Time to get serious!!! I mean... seriously!!!!

2011 Turkey Trot is almost here!!! For the last 5 years I have been saying I'm going to do this 5 mile race and every year, I don't!

So am I doing it this year??? I was sure I would preregister online by November 17 but then November 17 came and went!  Susan just called me saying while she was in Crocker Park, she decided to pick up all of our packets (what a sweety!) but when she gave them my name, they said I wasn't registered.  She even had them check different spellings.  No, she had the spellings right! I skipped preregistration!!!

I have been going back and forth with this. I remember why it's so hard to train for this race... training starts right about the time that it gets dark earlier and I'm not as adventurous as I used to be when I would gladly run in the dark, alone.

So, the deal is... I AM going to do this race.  The only excuse I really have is that I have not trained at all (unless you want to count the mile I ran yesterday and that I'm definitely feeling today.)  The kids are going to be at a friends and hubby will be playing football so I have the day for myself! Besides, most of my girlfriends doing it with me have not run much either!  We are all gonna be slow pokes but we are gonna have fun!

Oh, and in case you are wondering, you have plenty of time to train for the next race.  

 The next race after this (yes, I'm already talking about it.... ) is the big Chili Bowl Classic in February and it's only a 5k!!  I have done this race 4 years in a row and even though it's sooo cold, it's always been so much fun!  See if you can spot Rachel and I in the huge fuzzy crowd (we cross at about 1:37 on the video time:

OK, after this race, I am seriously going to get serious again!

Crazy Coupon Girl???

I just got a book at the library called Be Centsable and I thought I might once again try my hand at couponing...especially after the deal I got this week at Whole Foods... they had a coupon in their flyer for $2 off their store brand of chocolate chips. My friend Paytra found it and so I ended up getting a couple bags of chocolate chips for only 29 cents each.  I'm thinking it was a mistake in the flyer since online, the coupon is for only 50 cents off.  Good thing I grabbed a few extra flyers.  I am hoping to pick up a couple more bags before they expire in December.


So far I am still skeptical though.

Saving Money on Food

So... the other day when I was trying to figure out where all the money went, I decided to look at my checking account and add up all the trips to grocery stores, fast food, farm markets, and anywhere else I may have bought food this past month of August and I was SHOCKED!!!!  When it was all said and done, I had spent almost $1000 total.  It's not completely all food since I probably bought non-food items at some of those stores too, but still, that is just way out of control!  Don'tcha think?

I have a huge mental block when it comes to making a menu and shopping and I think I have figured out why.  I have read too much for my own good.  I want to eat as healthy and delicious as I possibly can, but I also want it to be easy and affordable.  I am learning that those things; healthy, delicious, easy, and affordable, don't really seem to go hand in hand.

Here are some of my specifications for food I want to purchase:

• Avoid processed food as much as I can, especially foods that contain large amounts of sugar, any high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), partially hydrogenated oils, or MSG.  
• Eat as much organic as possible.
• Eat mostly vegetarian and meats that contain no hormones or anti-biotics
• Eat mostly organic

With these specifications, I recognize:

• It will be very difficult, if possible at all, to find coupons for food on my shopping list
• I will most likely be shopping at several stores, not just one or two.

And with that being said, I read a suggestion about buying groceries for an entire month. I have NEVER done this before.  I have just made a list with a slot for every day of the month.  I crossed out the days I will not be eating at home and my next step is to fill in a meal for each day.

I will be back with my list.

Good manner of the week

 image borrowed from http://lingualog.wordpress.com/

As most kids do, mine have a terrible habit of interrupting.  I address it with them each time it happens with the intention of giving it more attention later (at a more convenient  and more private time), but then, as we all know, life happens and it doesn't end up on the top of my priority list.

UNTIL TODAY. 

I decided to start a new tradition in our home because it's never too late to start....

GOOD MANNER OF THE WEEK.  This week, obviously, we will be learning what interrupting is and how not to do it.  You have to pick your battles and this is the one I am choosing this week.

More details to come....