16th place, I'll take it.

Wow, I'm not gonna lie, when they announced WOD 13.3 I had so many mixed emotions.

First thing I thought was way back to last year WOD 12.4 and what it felt like to lift that jump rope up after doing 150 wall balls and trying to do a double under.  Which we all know are my nemesis.  Second thing I did was think well, at least we'll get the double unders out of the way. Immediately I had set a goal to get all of my double unders and a score of 240 reps.

Last thing I thought was, I wish they would be a little more creative, I've already done this WOD....and know that it's gonna suck.  But, (there is always a but when you have a negative thought) in hindsight I know why they did it.  So we could see an improvement from last year.

I couldn't for the life of me remember what my score was on this WOD last year so as soon as I got home I started digging in my documents on my computer and found last years scores.  Mine was 190.

Trying not to dwell on the negative...I contemplated my game plan.  I knew I would want to do this WOD twice, like I did 13.2.  I mean you can always have a bad double under day, you know what I'm saying. My plan was to get done with my "Karen" in 8:00 minutes and that would leave me 4:00 to do as many double unders as I could possibly squeak out.  I was hoping to start Karen off in sets of 15 and hold that as long as I could...moving down to 10 or 5 if and when it was necessary to keep moving.

Unlike 13.2 I didn't have any wild and crazy dreams about this WOD.  In fact, I was uncomfortably content.  I think that I immediately conceded that I would drop on the score board.  So, to not cause any further trauma to my mental state, I had decided that what drops can only go up.  Take this score with a grain of salt and pray EVERY night for clean and jerks to show up for 13.4 and kick some serious ass then...:0)

So, Friday morning I wasn't even nervous.  I coached and counted for the 2 Friday morning heats and my plan was to do this WOD alone with Jim in the comfort of knowing that if I did pee my pants on the double unders it was only him and I.  I mean, this is the man who will be changing my diapers when I'm old....so a little dribble would be ok. 

I briefly spoke with  Angela as she was leaving and in the last minute of preparation changed my game plan on the WOD.  In hindsight, I know my strengths and I should have gone with what I know I can do.....instead of listening to someone else's game plan.  BUT, (there it is again) I didn't and it is what it is. I won't even watch all the videos they do now on, "how to improve your score!"  I know my body, I know my capabilities, and I don't need anyone else changing my "Game Plan!"

As Jim got ready to start the clock, he reminded me "Carole, we're just doing Karen here....anything after that is a bonus!" 

Deep breathe.

3,2,1, GO!!

I started off like a bat out of hell and I was erratic and crazy.  I was getting no repped with airballs and short balls and no balls and messy balls.  It was a ball frenzy.  I couldn't get a rythm and I was ALL OVER THE PLACE.  I had heard "NO REP!" so many times that I actually grunted like a who know what...something that grunts when they are ANGRY.

So, I stopped doing wall balls....and pressed up against the wall with my medicine ball for support and I took like 3 deep breathes.  I regained control....because believe you me, I was out of control....and started doing sets of 15 wall balls....and then resting...and eventually moved to sets of 10 and then 5....so the second half of my wall balls were exactly like I had planned.  Work and then rest, work and then rest.  I finally was in a rythm and could actually hear my hips going into the squat and then pressing out and the ball hitting the wall...I kept saying click, click, boom.  Each click was my hip breaking the crease and the boom was the ball hitting the wall.  

The second half of wall balls flew by beautifully and at 7:31 I was standing in front of my jump rope.  I had none of those feelings that I felt last year.  My breathing was under control, my legs didn't feel heavy at all, and there I was just me and a jump rope.  Well, that's a little white lie, it was me and 3 jump ropes.  You just never know.

I was actually getting my double unders in sets of 7,8, 10 , one time like 15.  Now, remember I do a single jump in between so only my actual double counts.  So, it' like this single single double....1, single single double....2.  I like to make it easier on my judge.  LOL.

I was able to get 82 of my 90 reps in my 12 minute time cap.  New score 232.  I was excited about my score...of course I couldn't remember from Wednesday night what my last year score was so I had no idea I had improved by 42 reps until I got home...then I was more than excited.

I still wanted to shoot for the 240 reps....so, I went back on Saturday and tried again.  This time Mark was my judge and counter.  My goal was a sub 7 Karin and a score of 240 around the 11 minute mark.......LMAO......

