Going Backwards

I've been so busy the last few days it's hard to find time to sit down at the computer. My oldest son is visiting from Golden Colorado. We went to dinner Friday night with friends of ours, our daughter, her boyfriend, our son, & his friends. We went to the Columbus Brewing Company. It was great. (more food during the week of Thanksgiving) I had fish but I'm sure the sauce was full of calories. I know the banana cream pie was loaded but it was the best I've ever tasted. I have less than a week to go for my bet with my brother. It's going to be close. I'm teaching a class on gift tags tomorrow at work. This will be my first real class I teach by myself. When I left work tonight there were 10 signed up for the class.  This is what my class materials look like before we make the tags. I found out today I do get paid extra for teaching classes so that's even better. Did you know for every Christmas tree harvested, 2 to 3 seedlings are planted in its place. 

weight 144.8

temp 46

humidity 85%

8333 steps or 4.28 miles

calories burned 204

stats

Did you know following Princess Diana's tragic death in 1997, the Ty toy company, famous in the late 1990s for its popular Beanie Baby line of beanbag animals, issued a "Princess" bear in tribute. The royal purple Beanie, bearing an embroidered white rose on its chest, became so desired that at Christmas time, American collectors were willing to spend up to $300 for one on the secondary market.

weight 143.4

temp 41

humidity 72%

5551 steps or 2.80 miles

calories burned 172

Stats

Did you know electric Christmas tree lights were first used in 1895. The idea for using electric Christmas lights came from an American, Ralph E. Morris. The new lights proved safer than the traditional candles.

weight 145

temp 41

humidity 72%

7159 steps or 3.61 miles

calories burned 217

Stats

Did you know during World War II it was necessary for Americans to mail Christmas gifts early for the troops in Europe to receive them in time. Merchants joined in the effort to remind the public to shop and mail early and the protracted shopping season was born.

weight 144.6

temp 37

humidity 59%

7081 steps or 3.57 miles

calories burned 228

Thanksgiving 2007

Today is Thanksgiving day and my 52nd birthday. I had a wonderful day celebrating with family at my parents home in Cincinnati, Ohio. My parents, mother-in-law, brother's family,sister's family, and my husband and children were all present. My youngest brother and his family are in Arizona but with us in thought. It's nice having all three of my children home for Thanksgiving. My son Bryan is visiting from Golden, Colorado. The food was wonderful but I was good. I ate sensible but did enjoy dessert. I was able to get in 1.33 miles for the day but no time to walk any real distance. Did you know 44 years ago today John  F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas Texas.

weight 143.6

temp 39

humidity 73%

2646 steps or 1.33 miles

calories burned 39

Stats

Did you know during the Christmas/Hanukkah season, more than 1.76 billion candy canes will be made.

weight 142.4

temp 66

humidity 90%

8950 steps or 4.52 miles

calories burned 262

I've been busy with job interviews the last two days. I interviewed for a managers position at Cord Camera's Scrapbooking Department. The pay is decent with commission so there is opportunity to excel. The benefits are great. The hours are great. I'm nervous waiting for the outcome since this is a job made for me. I guess what ever happens is meant to be. I do believe things happen for a reason even though we don't always understand it right away. They said they would be making a decision with in a week. In the mean time I'm still trying to get my money from the tax department. The women I called on Monday handed it over to another gentleman and he is working on it. But he did find $54 that belongs to my husbands grandfather who died in 1963. My oldest son Bryan is home for Thanksgiving he lives in Colorado and he arrived this morning. I saw him for about an hour before he went to bed at 9 am and again when I made him an omelet before he went out with his buddies. The weather has been great for walking. I wish it didn't get dark so early but at least I'm not freezing too!I still have 2.6 lbs to go before Dec 1st the only problem is Thanksgiving day is tucked in there too! So I will have to walk extra this next week to hit 140. Did you know during the Christmas buying season, Visa cards alone are used an average of 5,340 times every minute in the United States.

weight 142.6

temp 66

humidity 72

8097 steps or 4.08 miles

calories burned 312

Stats

Did you know Christmas trees are known to have been popular in Germany as far back as the sixteenth century. In England, they became popular after Queen Victoria's husband Albert, who came from Germany, made a tree part of the celebrations at Windsor Castle. In the United States, the earliest known mention of a Christmas tree is in the diary of a German who settled in Pennsylvania.

