Operation Gym Coup: Week Three Review

Wow! It's already the end of week three! Do you know what that means? It means Stud comes home in ONE WEEK! I can't wait. Until then, I still have some major work to do.

This mission has been going well but I haven't always been super enthusiastic about getting myself to the gym. In fact last Thursday I was practically in tears on the phone with my hubby. It was probably like 9:30 pm and I still hadn't gone to the gym and I hadn't gone the last two nights either. I couldn't afford that kind of slacking if I were still going to meet my goal. On top of that, I was going out of town that weekend and for sure wouldn't get to the gym Saturday and if I were going to go Friday, it needed to be in the morning before work. So there I was, on the couch, not wanting to leave the house knowing that not only would it be a late night, but also an early morning if I were going to get to the gym before work.

But Stud definitely encouraged me. He reminded me that a goal is a priority. Since when can you achieve your goals without having to sacrifice anything? Wasn't I going up north to relax all weekend? Couldn't I just push through the next twelve hours? How important is my goal anyway?

Needless to say, I got up, put on my gym clothes and made it to the gym by 10 something AND was right back there at 6:20 am the next morning. It sure felt good to follow through and I'm pretty appreciative of my hubby's motivational speeches.

Lately I've been thinking about what I like too much that prevents me from making my goals the priorities they should be. Here's a list of things that I've come up with so far:
1. Sleeeeeeeeeeep!
2. Relaxation/down time
3. Talking to Stud on the phone (that one seems fair!)
4. Crafting
5. Movies

All of these things often seem way more enticing than hitting the gym. However, I've been trying really hard to not see the gym as a drag, but as a commitment to the lifestyle that I want to have. It's like that song from the Sound of Music: "Nothing comes from nothing. Nothing ever could." I can't expect to get fit without putting the work in. By the way, I think there's something to learn from that song, Big Bang theorists...helllooooo!


I was also really encouraged this week by getting a chance to meet and talk to one of the new owners of the Eden Prairie Anytime Fitness. She and her husband just bought it a couple of weeks ago and they happened to be there later at night one night this week. I was happy to see someone in the office because I had noticed that on AnytimeHealth.com, where I can track how many visits to the gym I have made, it only logs one visit per day. When I realized this I was pretty bummed because I needed to swipe my card twice a couple of days to get credit for doing the MS 150 (especially since I was gone those days and couldn't get to the gym if I wanted to) and I was also banking on getting some more double days in on the weekends to make up for some of my slacker days during the week. By the time I realized it was only counting once a day, I was already to the point where I thought I wouldn't be able to catch up even if I went every day until the end of the month. However, I talked to Amanda, the new owner, at the gym and she was able to look me up on their computer and confirm that all of my visits are indeed being counted, just not on my personal page at AnytimeHealth.com. 

Not only that but she looked at some other numbers and told me that I was currently in second place!

Yep. There was only one person who had logged more visits that I had (three more, to be exact). Wow! That was such a boost! This victory is mine for the taking! And it IS that dramatic. Ha. 

So with the pep talk from my husband, the knowledge that all of my visits are being logged and the little tidbit that I'm scarcely behind the top biggest user,  I had no problem getting to the gym almost every night this week. 

This last week is the final push and I plan to go twice both days this weekend since I have most of the weekend free. I'm even getting better at doing some weight-lifting and not just cardio while I'm at the gym. It is really important to add weight training to your routine. A lot of the time I feel like lifting weights is just robbing from my cardio time but the more muscle you have, the more calories your burn at rest so it's really not a bad trade-off. Plus, feeling sore the next couple of days really makes me feel like I did something and it's tangible evidence of your muscles (and your body) transforming little by little. 

This is what I got to see on my way to the gym one night last week: 

Couldn't ask for a better backdrop!

Here's to finishing out this last week strong!

Operation Good News

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you have learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

2 Timothy 3:14-17

As a Christian, it's not just a nice idea to read the Bible. It's of utmost importance...and it's not optional. Matthew 4:4 reveals what we can already intuit, that physical nourishment isn't enough to satisfy a child of God: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." In John 4:13,14 Jesus himself told the woman at the well, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." We must be convinced that we are not just flesh and bones whose only needs are physical. We need and crave spiritual food just as C. S. Lewis wrote, "You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."

Moreover, it's our responsibility to know the truth that is found in God's word (2 Timothy 2:15 compels us to be someone who is "rightly dividing the word of truth") and we are indeed commanded  in Joshua 1:8 to "meditate on it day and night." With verses as plain as that, there's no getting around the fact that Christians need to be in the Word. 

Lack of direction can be one of my biggest obstacles to staying in the Word. I can't tell you how many times I have sat down to read my Bible and couldn't think of where to start. Should I start a new book? Read some psalms or proverbs? Do a topical study? I've even opened my Bible to a random page and started reading from there. Part of the incredible beauty of the Bible is that you can be fed even through such haphazard methods. What you have read 20 times can reveal new truth the 21st time and what you randomly read one night can be more perfect than anything you could have methodically been searching for. Hebrews 4:12 explains why every bit of the Bible is so powerful: "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."