Karen and I had some mixed emotions on day 2.  I was SO worried about my legs that I neglected the fact that Karen also makes you throw a 14# medicine ball 4 feet above your head 150 times using your SHOULDERS!!!!  Around rep 25 (of the ones that counted) my shoulders were BURNING!!  I had another ball frenzy as well....air balls, short balls, no balls, and dumb balls!!!  I think Mark started to feel so bad no repping me that he let 1 or 2 slide just so I wouldn't stand there and cry;0(  UGH.

Score for this day 218 with a Karen time of 8:30.  Yeah, Friday was good...I'll keep that score.

As I prepared for immense muscle soreness from Karen...I also feared putting my score on the web-site.  I knew I couldn't stand to watch my score drop drop drop.  I was SO freaking scared...that I never even looked at the leaderboard until Sunday to see where the other ladies were scoring.  I knew I couldn't handle another day of refreshing the leaderboard and watching my descent.

So, Sunday afternoon I finally entered my score and was validating scores when Mark popped up on my Facebook page.  He had Facebook chatted me to see when I would be approving everyone's scores.  I shared my fear of the leaderboard with him...so being the nice boy he is, he went and checked it out for me.  With my score and about 150 ladies entered, I was in 10th place.  OK, so this is what I said...."Carole, you're goal is to stay in the top 25....and you cannot check this again until 8:00 pm!"

8:01 pm.....my belly dropped ....I hit refresh with my son standing over my shoulder.....16th place!!!

Woot Woot!! SOLD.  I'll take it.  Come on 13.4....give me some clean and jerks.

I am in a 40 day Ladies Challenge at Church, do you think I can add that as a prayer request?  I told Brooke and Jim to pray for them....and I was just thinking the more people that prayed the better my chances were for this actually happening.  So, any of you reading this that want to help a sister out....this is my prayer.

"Dear God - some heavy clean and jerks would be nice for WOD 13.4.  I love you.  Amen"

So, What can get your heart rate up faster than Fran?

Hitting refresh on the leaderboard every 3 seconds to see if you're going to hold onto your spot in the top 10.  I'm not kidding, I believe I have developed some sort of OCD.  It got to the point that my family members took away all of my electronic equipment and wouldn't let me look until the clock struck 8:01 pm.

Gone was my Ipad, my Iphone, and my laptop.  I couldn't even sneak into the bathroom and hit refresh...I had to wait from 6:24 to 8:01 pm.  Talk about intense.  My stomach dropped from time to time as I tried to stay distracted.

So, as you probably already know, I have managed to squeak out another week in the 10th place position.  This is all just completely crazy to me as I didn't even know until last week that I even wanted to be in the 10th place position.  Now, it's all consuming.

Whew, 10th place!

I was going to be happy with the top 25% which means 80th place in my particular category. How did I all of a sudden go from 80th place contentment to 10th place craziness?

This week was a little different than last week.  I had a total mindset shift.  I like the way Jim puts it when I treat the dogs.  Let's go back before I move forward.  I am trying to train Theodore to use the great outdoors as his potty, as opposed to my hallway rug.  So, every time he does his duties outside I give him a treat.  Jim tells me that I am "treating mediocrity!"  I am giving him a treat, for what he is supposed to do!

Well, this makes me laugh, but I've also tried to apply it to my life.  So, I have decided to always set a goal for these workouts.  And if I happen to reach my goal, then I get my treat.  You all know that my favorite thing in the world is CANDY!!  So, I said "self, if you get 300 reps you can have 6 Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs!" I will not go into detail here and now my love love relationship with Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs.

I set my goal much higher than I ever dreamed I could achieve...I mean it wouldn't be a goal if I could easily reach it right.  I wanted something I had to fight for.  Coming off of last week and missing my goal by 5 reps, I decided that 300 was a nice even number.  That's 10 rounds...or easily put 1 round a minute.

I knew this week that I wanted to WOD twice.  In fact, when I told Angela she was like your going to do it on Friday night and again first thing Saturday morning.  I was like, yeah.  It's only 10 minutes.  It's a metcon with those light weights.

