlike my bucket list, obviously the goal is to get all of these things done THIS year. 

So what is it about challenges?  I think its the journey, and more importantly, the feeling of accomplishment when its completed.  It just makes the path more interesting.

Oh, and I need a few new items for the list.  Our travel plans have changed since I first wrote it, and I really want to finish everything so I'm updating it.  Do you have any ideas for me? 

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What do you want to do this year???