Unfortunately there are a variety of things that keep me from reading the Bible as much as I know I want and need to. And what's a great way to turn this situation around? Make it a mission! If this is your first look at one of my missions, you can check out my whole philosophy behind missions here. For those of you already up to speed, you know what's next: OSMEAC.

O Here's where I am: I've got more Bibles around the house than days of the week but they are read far too sparingly. 


S Here's what's happening: I'm not getting the spiritual food I need. Just like a relationship with another person, your relationship with God needs to be cultivated. I wouldn't expect to grow closer to my husband if I never talked to him, would I? And how foolish would I be if I never read the emails and letters and texts that he sent me? All relationships require time and effort. As a Christian, I have so much to gain from reading the Bible and yet it often seems like a struggle to make it daily habit. 


M Here's what I'm going to do: My mission is to read the entire New Testament, the Good News of what Jesus has done for us, by the end of the summer (that is September 1st). There are 27 books in the New Testament...."each one a special part. So I learned this song and it didn't take long till I knew them all by heart!" Sorry. Those songs you learn as a little kid really stick with you! So, like I was saying, 27 books make up the New Testament and, in my Bible, that's almost exactly 500 pages. 


E Here's how I'm going to do it: There are approximately 10 weeks left of summer so that breaks down to about 50 pages a week, which is less than 10 pages a day...how attainable is that?! Honestly, this mission almost seems too easy. But I'm gonna stick with this time line so that I really get the most out of this mission and don't just rush through these truth-packed pages. I typically like to read my Bible before bed but I'm going to be flexible about when and where I read. 


A Here's what will help: As usual, being intentional is key to most of life's pursuits. Reading my Bible is something I think about every day, but it's not something I'm intentional about every day. This mission will not only help me organize a plan and provide direction, it will remind me that I have to consciously pursue the things that are important to me. It will help motivate me to read because I'll know exactly what I'm going to be reading when I open my Bible instead of picking a passage on the fly. 

I'm also excited to make this my first mission with a call to action! Something that I think would be an awesome support for this goal is to partner with other readers. If you are interested in joining me on this mission, please let me know! I would love to share what we learn and the new things that stand out to us as we go. I'm looking for at least five partners with this mission (and would be extremely excited to double that), to read the entire New Testament by September 1st and to share what is revealed to you in the process. I encourage you to leave a comment stating your intent to join in on this journey that will surely be rewarding. Who knows who will be encouraged and motivated by your commitment (you know it will at least be me)! 


Finally and foremost, the thing that I believe will help the most is simply getting started. Hunger for God's truth and promises is both satiated and augmented by the reading of scripture. There's no doubt in my mind that I'm really going to enjoy and be challenged by this mission!


C Here's the accountability: As always, this blog offers much of the accountability that I am relying on to accomplish this mission. I will be posting updates, though probably not weekly as I have done with other missions simply because this is a longer term mission. I will also be communicating my goal to some of my mentors in the faith to make sure that I am progressing at a nice, even pace instead of trying to read 450 pages the last two weeks of August. 

"R" is for Rank and Insignia

*This post is the first of a new series entitled "ABCs of a Corps Life" about everything military-related. 

Check out this page for more info and for an continually updated list of topics.*

I'll never forget one of the first times that I saw a "silver lining" to Stud's military involvement. Remember that it had only been a few months since we rekindled our romantic relationship when he came home from his very first round of training and found out that he would be deploying right away. I had a lot of mixed feelings about the Marine Corps and its power to take this man away from me at the drop of a hat. Well, the adjustments just kept rolling in over the next few months, but one day we were talking on the phone during either his training or the deployment and he said, "Oh, by the way, the Marine Corps Ball is in November." What? Ball? Marine Corps Ball? Ok, now all of this military stuff is starting to pay off!

So what? I'm a woman, aren't I? If being told that I get to attend a ball puts me in a better mood while my love is gone I'll take it! And so began the hunt for the perfect dress...not that it mattered because I bought one only a couple of weeks before the ball even after having MONTHS to look for one. However the dress wasn't the only think on my mind about this weekend (the Marine Corps Ball is actually a weekend event). After hearing Stud rattle off people's names preceded by their rank for the last several months, I wanted to make sure that I, too, would know what's going on and when I was talking to someone "important." I figured that spending a little time to become familiar with the USMC rank and insignia would be a great way to show my support and pride; and, hey, if this was gonna be part of my life for the next 6-8 years, I needed to stay on top of it as much as I could!

It's funny how little ranks meant to me as a civilian in a purely civilian world. Lieutenant? Private? What's the difference? In movies it was only body language and the way people reacted to each other that told me who had authority over whom. If you get a Lieutenant and a Private mixed up in the military, though, you're in deep...well, you know what.