Fri - Push Press

Fri - Deadlifts

Friday night, I just went balls to the wall.  I worked for the entire 10 minutes...like I knew I could and should but didn't really have a plan of attack.  Just kill it is what I thought I should do.  Well, they called time and I looked up at Carolyn and she said 274....I'm not gonna lie.  I had absolutely positively NO idea where I was...I was repping, Carolyn was counting, Jim was coaching.....and 274 REALLY!?!?!?!?!  I was SO upset, mad, angry....you name it, I felt it.  I cried.  (I know if Chet is reading this, he'll laugh!)  But I did, I cried immediately, in fact Angela came to check on me to make sure I wasn't hurt.  I wanted to say the only thing that hurts right now are my feelings!!!!

Thanks Angela;0)

So, then I spent the rest of Friday evening planning my Saturday morning WOD.  Jim said my first 2 rounds were about 40-45 seconds, 3-4 were around 50-55, and by the 5th round I had slowed significantly to 1:10.  So, my goal was to stay consistent.  Don't take out too fast, and keep moving no matter what.

Saturday morning, at CrossFit 061 I have Holly as my counter, Zach as my pacer and Cathy as my coach.  Cathy quickly recognized I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders, and when you're ready to do a WOD you can't have any outside distractions.  Thankfully, she caught me and made me wipe my mind blank.  And thank heavens for Zach is all I can say.  He paced me the entire time.  I jumped the gun and came out a little too quick and he slowed me down.  The only thing I changed on my strategy was on my box steps to alternate the starting leg every other round.  On Friday night, I used my left leg probably 85-90% of all the reps...so I wasn't able to keep pace.  

Zach had me at a perfect pace, but I just couldn't pick up when he was ready for me to go balls to the wall.  I needed to speed up my steps in the 9th round, in order to get all the reps I needed in the 10th round.....I was able to squeak out a few box jumps....but didn't get the 10th round completed....BUT I was so excited to add 17 reps to my workout for a total of 291. 

Yes, I'm praying!!

Know your numbers, know your strategy!  Lesson learned for this week.  Can't wait to see what 13.3 brings.  What a wild ride this is.  I love the open....and I love my CrossFit Family. 

Sat - CF 061

PS:  I didn't have any Reese's despite my survey on Facebook.  I had a goal.  I didn't reach it.  Maybe next time.

Sitting in 10th place......

Pre-Game Face (Praying)

So, here I am it's Monday morning 10 am and I can finally breathe again.  I do believe that I have held my breathe as I refreshed the leader board 500 times since I entered my score on Saturday afternoon. 

I sit here today in 10th place.  And let me tell you this was a mental battle from the moment I entered my 155 reps. 

When I first entered I was in 3rd place, I entered quickly and validated my score quickly because I wanted to seize the opportunity to sit at the top for awhile.  I took a picture, posted it on Facebook and said to myself, "wow, this feels good to be in 3rd....even if it's just for a little while!" 

You see, my goal for the open was to be in the top 25% of my age group.  Which means out of 320 women ages 40-44 in the Central East Division of the CrossFit Games Open I couldn't fall below 80 in rank. 

Burpees - Yeah

So, I knew that I wouldn't be in 3rd for very long and I wanted to enjoy it while I could and each time I hit refresh I would remind myself that anything below the number 80 was "good enough!"

Then, all of a sudden my mindset changed.  I was like,  "I have totally underestimated myself."  My view quickly changed and I said to myself you WILL stay in the top 20.  Anything more is unacceptable.  I would hit refresh over and over and over.  I was in 3rd for a long time...late into Saturday evening.  I would gradually move to 4th and then 5th.  Each time I would hit refresh, I would feel my stomach drop as I waited for the screen to change. 

When I woke up Sunday morning I was in 7th place.  That is when I said, "Carole, you have to stay in the top 10!"  I can't tell you the inner pressure I was putting on myself.  I have NEVER felt the edge of competition like I did just hitting refresh. 

Jim was like, "Carole, just wait until 8:00 pm tonight and check, you're going to drive yourself crazy!"  And I just couldn't.  I was obsessive.  I had to check to see if I could hold my spot.  With my mind set at being in the top 10.  If I stayed in the top 10 then my original 25% goal was now looking towards 3%.  

I love that we had to hit a target.