weight 143.2

temp 

humidity

6030 steps or 3.04 miles

calories burned 242

Stats

Did you know Christmas presents were known in antiquity among kings and chieftains, especially on the European continent. However, they have been common among ordinary people in Iceland only during the past 100 or so years. 

weight 143.6

temp 45

humidity 76%

6294 steps or 3.17 miles

calories burned 212

74 days & $700.00 Later

Well I had to break down and buy tags for my sons car. I did get a call back from someone at the tax department regarding my unclaimed funds but, she connected me with someone who takes cared of over paid taxes. So I still have to wait until Monday to talk to the right person ( I hope). I'm still working on my Christmas cards, buckeye jewelry, & some Christmas gifts. It's been cold walking outside. If you would have told me last November that I would be out walking in the cold like I have been. I would have told you your crazy.  It's hard for me to get to the mall on the days that  I work. There is a Trader Joe's( a grocery store)  next door to work and I'm going to start walking in there when it gets real cold. Did you know Christmas is not widely celebrated in Scotland. Some historians believe that Christmas is downplayed in Scotland because of the influence of the Presbyterian Church (or Kirk), which considered Christmas a "Papist," or Catholic event. As a result, Christmas in Scotland tends to be somber.

weight 143.4

temp 41

humidity 49%

8912 steps or 4.50 miles

calories burned 291

Stats

Did you know Christmas Day in the Ukraine can be celebrated on either December 25, in faithful alliance with the Roman Catholic Gregorian calendar, or on January 7, which is the Orthodox or Eastern Rite (Julian calendar), the church holy day.

weight 143.6

temp 41

humidity 49%

4188 steps or 2.11 miles

calories burned 118

Stats

Did you know as early as 1822, the postmaster in Washington, D.C. was worried by the amount of extra mail at Christmas time. His preferred solution to the problem was to limit by law the number of cards a person could send. Even though commercial cards were not available at that time, people were already sending so many home-made cards that sixteen extra postmen had to be hired in the city.

weight 144.4

temp 40

humidity 68%

13,078 steps or 6.60 miles

calories burned 492

Stats

Did you know California, Oregon, Michigan, Washington, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina are the top Christmas tree producing states. Oregon is the leading producer of Christmas trees - 8.6 million in 1998.

weight 145.2

temp 63

humidity 47%

9760 steps or 4.92 miles

calories burned 375

Another weight in.

Today was an extremely busy day. I started off my day making some bracelets and booklets for a bid on St. Charles Mom prom souvenirs. My neighbor is on the board to select them and she asked me to do it. I was on the phone for about 3 hours trying to fix this license tags problem Robby's 30 day tags expired on the 9th. I found out the number I have been calling is an Ohio State employee that was transfered out Aug 2nd. Why she has a voice mail box is a real mystery. I found that out when I reported her for not returning my calls. I did get in touch with a women named Theresa who orders office supplies for state employees. (I was transfered to her by mistake) Her mother happens to be the one in charge of unclaimed funds but she is on vacation until Monday. The reason I was not getting an answer all month was Chase gave me the wrong number. My lesson learned from this is not to be nice keep calling everyone until you drive someone crazy. If your nice and wait for a return call your out of luck. The story really is much longer but I'm tired of repeating it. I had a class at work at 6 and it lasted for about 2 1/2 hours. I got home and ate dinner and was too tired to walk. I really have to get moving I only have 2 1/2 weeks left for my weight challenge. Did you know right behind Christmas and Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday ranks as the third-largest occasion for Americans to consume food, according to the National Football League.

weight 146

temp ?

humidity ?

1899 steps or .95 miles

calories burned 61

Stats

Did you know it is estimated that 400,000 people become sick each year from eating tainted Christmas leftovers.

weight 147.4

temp 61

humidity 72%

10,242 steps or 5.17 miles

calories burned 349

The Holidays are coming!

I have been extremely busy all week working our Holiday Extravaganza the biggest week of the year for Archiver's. I did learn how to teach a two page lay out for Christmas. The first class was pretty crazy. Some of the women come rushing in starting without listening to directions then complaining  when they do the pages wrong. But I did learn after my first two classes what to expect and how to handle it. I had a hard time trying to avoid the pizza at work on Fri & Sat. We only get a 30 minute lunch late in the day and we had to start at 8 am. The store buys pizza for lunch on Fri & Sat,  I did however pass on the sweets. At least I was able to make time to walk before collapsing. Did you know October is National Pizza month. It was first so designated in 1987. Americans eat approximately 100 acres of pizza each day, or 350 slices per second.