Rank is a BIG deal. I'm still wrapping my head around just how important the rank structure is and sometimes it still boggles my mind how tightly the men and women are held to their ranking system. Don't get me wrong, I understand that it is, indeed, very important for this structure to exist and function properly. I mean, of all people, I get structure. Like anything, though, it's not without its drawbacks. For example, you get an arrogant Staff Sergeant who decides he doesn't like a particular PFC and things are not going to go well for that PFC. Right or wrong, getting dumped on by a higher-ranking Marine is most likely just part of the upbringing for most Devil Dogs. Whether it's some form or initiation, a punishment gone overboard, or just a reality of imperfect humans performing imperfectly, poorly-yielded authority is probably no more common in the military than it is in families or corporations; even if you have a generally good system, some people are going to abuse it or get abused by it. When you're in the military, though, you can't just quit your job if you boss is a jerk or move out if your parents are too strict. Compliance and obedience are part of the deal and they have to be if the military is to run successfully for obvious reasons. Having positive or negative experiences with your chain of command can really make or break your attitude especially since, in the military, you can't just leave work for the day or go out for a drive; you're "on" all the of the time and you don't control your day-to-day, hour-to-hour life.

Before you get the idea that all the "highers" just throw their weight around and that it sucks for everyone, let me highlight some of the really beneficial aspects of the rank structure.
1. It creates an organization in which everyone knows where they stand.
2. It provides motivation to improve and move up.
3. It fosters camaraderie among peers and, hopefully, trust in those in authority.
4. It ensures accountability.
5. It demands quality.
6. It's traditional (for a lot of people, this is enough of a reason by itself).
7. It allows people to focus on their particular job, and for all functions to come together methodically.

It may be hard to get used to, but this structure seems to be the backbone of the USMC. It facilitates all other functions from training to supply chain, transportation to support services, and, let's not forget, kicking butt!

Oorah!!

Seriously, how handsome is this Lance Corporal? 

Clockwise starting at the top left:

1. Training in boot camp

2.Gunner for convoy security (Iraq)

3. Goofing round in Iraq

4. Graduating from boot camp

Ok, so just in case you want to familiarize yourself with the Marine Corps rank and insignia, it is as follows:

Enlisted ranks

See the insignia for Master Gunnery Sergeant (third from the right)? I call it a pineapple but apparently it's a bursting bomb. I didn't know this until Stud was quizzing me and I said "Master Gunnery Sergeant: 3 chevrons (the bars on top), 4 rockers (the bars on the bottom) and the pineapple." He wasn't sure what I was talking about at first. I wonder why it was so easy for him to perceive a bomb and for me to perceive a pineapple. Yeah, such a mystery.

 Photo credits here, here and here.

Here are the officer ranks. In the Marine Corps, if you went the enlisted route, you become a non-commissioned officer (NCO) once you hit corporal and through sergeant. At staff sergeant and above, you're known as a staff non-commissioned officer (SNCO).  However, to start out at Officer Candidate School (OCS) to become a commissioned officer, you have to already have achieved a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.

Officer ranks

Charts from www.marines.com.

Each branch of the military has its own ranking structure although they share similarities. Marine Corps insignia is displayed on the arm of the uniform or on the collar. If you want to learn more check out the USMC website.

Knowing the ranks goes a long way in understanding what a service member is talking about. It can automatically give you perspective when hearing about various situations. If Stud tells me that he heard a rumor that they were coming home early (this happened last deployment) and the info is coming from a lance corporal or even a corporal or sergeant, I might not get too excited. If, however, the news came down from a captain or a gunny (Gunnery Sergeant) or someone like that, I might get my hopes up. As a side note, rumors almost never pan out no matter where they originate. When Stud tells me about so-and-so, I almost always ask what his or her rank is just to get an idea of where they fall into the structure. There's a lot at play in the conversations and practices of those serving. And to make things even more complex, there's also a rule against fraternization. So the men and women are really only supposed to hang out with people of their same rank, which can also skew the information that each person receives. This rule has exceptions but, from my view on the sidelines, they seem to keep it up pretty well. 

Of course, all of that being said, there are tons of nuances to keep track of. Here's my simple understanding: technically, if someone outranks you, they can tell you what to do, but sometimes you get told what to do by multiple people and it's not always consistent. Or sometimes someone outranks you but isn't directly in your chain of command. In those cases, it's not so cut and dry. One of the most common questions I ask after Stud tells me about a situation is, "Yeah, but do you have to listen to him?" Haha. I guess that shows my rebellious side. There's just too much authority to keep track of! But the guys (and gals) do a fabulous job for the most part and they get it done! Seriously, how many of us could hold up under so many levels of authority? You really have to admire their patience, flexibility and loyalty. 

Bravo to all you men and women out there who maneuver the waters of rank structure with pride AND humility. Your willingness to walk that line allows the military machine to power along and keep us safe! 

So that's my brief explanation of my limited understanding of the Rank and Insignia of the Marine Corps and how important it really is. 

Cartoon credit and unedited version here. The Marines are part of the Navy and sometimes it's not a stretch at all to apply the term "Swear like a sailor" to some of these...

ABCs of the Corps Life

The Few and the Proud. Be All that You Can Be. It's Not Just a Job. It's an Adventure! I bet we all know several slogans like these, seeking to entice (mostly) young men and women to consider joining a branch of the US military. I remember my last year in high school and for the next couple years getting calls from recruiters asking if I had weighed my options and filling me in on the benefits of a military career, but until a few years ago I never gave much thought to the military. I wasn't close to anyone that was currently serving and it just never seemed like a realistic lifestyle for me. I've always had a lot of respect for our members of the military but it was easy to feel so removed from it all. I figured that the people who needed to know what was going on were doing what they needed to do and therefore I could focus on my own pursuits. Of course, that all changed when the love of my life enlisted. I won't go into all the sappy details but if you're curious you can read about them here.

