Getting In Shape

Monday I started an exercise program that I found in SHAPE magazine - Four Weeks to a Better Body. Here's how it works - you exercise 5 days a week - then off on the weekend. Each day focuses on different areas of your body. There are 5 days of exercises and then you start over again the 2nd week, etc etc etc. The beginning of each session has you do 20 minutes of cardio so I run in place (don't have a treadmill) and box in place. After that you have a series of exercises that focus on certain areas. Well - let me just say this - my legs are KILLING me.

Ok - let's face it - I haven't exercised in over 2 years - and honestly for about 1 1/2 years I didn't leave my chair a whole lot. It's just been the last few months that I'm doing pretty much anything I want to do and feel great so I thought it was time to start exercising.

Mornings are better for me to work out - get up - get it done!! By the end of the day - when I'm at the shop - the last thing I want to do is go home and workout. Soooooooo - that is my goal - get my butt out of bed each morning and sweat!!

I'll give you an update after 2 weeks and then perhaps after 4 weeks - with my "better body" I might even post a pic. ha ha

If there's anybody out there that wants to join me in this - you are more than welcome.

Later -

Quiet Time

The last few months I've noticed that life has been particularly frantic - of course there was Thanksgiving - then Christmas and those times pretty much are wild - no matter what we do. We run from one thing to another and somehow forget to stop and "smell the roses".

During all the cancer stuff I pretty much was down all the time - by down I mean - couldn't do anything - WANTED to do stuff - just wasn't able. Had to get my head wrapped around that and tell myself that it was ok to just sit and let my body heal - that this was my job now. Forget the shop - forget all my Ebay that was piled up in the garage - just focus on getting well. I did that - I think. It's just that lately things were getting frantic again and honestly - I don't want to live that way again.

Now don't misunderstand - don't plan to sit around all day and eat bon bons and anybody that knows me knows that I need to be busy. BUT - there's a difference in busy and in frantic. How many of you understand that? Everyone needs quiet time and I think that is something that is lacking in alot of peoples lives. It doesn't matter how you want to spend your quiet time - it could be reading the bible - praying - reading a good book - watching a movie - piddlin in the garden - watching the birds - cooking a new recipe - whatever it is that you do that calms you - everybody needs it.

This past week it snowed here and the temps stayed in the teens and lower 20's for almost 2 weeks. Consequently I couldn't open the shop because the temps were too low - no way to heat up that shop during those kinds of temps. At first it was driving me insane - not being at the shop - thinking of the business that I was probably missing and that DRIVE I have to contribute. Finally it hit me - this is Gods way of saying - slow down - you're moving too fast - take some time - soooooooo - I did!! I watched movies - picked some new recipes and cooked - read a book and listed on ebay. Now I don't consider listing on ebay "work" - it is time consuming - yes - but for me it's just plain fun. And you know what? Shouldn't have worried about business at the shop because almost all the items I listed during the week I wasn't there - SOLD on ebay soooooooo hum - quiet time was indeed productive.

In one week MIke and I are leaving for St Lucia for 12 days - I hear ya - you're saying - WELL - you're going to have quiet time THEN - yes - that's true - but Mike has not had quiet time and it will be his time to rest and refuel and for that I am very very thankful.

A New Year

It has been such a long time since I wrote on here - am going to try and do better this year.

Everything is going great with me right now - had a good visit with oncologist about 2 weeks ago - he thinks everything is going great so I feel good about that.

The holidays were good - I must say that most of the time the holidays - for me - are a bit of a strain and I don't look forward to them. Probably I put too much emphasis on the wrong things - trying to buy the perfect gifts, trying to make everything just right - instead of just enjoying the time with family and friends. This year I tried to do just that - enjoy myself.

We went to Destin this year for Thanksgiving with Sarah and Whit and his parents. Had such a nice time - very relaxed - different - but good. I wouldn't want to do it every year - missed seeing my family - but once in a while is good.

Christmas kind of stretched out this year - Sarah and Whit were here for Christmas - then they had to head to Chattanooga for Christmas with Whits family - I know it was hard for them to divide their time and hate they had to drive all over the place to be with both families but they didn't seem to mind. We just had Christmas with my side of the family and it was good - kind of nice to postpone it a bit - didn't seem like everything happened at once and then was over. Missed seeing Christopher and family any time over the holidays - wish we weren't so far apart. They plan to come to Nashville the first weekend in February and we will spend time then with them. Looking forward to that.

In two weeks Mike and I are leaving for St. Lucia for 12 days!! It can not get here fast enough. The weather has been so yucky - cold cold cold so going to where the temps are 85 everyday will be wonderful.

Hope all of you had a special holiday and that it was whatever you wanted it to be.

I promise to keep in touch -

Stephanie