Then I started looking at the girls that were beating my score.  Just to see if I knew them.  One girl in particular I was watching for.  The girl who literally kicked my butt in the Masters Competition back in October.  I kept waiting to see her score.  She posted late in the day on Saturday and she beat my by 30 reps.  REALLY?  30 Reps.  There were quite a few girls I knew......





Well, now that it's Monday.  And I have checked approximately 25 times since 8 pm last night when you had to officially enter your score....I am still #10.

Masters Women 40-44 Central East Region

What does that mean for me today?

Well, with a temporary bit of celebration, I am SO ready to keep this going.  Each workout will bring new jitters and new things for me to think about and work on.  But, I am excited to say that I am ready and raring to go now.

Snatching 75#.

Last week, was a blur of don't wanna's!!  I didn't wanna get up and WOD.  I didn't wanna eat well.  I didn't wanna....blah blah blah.  You have all been there.

This week, I'm ready to hit the ground running.  I'm excited to see what the open brings.

I'd like to elaborate a little about how I prepared for this workout. 

When the WOD was released on Wednesday.  Immediately, I had a goal.  Like before I left the gym, I knew I wanted to get 10 reps in the 100# snatches. 

With my goal in my head, I would start to work on my strategy.  I didn't really have any time allotments for this WOD.  So, what I would do is anytime I would lay down to close my eyes.  I would envision myself doing burpees and jumping and touching the pull-up bar.  Friday night, I actually counted 40 burpees as I did them with my eyes closed lying on my back on the couch.  I then walked over to my bar and literally envisioned 30 45# snatches....I got back to the burpees and in my 75# snatches....fell asleep.

So, when I awoke on Saturday morning...my mind had already been through the WOD.  What's the WORST part of any WOD?  It's when your mind doesn't let you go on.  It's when your mind stops your body from doing what it is capable of doing.  Well, I've already defeated that demon.

Now, it's time for my body to just do what it can do.  Not one single time during my WOD did I stop because my mind told me to.....big accomplishment.

With Jim as my coach and Aaron as my counter I just methodically moved through the reps literally one at a time.  Never once thinking of the big picture, always thinking of the next rep.

The End.  I gave you my all!

I didn't quite reach my goal, although my coach and my counter tried with all their might to get me there.  I was 5 short.  BUT, I have no regrets and no desire to "re-do" for a better score.  I gave my 100% all and was happy with my score of 155. 



Until week 2.......

Kid's Nutrition Class

Last Thursday I was blessed with 10 little people interested in learning about nutrition.  What I like about teaching kids is the simplicity behind it.  No need to go into the science, it's kind of like what Carole says is the truth, no arguments needed, just do it.  I asked each of the children to bring a box or a label of their favorite breakfast food and/or snack. 

Sometimes, I wish adults would take note from children and just do it.  It's such a simple concept that within an hour my 5 year olds were starting to grasp and my 10 year olds had mastered.  The concept is this:

Take your plate and divide it into 3 parts.  I told them to imagine those cool styrofoam plates you get at picnics and they were all like, "yeah, those are SO neat!"  Now, fill one part of your plate with protein, one part of your plate with carbohydrates, and one part of your plate with fat.

The kids were then informed that if they did this, they were eating a balanced meal.  I then explained to the kids that protein helps you build muscles, carbohydrates give you energy, and fat makes your tummy nice and full. 

We then took some time to talk about what each of these 3 parts really are in the food world.  We had a raise your hand session and filled up each of our 3 compartments on our plate.

Protein = meat, sausage, bacon, pork, fish, lamb, hot dogs, hamburgers, steak, chicken, turkey, cottage cheese, milk, cheese.

When I told the kids my little secret about protein, some of them looked at me like I was crazy but it clearly gets the point across.  I said if you look at something and think that it once had a face, then it was protein.  Beef comes from a cow, a cow had a face and that makes it a protein.  :0) 


We moved onto carbohydrate.  In the carbohydrate compartment I split my section down the middle and I told the kids there are many types of carbohydrates.  There are good carbohydrates that you can eat lots and lots of.  There are not so good carbohydrates that if you CHOOSE to eat them, you should just eat a little at a time.  You should always try to put the good carbohydrates on your plate first and then if you still really want a not so good carbohydrate then have some but just not too much.