Being married to a Marine has opened up a whole world to me about which I hadn't a clue. I am very proud of my husband, his fellow Marines and the men and women who serve in the military in general. It's been an honor to get to glimpse into this realm where people aren't just going to work, they're going to war so that the rest of us can go to work. I could go on an on about the impact that the military has had on our lives in the few short years since Stud enlisted so I thought it would be helpful to give it a little structure. Oh, how I love structure.

This is the place where I will share what I have learned, what I still don't understand, the struggles that I face, the pride I feel and everything else related to life through the eyes of a Marine wife. Please check back as I will continuously be adding to the list, listing subjects alphabetically. If you have an idea, a topic you'd like to see covered or a question related to military life, I'd love to hear it and possibly write about it! I'll be asking other service members, wives and family members to contribute too.

Operation Gym Coup: Week One & Two Review

June has been flying by and I'm already two weeks into my goal of becoming one of my gym's Biggest Users. I meant to get an update out after the first week, but preparing for the MS 150 last weekend got in the way so I'm combining weeks one and two. I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about this goal just because I've had so little motivation lately; I wasn't sure I could get myself to the gym almost every. HOWEVER, it's been going great! It actually feels soooo good to be going regularly again. I'm surprised at how much I missed it without even knowing.

It's so interesting how your perspective of "the gym" is shaped. When you think of the gym, you probably have a completely different picture in mind than I do. For example, sometimes I wonder what it would be like to go to the gym every morning before work. Would I see the same people? Would I be frustrated by how busy it is or enjoy the community feel? Would the morning light coming through the windows make me somehow feel differently or change my motivation? Would the knowledge that after I'm done working out, I have to go to work alter how long I want to work out since it always seems like I want to do something as soon as I don't have time? So many things subtly impact our attitude about working out and the environments in which we exercise.

I like working out at night. Always have. There are all kinds of reasons to not work out at night but I just prefer it. It feels so good at the end of the day to just go and get your blood pumping and endorphins flowing. It helps me let go of everything from during the day. So when I think of the gym, I picture a quiet place where there are only a few people who are finishing out their day by powering through a workout. The sky is dark and you can see your reflection in the window. The equipment is all neat and clean and the storage cubbies are mostly empty. It's such a relaxing place to get into your own thoughts and drives. It's just you pushing you.

Plus, the entertainment is way better at night. One of the things that has come to be a motivator for me is being able to watch specific shows at the gym. I love Anytime Fitness because a lot of their gyms are equipped with machines that have their own personal TVs with headphone jacks. We don't have TV or cable at home (just movies and Netflix streaming) so sometimes the biggest reason I drag myself to the gym is to see What Not to Wear or the new episode of Law and Order. It's like a treat. It also helps me endure a longer workout because sometimes I really want to see the end of whatever I'm watching. There are a lot of benefits to working out without distractions and focusing on your body, but listening to music or watching something can be really effective too. I don't usually plan ahead to go just for a specific show unless it's something I really like, but here's an example of what a week's schedule might include if I did:

Monday - Pawn Stars @ 9:00 PM on the History Channel

Tuedsay - Wing it!

Wednesday - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit @ 9:00 PM on NBC

Thursday- The Daily Show with John Stewart & the Colbert Report @ 10:00 PM on Comedy Central

Friday - Say Yes to the Dress @ 9:00 PM on TLC or Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on ABC

...not the best TV has to offer but almost anything is better than nothing. Ok. That's not true. A couple nights ago I would turn to a channel, wait for the commercial to be over to see what was actually on, discover it was something stupid, turn to the next channel, wait for more commercials and so on...the second half of my workout I watched more commercials than I did any actual show. No wonder I don't miss TV. And I still haven't gotten into watching sports while I workout. I see all kinds of people watching sports at the gym and I just don't get it. This is mostly because I HATE watching sports on TV to begin with, but what I haven't figured out is whether they watch sports because that is their program of choice and they would watch it even if they were not at the gym, or if they watch it because watching other people being physically active is motivating them to work harder on the treadmill. Can someone enlighten me on this? Nothing's worse to me than when I gotta "share" a TV with some guy who has it on basketball. Enough about TV, eh? 

Down to business. How do you think I did the first week? Take a guess. From June 1st to June 8th how many times did I go to the gym? 

Here are some pictures of my cats to give you time to make your guess. 

 

Analie misses Brandon almost as much as I do.

They look for his truck to drive up (or at the birds). 

Ana watches TV to pass the time.

Derby dreams of Stud petting her.

Ok. Do you have you guess?

If you guessed THREE...

you were so wrong. And thanks for the lack of confidence. Sheesh.

If you guess SEVEN...

you were also wrong, but I appreciate your support!!

I went SIX times. Yay!

