General Update

My biggest accomplishment last week was that I made it to all 7 of my classes at the gym! Oh sure, I was late to most of them (the exception being the two that start right after another class/workout activity), but better late than never, right? Actually, I really hate being late, and sometimes I consider just skipping the class altogether. But the whole lateness issue is the topic of a post I have brewing for Chicago Moms Blog, and I've been so delinquent on there that they might be kicking me out soon, so I should just shut up and keep my intellectual property to myself now.

I feel pretty good after my week of working out. Let me tell you, though, I am the remedial student in every single class at my gym. (Well, except for aquacize, where I'm fairly competent, but in there I have my own special designation as the one who splashes everybody and once smacked the instructor upside the head during "butterfly arms.") Anyway, in all the other classes I am the one hanging around in the back of class, just trying to do enough of the workout to not get noticed. I mean, I work hard and all, it's just that when I get tired, I never quite get the moves right. Or I'm like three steps behind everybody (reminding me of my days in the high school marching band).

Oh and you, Stupid Teacher's Pet up at the front of the class, you can just suck it with your stupid extra jumps and your ugly headband.

Moving on.

I was in a real funk at the beginning of the week. I think it was related to post-Halloween exhaustion (not so much literal tiredness as just mental exhaustion), as well as Nathan's general post-Halloween crabbiness. So, Monday and Tuesday we mostly hung out at home, with the exception of my gym classes, of course. I just felt off. I wasn't motivated to do my usual chores, or to take Nathan anywhere. I was feeling so unproductive, and I had to start asking myself the series of self-assuring questions I pull out when I'm down on myself: Is anybody in the family starving? Is anybody forced to wear dirty clothes? Have we fallen behind on any of our bills? Thankfully, the answer to all these questions was no.

Still, on Wednesday I felt like I needed to get my groove back. I was sort of foundering on Weight Watchers, as well, and the combination of being holed up in the house and not living up to my usual standards of organization (eating-wise or otherwise) was getting to me. Fortunately Wednesday we had library story hour. I love, love, love the library. It's pretty much our only free, local, indoor entertainment, so I'm going to have to start loving the library even more as winter approaches. Anyway, not too much of note happened at the library, except that Nathan missed most of his story hour due to a tantrum, and I checked out a big cookbook called America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book.

Yes, I know, I'm a glutton for punishment. Why on earth would anybody who was trying to get back into serious Weight Watchering check out a baking cookbook? I don't know, actually. The pages were just so pretty and glossy and full of the promise of expertly-tested recipes for baked goods.

But I ended up losing 1.2 pounds on Weight Watchers at my weigh-in on Thursday, and that got me all motivated again to not eat baked goods. So on Friday, when my friend Sarah came over and we made the cookbook's Blue Ribbon Apple Pie, I actually gave both our pies away without having a single bite. (The rule I have established for myself is that I can only bake single-entity items such as cakes or pies. If I baked cookies, I would have to taste one or two to make sure they were okay. But with pies, you can't really give them away with a sliver taken out, so that gives me a layer of Weight Watchers protection.)

Also on Friday I went out downtown with my friend. So totally necessary. I dropped out of Weight Watchers for the evening and had the best meal at the Weber Grill. They have these pretzel rolls with cheddar cheese spread ... ohhh, I could make a meal just out of those. Then I had the barbecue chicken, which is good, but only a vehicle to get the garlic mashed potatoes as a side dish. Oh, and we had a big pitcher of sangria. And, in an ironic twist, we had apple pie for dessert.

Yesterday nothing at all of significance happened. Oh wait! I did get about a month's worth of laundry finally put away. (It was folded, just not put away. I just don't see the point of putting away laundry.) But anyway, that was a big accomplishment for me!

Oh and also, Husband and I played Rock Band and SingStar, and I kicked his ass at all singing-based activity. Which is funny, because I'm not a good singer. And plus the cat chose to sit with me, so I had two victories that night.

And now Nathan is watching Wonder Pets and I only have ten more minutes left on my daily schedule designated for "general goofing around," so I should sign off.