weight 147.6

temp 48

humidity 775

11,141 steps or 5.62 miles

calories burned 384

Stats

Did you know certain frogs can be frozen solid then thawed and continue living.

weight 147.4

9303 steps or 4.64 miles

calories burned 307

Stats

Did you know at nearly 50 percent fat, whale milk has around 10 times the fat content of human milk, which helps calves achieve some serious growth spurts - as much as 200 pounds per day.

weight 147.6

temp 51

humidity 71%

13,646 steps or 6.89 miles

calories burned 502

Stats

Did you know if you put a raisin in a glass of champagne, it will keep floating to the top and sinking to the bottom.

weight 147.4

temp 46

humidity 48

7550 steps or 3.81 miles

calories burned 237

Let it Wait "the snow"

I walked this afternoon in the neighborhood it was a little chilly at first but I save about 30 minutes time when I'm not driving to the mall. And sometimes I save money too! . Today it was spitting snow while I was walking. Luckily none was sticking. It wasn't quite as windy today. I wanted to get back so I could start assembling my Christmas cards. I spent all day on Sunday designing them that takes me longer then assembling them. I try 15 different ways before I'm satisfied with them. I use my wrapping paper in my cards. I have punched out the snowmen with card stock & wrapping paper. There's lots of cutting, glueing, & folding to be done but that's the part of Christmas I enjoy the most. And of course wrapping gifts. Did you know Hallmark introduced its first Christmas cards in 1915, five years after the founding of the company.

weight 146.4

temp 43

humidity 79%

9918 steps or 5 miles

calories burned 389

Another 2.2 pounds

Well it finally happened I lost one of my players on my biggest loser fantasy team. Ryan is gone I'm not quite sure what that means at this point but I was the last one to lose one of their original players and I was in 5th place. I picked my players by family names since I wasn't quite sure what I was doing. I am enjoying the show. And I do love the  competition. You can tell it's November by the wind. I walked the neighborhood today and it was pretty windy. It's trash day and cans were flying everywhere. I just put on a sweatshirt & hooded jacket and it kept me warm. I'm determined to lose this weight and that means walking every day that I can. We had a training class at work tonight and they had pizza again. It's killing me just smelling it but I resisted. Every time I pass on pizza and brownies I justify eating Thanksgiving dinner. Did you know the heaviest turkey ever weighed toppled the scales at 86 pounds.

weight 146.4

temp 43

humidity 57%

10,914 steps or 5.51 miles

calories burned 441

The Cold Weather is coming!

The weather is starting to change. I left work at 5:30 and it felt wonderful outside, 3 minutes later on my way home it was pouring down raining and very cold all the sudden. I walked after dinner it was cold ,damp, & dark. The wind was stinging my face but I did it. The temperature is suppose to drop 20 degrees tomorrow. If it's cold I'll walk at the mall. I have discovered pod cast and they make them in every subject there is. Right now I'm listening to scrapbook pod cast so it makes walking easy. Sometimes I walk a little further to finish listening to my pod cast. The best part is they are free. Find a subject you like through itunes, download it on your ipod and you have hours of entertainment. I've been working on my Christmas cards. I have them designed but, I still need to put them together. Right now I'm ahead of the game. I had to purchase my gift wrap before I could make my cards & tags so they would coordinate. I still need to find ribbon but, the hard part is out of the way. Purchase a few gifts, throw up a tree, & poof  it's all done. Well it sounds good anyway. Did you know an average household in America will mail out 28 Christmas cards each year and see 28 cards return in their place.

weight 147.8

temp 62

humidity 56%

11,787 steps or 5.95 miles

calories burned 415

Stats

Did you know It's physically impossible for you to lick your elbow. 

weight 146.2

temp 56

humidity 30%

11,274 steps or 5.69 miles

calories burned 440

BP 121/99

Another Call to the Tax dept

I called the women from the tax dept and left her another message I haven't heard from her so I will try again tomorrow. I got out early to walk today the weather was great again. I wanted to get a good long walk in before I started cleaning. We have had so much road construction in our neighborhood some of which has ended today. You could really smell the tar in the air. But it's great that all these trucks and back-hoes will be gone tomorrow. Every morning lately it sounds like someone has been shot. I think I might have heard the last big bang this afternoon. Or at least I hope I have. Did you  know a person can live without food for about a month, but only about a week without water.

weight 146.8

temp 56

humidity 41%

10,337 steps or 5.22 miles

calories burned 385