Here's a screen shot from my profile on Anytime Health so you know it's true. 

I was feeling pretty good after the first week. My plans for the second week got a little interrupted by the MS 150, but, hey, I rode 150 miles in two days! So I think I'm still on track. If you want to see how I got involved with the MS 150, check out this page. I didn't work out the Thursday or Friday before the weekend of the ride. I intended to Thursday but there was so much to get done and the day just got away from me and Friday I knew ahead of time was going to be a non-gym day. I'm eager to post about my experience with the MS 150 this year but for the purpose of this review I'll just say that it was a fabulous 75 miles on Saturday and a PAINFUL 75 miles on Sunday.

I actually made it back into the gym right away on Monday. I was pretty sore and a little stiff still so I went early enough in the evening to walk the 15-20 minutes to the gym instead of driving and spent my time there just stretching and doing some upper body weights. I also swiped my card an extra time to count one of the days that I rode last weekend and I'll swipe an extra time again to count the second day. I am totally giving myself "gym" credit for those two days. Total time on the bike was 5 hours on the first day and 6 hours on the second day...just a tad more than I usually spend in the gym on a normal day. Ha!

This week has gotten off to a slow start. Since Monday I haven't been to the gym. Two days off in a row doesn't seem to bad but I get kick it up a notch to achieve my goal. It's not really that I don't want to go to the gym...although I think the long weekend zapped some of my energy. It's scrapbooking. Yep. Scrapbooking is thwarting my goal. I decided that I want to make a scrapbook for biking and the MS 150 so I got a bunch of supplies and once I get going I just don't want to stop. It's hard when I'm all settled in in the evening working on a project to get changed and go out to the gym. But tonight I gottta go. I'm gonna be out of town again this weekend so I really can't afford to take any more days off just because I don't feel like it. Wish me luck because I'm starting to feel a little discouraged. I'm still confident that I will achieve my goal but I'm just dragging a little. Stud and I haven't had a decent conversation in what feels like forever and I'm so ready for him to be home.

Here's a glimpse at probably the most relaxing part of last weekend: all of the tents set up as the sun went down on the first day...

Rosette Name Plaque

I didn't realize how vast and varied Blogland is until I started really getting into DIY projects and crafting. Reading so many creative and interesting blogs is what really made me want to have my own. I've always liked writing and being able to have a record of my thoughts, but when I saw what so many people were doing with their blogs, how they were sharing their ideas and showcasing their talents and achievements (and failures too), the desire to have my own space grew and grew. I could spend hours blog hopping. I often start at one of my favorites, then click on a link to one of their favorites, and so on until I can't even remember how I arrived a new blog that I absolutely love. After all my other posts, I'm excited to finally post something about what got me so interested in blogging.

Crafting has become a huge passion of mine. It's thrilling for me to be able to take a bunch of supplies and make them into something totally different, completely customized and uniquely perfect for my purposes. It's an even bigger thrill if I can do it for cheap! Crafting opens up a whole new world of what things could be. My hubby and I were browsing in Goodwill several months ago and I remember showing him things and getting a face like, "Are you kidding? That's hideous." And, of course, Goodwill has (more than) it's fair share of hideous things. But as he was looking at what was there, I was looking at what it could be. In fact, it's very rare for me to go shopping for things and expect to find something I'll like without any alterations even at non-secondhand stores. When I explained to Stud how I was looking at everything he expressed that, to him, that's a frustrating way to approach shopping, having to imagine what everything could be instead of just taking it as it is and then having to get it home and do work on it. But, aha! That isn't work for me. It's fun! I don't want to display other peoples' ideas of home decor. I want to make my own! Of course, not everything in my house is homemade or altered, but I do find a lot of joy in making something from scratch or finding something that I would like a little bit better if I made a few changes to it.

Another great thing about crafting is that it opens all kinds of doors for giving gifts. How many times have you had the perfect idea for someone but knew that you would never find it in the mall? It's so perfect you don't even know how to look for it. Well, the more you get into crafting the more you can make those gifts that are exactly what you want to give (and hopefully what that person wants to get). Homemade gifts can also really come through for you in a pinch, when you don't have much time and/or money.

Ok, so not everyone is thrilled with homemade gifts, but, when in doubt, try combining homemade gifts with "real" gifts to get them used to the idea. Hehe. For example, I typically wouldn't make something homemade for my brother whose interests (such as music and sound, writing and film, and cars) don't really lend themselves to crafts, but as part of his Christmas present last year, I made coasters with pictures of album covers from one of his favorite bands on them. And since this particular band, Porcupine Tree, isn't super well known, there is a very limited selection of memorabilia for them. There. Homemade, customized, rare and still kinda cool. Right? Check out Porcupine Tree here (they're kinda dark and they're album covers are creepy, but their sound is pretty mellow). And listen to one of my favorite songs of theirs here.

I gotta say one more thing about crafts and gift giving: packing is huge! When I was little we got Christmas presents in the mail from my dad's sister, my Aunt Les, who lives in Ohio. I always knew which presents were from her because of how they were wrapped. They were so pretty! They always had elegant paper and some sort of special bow, or embellishment or cute tag or something. It was like the wrapping was part of the gift. You could tell that extra time had gone into wrapping them. The more that I get set up with my own supplies now as an adult, the more excited I get about spending time on the wrapping and presentation of the gifts I give. It really does make a difference and builds that much more anticipation to open it! Even if you aren't giving homemade gifts, you can express how special the receiver is to you by spending time on the wrapping with homemade tags, bows or even homemade wrapping paper. Plus, in my opinion, putting a ribbon on anything makes it a gift, no matter how small or seemingly trivial. But beware: no matter how much time you spend on a package, it will get destroyed...and that's ok. :)

Ok, blah blah blah. Crafting is fun and useful. Onto the actual craft.

One of the last days before Brandon left to start training in CA, we went to Stillwater, MN to explore. Stillwater has all kinds of cool shops and antique stores and you could probably spend a couple of days there looking around. In one of the shops I found a wooden plaque that spelled, "Bloom." It was so perfect for a friend of mine whose last name was Bloom. On top of that, she just moved and I was on the lookout for a housewarming gift. On top of that, it was on sale! I had to buy it. However, the plaque was covered with some kind of dumb, pastel, polka dotted paper so I didn't want to give it to her like that. Yuck.

This friend of mine is into roses (not only the way it plays off of her last name, but the imagery of them and what the word "bloom" can signify), so I brainstormed how I could incorporated roses into the plaque. Then I remembered a tutorial I had noted for a rosette covered wreath found on a blog called Under the Table and Dreaming by Stephanie Lynn.

I've had this project on my list for awhile. It's made with newspaper but you could use pages from a book or a map or magazine or anything. I've been wanting to make one with paper from the New York Times or something like that to remind us of the wonderful time we spend in New York City on our honeymoon. Anyway, I remembered this tutorial and thought it would be cute to cover the plaque with little rosettes. But I wanted to make it red and give it some texture so I used red felt and, following the instructions from the tutorial, starting rolling up my roses.

It took A LOT of roses to fill up the letters so when I got sick of rolling roses, I would take a break and start gluing them onto the plaque with a glue gun, using different sizes to fill different parts of the letters.

More rolling and gluing. 

Take a break to shoo the ladies out of my bag of supplies.

And after just a few hours of rolling and gluing, I had the plaque covered. 

Sorry, the shadowing makes it kind of hard to see. Here's another: 

Seeing it all done, I felt like it was missing something. I thought about it for a little bit and finally decided to add some little leaves to the corner. I layered some green felt and some green, sheer chiffon fabric to make a little cluster of leaves. The chiffon fabric was leftover from making my lady cats tutus for Halloween. They were not impressed.

 Ana wouldn't stay in it long enough for a picture and Derby wouldn't do anything but sit or lay down in it and try to weasel her pudginess out of it (at which she was quite adept).

Make animated gifs like this at MakeAGif.

I think that sheer fabric helped make all of that felt a little more delicate and feminine. You can't see it real well in these pics, but here are a couple shots. I placed the cluster on the bottom corner of the plaque, off of the "M."

And here is the finished product: 

My friend loved it and actually collects things that say "bloom" so I was super excited to find the plaque and customize it to make it exactly what I wanted to give to her. And, heck, this reminds us to

Bloom where you're planted

and 

Stop and smell the roses. 

Have a great day!

Operation Gym Coup

This mission really takes me back to Stud's first deployment. After a ten-day leave (during which he proposed), he left in March of 2009 for Iraq. My last semester of college kept me occupied for the next two months, but after that I struggled through a five month job search. That summer I was pretty depressed. I was living at home again, had no job, was terribly lonesome for my Marine and was steadily letting my physical health slip away. I knew something had to change. After all, I had all of this free time so why wasn't I spending any of it exercising? My motivation was nowhere to be found. That was changed by what I what I truly believe was another instance of "faithful interaction," my term for the way God intervenes in our lives.

I was at Caribou one day and as I walked out I noticed a little box for Anytime Fitness where you could enter your name to win free access. I was getting desperate for some kind of break so I thought maybe, just maybe, winning this would give me the boost I needed to get motivated. Guess what. I did win! I got a phone call asking me to come in and draw a chip from this big fishbowl full of plastic poker chips. Different chips meant different prizes and I pulled out the best prize they had: a free three-month membership! Man, I was thrilled and, just as I had hoped, this boosted me right out of my slump. I started going to the gym all the time and even started working with a trainer who was perfect for me.

After the three free months were up, I had really gotten attached to the idea that I could have access to a full gym at any time of day. I've always been a nighttime exerciser so I didn't want to give that up. Most gyms close at 9 or 10 and that's when I'm just getting ready to go! So I've been a member of Anytime ever since. However, lately you wouldn't know it but for the direct withdrawals from my checking account. For months we've been paying for a membership that we never use. I've never wanted to cancel because it is so convenient but it's such a waste if I don't use it. Well, in preparation for the deployment and in general disgust of the state of our physical fitness, my husband and I have been working on making physical fitness a priority again.

In the sad amount of gym visits that I have mustered over the past few months, one thing has always stuck out to me: the posted list of Biggest Users. We have access to the gym through key cards so every time you enter, it logs your visit and on the bulletin board is a list of the ten people who have visited the gym the most that month. I read in awe and daunter the names and corresponding number of visits to the gym and secretly I want to see my name on that list for all the things that it would symbolize. Until now I didn't think I had the drive to attain it.

Time limits have always been a powerful motivator for me so with just one month until Stud comes home for his final leave before he deploys, I knew this was the perfect time to make my mark on the list of Biggest Users and jump start my fitness goals.

Here's where you'll see my name next month: 

And here's the OSMEAC for this mission. If you're not sure what OSMEAC is, check out this post. Basically, it's a strategic method of communicating/executing a mission used by the USMC.

O Here's where I am: Overweight! Ahhh! It's true. I've been doing the slide (and not the electric slide). I've been getting lazy about working out and about eating healthy foods. I'm horrible with transitions. It seems like no matter what good habits I have established, a transition (like moving or getting married) comes along and I start slipping. And the good habits don't just magically reappear once the transition has run it's course. I find myself weeks or months later embracing bad habits.

S Here's what's happening: I am getting super frustrated with life. I can hardly run anymore, I get winded during simple activities, a lot of my clothes are too small and I refuse to buy bigger clothes severely limiting my wardrobe, I'm wasting money on a gym membership that I don't even use and I'm generally just disappointed with the backsliding that I have allowed to occur. I also could be saving even more money because if I go to the gym 12 times a month, my insurance will contribute $20 towards my gym fees. All of those things are bad enough but when I consider how my choices affect my hubby I feel even worse. Stud and I have always shared a desire to help each other be physically fit and achieve our goals together. When we met, we were both practicing Martial Arts (I still remember the thrill I got from him helping me with my moves when we were first dating). He got his black belt the first summer of our relationship and even though I'm still a green belt (I swear I'm staying here because it's my favorite color), karate was a great catalyst for us to explore fitness in general. When he was gone for training or his first deployment we would hold each other accountable and challenge each other to be the best we could be for ourselves and for each other. We both need help staying motivated so when one or both of us doesn't feel like making an effort, it affects the other one too.

M Here's what I'm going to do: My mission is to go to the gym enough times this month to be listed as one of Anytime's Biggest Users at the Eden Prairie location. I've had this goal in the back on my mind for awhile but now is the perfect time. My first full day back from visiting my husband was June 1st and he comes home for his ten-day leave July 1st so I have exactly one month and that is also how the Biggest Users are calculated (from one calendar month). The amount of gym visits it takes to be listed varies from about 21 to over 30 so I figure I need to log at least 24 or 25 to guarantee my slot.

E Here's how I'm going to do it: Willpower don't fail me now! It's a pretty simple mission. All I need to do is get in my car, drive the 1/2 mile to Anytime and *click* I'm in. Of course, I could walk or bike to the gym but since I like to go at night I might not...a sex offender just moved in along the route to the gym (Mom, don't worry...I'm a green belt). If I do a workout outside, my gym administrator said it's ok to swipe my key card to log the exercise since the important thing is that I am exercising. I haven't quite gone so far as to schedule my workouts but I'm sure I will be doing some right after work and some late at night. I highly doubt I will get up early enough to do them before work but we shall see. I tend to be more successful if I give myself some flexibility. I also am going to get private consultations from my very own Leatherneck (AKA Manly Marine). Stud has promised to help me with this mission by giving me some good weight training routines. He's got the strongest arms around not to mention a bunch of other studly qualities that make him qualified in my book to give out weight training advice. You didn't think I called him Stud for no reason, did you?

A Here's what will help: Just thinking about the progress I will have made by the time Stud comes home is pretty motivating. In fact, the drive that I get to get things done while he is gone is one of the good things about deployments and training. It's insane how powerful it can be. It also helps to know that my hubby will be working on the same thing. Out in CA, they have to PT (workout) twice a day. Moreover, getting weight training routines directly from him will help me feel connected to him through working out. Another big help with this mission is just sharing it will you. Now that I put it out there, I can't just forget about it because I'm not the only one who will know! I will also be able to keep track with Anytime's handy website Anytime Health. There you can create workout routines, log your daily food, create goals, keep track of your gym visits and get all kinds of information as well as connect with other users.

C Here's the accountability: For this mission my accountability will come in a few forms. Ultimately, the list of Biggest Users next month will reflect my efforts, but, before then, I am held accountable through the Anytime Health website which will keep track of my gym visits. I am also held accountable through this blog (with weekly updates) and through conversations with my hubby and the weight training routines I'll be getting from him.

Here's a picture of my new best friend: 

Check out their website here.

Watch out Eden Prairie's Biggest Users: one of you is about to get booted!!

Operation Cupboard Raid: Final Review

I know this is way late but here is my final update for Operation Cupboard Raid. If you're not sure what it's all about, you can check out this post. In a nutshell, I committed to eating only the food that I had at home - without grocery shopping - for three weeks (from the time Stud left to begin his pre-deployment training until the time I got to go out and visit him in CA).

I would like to have the final food log chart for you as I did for the first two weeks but, honestly, the last week got a little muddled. I was so excited to go visit my Marine that I didn't do the greatest job with my project. First of all, I ate out twice, which is one time more than what I allowed myself during the rest of the project and secondly, I wasn't very faithful about keeping my food log. I tried to come back to it today to fill in the holes but it's been over a week and that's just not happening. Other than eating out twice, though, I successfully completed the mission and am very happy with the results.

Take a look at all the ways in which this operation benefited me.
1. I saved sooooo much money. Seriously. I probably saved at least $200 in three weeks alone!
2. I was much more conscious of what I ate, helping me make healthier food choices and eat only when I'm hungry.
3. I was able to cut back on the food I have on hand and not be so wasteful.
4. The operation got my creative juices flowing and I had fun experimenting with different recipes using my limited resources.
5. Working on this goal helped the time go by faster to see my hubby.

I actually still have quite a bit of food to go through so I'm going to try to continue to limit myself so I can keep saving money and get rid of some of the food that I've had forever. This week hasn't been the greatest but I attribute that to coming home at midnight on Tuesday to no food. Well, no food prepared. These past few days I have been getting food out for a lot of my meals but I'm going to go grocery shopping this weekend for a few things to get back into some good habits on Monday.

I bet you want to see what my fridge and cupboards look like compared to how they were when I started, don'tcha?  Here are the before and after pics.

Cupboards

See that MRE? It's that brown bag resting on top. It's a Meal Ready to Eat and it's what Stud had to eat throughout boot camp and for various training exercises. He really wanted me to eat one (we have several at home) at some point during this operation but I, uh, never got around to it. They have a heating mechanism that is activated with water but he's had to eat most of them cold. I guess some of the newer ones aren't so bad but they still don't appeal to me. The guys have been known to open them up just for the desserts (M&Ms or brownies or other goodies) and throw the rest. Some day I will give it a shot...some desperate day.

It may not look like there is a big difference, but part of that is due to restructuring. And obviously I didn't empty out a lot of the spices or cooking oils/sauces.

Freezer

 Fridge Door

And finally, the biggest transformation: The Fridge!

Look at that! Part of that stuff just went bad (or was bad at the beginning of the project) but most of it was consumed! There's one lonely egg left in that carton and I'm not quite sure if that zucchini is still good but it stilled looked fine at the time and the little yellow dish is a butter dish (I certainly didn't feel compelled to finish that off in any record time). 

You may not see a huge contrast but, trust me, I definitely was struggling at the end to come up with actual meals. Here's one meal, though, from the last week that was not a struggle:

Almond and Corn Flake crusted Salmon (recipe from the Corn Flakes box), Edamame and a Pina Colada. Yum!

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone should have drink umbrellas on hand.

So with my bags packed and my fridge cleaned out, I went to bed on Thursday night quite satisfied with Operation Cupboard Raid, but even more excited to go be with my love for five days! And, having given quite a bit of thought as to how I would celebrate, I came to the conclusion that I didn't want to return to my old, bad habits of eating out all the time and the day to day mindless consumption that I had gotten used to. To intentionally celebrate by eating out seemed to fly in the face of everything I had accomplished and learned throughout this process. Well, the "best laid plans of mice and men often go awry," right? Let me explain how my ambition and resolve were (happily) thwarted. 

I still cling to the two-hour-early-for-a-flight rule even though with today's advances it really only takes like ten minutes from arriving at the airport to getting to your gate, so my dad was going to pick me up at 6:30 to get to the airport by 7:00 for my 9:00 am flight. Not wanting to leave anything to chance I set two alarms, one for 5:30 and one for 6:00 and, sure enough, the 5:30 alarm was incorporated right into my dream and it didn't wake me up (that's what you get for setting a different sound for your alarm that what you're used to). Luckily I did wake up to my 6:00 alarm and had almost everything ready aside from taking a shower and getting dressed. Everything went just fine that morning except for the fact that I didn't have time for breakfast, and, let's face it, I didn't really have anything desirable for breakfast either. 

As I said, about ten minutes after saying goodbye to my dad, I was just walking up to my gate and what did my eyes behold? *Cue angelic music*

Oh, Starbucks, how I had missed you. It was divine intervention. My gate was literally just to the right of this picture. So there my high ideals were quickly discarded and I approached the counter with almost physical relief. Ok, ok, so it sounds dramatic but I really do love Starbucks and it had been a long three week absence. Stud and I "transitioned" from Caribou to Starbucks after our honeymoon in New York City where the Starbucks cafes are everywhere. Plus, they have the most amazing chai tea. 

Hallelujah!

So with that first lovely sip, the file for Operation Cupboard Raid was closed with a big "Mission Accomplished" stamp across the front.

Give this a try for a week...you'll be surprised at what you can pull together with some creativity and maybe a little help here and there from Google ("baking without butter," "coconut & cherries & chicken," "corn & black beans & salsa"). And don't forget to read the labels on boxes and cans for new and interesting recipes.

Thanks for reading and a special thanks to those of you who put up with my "meals" and snacks over these three weeks if you were ever over at my house. 

I'm already a couple of days into my next mission so watch for a new post coming soon!