Good carbohydrates = vegetables and fruit.  The kids, like many people I come across didn't realize that a vegetable or a fruit were considered a carbohydrate.  I reminded them that carbohydrates give them energy, so you could get energy from an apple or a red pepper just like you could if you ate a candy bar.  Either one of these is going to give you energy.  So, try to make the right choice.

Not so good carbohydrates = anything with sugar (cookies, cake, candy, pie, etc) and grains (bread, pasta, rice, cereal) The kids were really really good at naming this group.  I NEVER EVER EVER tell the kids that this is bad food, we call this not so good food and to make the right choice.  I find that if you tell the kids "they can't never" eat something....then you are pretty much setting them up for failure.

We then moved onto the fats.  This was a tough one for the kids as many of them have overheard their parents saying they are fat.  When kids hear fat they are literal.  So, they think fat is bad.  I am out to change fat's reputation.  Just saying.  I told them fat = nuts and seeds, oils and butters.  Nut butters, like almond butter and peanut butter. 

After we filled all the sections of our plate, I pulled out my food flash cards and asked the kids to make me a balanced meal.  We all know that our "balanced meal" should have protein, carbohydrates, and fat. 

Please take note that the children are not taught the specifics of PALEO they are taught balance, so don't be judgemental when you watch my videos if a child choose vegetable oil or peanuts, please take notice that these kids are learning about balance first.  One step at a time:

 

Once we made our balanced meals with our flash cards, it was time to talk about the box they brought with a label for their favorite breakfast food or snack.  This happens to be my favorite part.  I first take the kids that can read, and have them look for the ingredients on their label.  I ask them to read me the ingredients.  It's awesome to hear them try to pronounce the words on the label.  I as an adult of 43 years cannot pronounce the words on most labels and to ask an 8-10 year old to do it, well, just makes me laugh.  I tell the kids would you really like to eat something that you can't even figure out how to say?

I have also collected labels to share. I ALWAYS bring food to my kids nutrition meetings.  So, I have saved the labels of the treats I brought to share.  

I hold up my bag of carrots and say, "ingredients, carrots!" then my box from my strawberries, "ingredients, strawberries!"  The kids catch on quickly.  I hold up my egg carton and say, "ingredients!" and before I can get the words out of my mouth the kids say, "eggs!"  On and on we go through the blackberries, the raisins, the honey, the celery, brocolli, almonds, turkey, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, almond butter, etc.  The kids LOVE this part because in my loudest voice I say, "NOW, WOULDN'T YOU RATHER EAT SOMETHING YOU CAN PRONOUNCE THAN *)(!&)!#&)#!&! THAT YOU CAN'T?"  And I totally make up this big word that makes no sense!!  

The answer is an emphatic yes.  

I then share a healthy snack and have the kids choose a protein, a carb, and a fat to put on their plates.  I make sure to buy many flavors of Larabars and share those with the kids as well.  I always encourage the kids to try something they haven't tried before as I pull out my treats.

As the kids snack, we talk a little about sugar and high fructose corn syrup.  I tell them if they turn the box over and it has high fructose corn syrup in it, then to put it back on the shelf.  I also do a little math with the older kids and have them read the sugar content on their label.  I tell them that there is 1 tsp of sugar in every 4 grams.  One of the kids had a cereal with 28 grams of sugar and I said, "how about instead of eating your cereal tomorrow morning, you just get up and eat 7 heaping spoons of sugar?"  Of course they said, "no, yuck!" and I said, "well, it's what you're doing anyway!" 

All in all the kids leave with some new knowledge of what their eating.  Ultimately it is our responsibility as parents to ensure that our kids are eating healthy and balanced meals.  I always have healthy option and encourage the "good carbohydrates!"  That doesn't mean my children (or myself for that matter) always choose them....but I want them to know that there are choices.

I can always tell the kids that are strictly limited.  If your child goes to a party where this food is laid out, the feeling of eating it will be unbearable to the point where they will probably overeat and have a nice big ol' tummy ache.  Instead if these things are ever present and taught to eat in moderation, when your child ends up at this party they will choose wisely and only eat enough to satisfy that little craving. 

Start with your child's first meal.  Breakfast.  I worked with the kids on balance, one little girl was having a waffle with peanut butter and syrup for breakfast.  We talked about her peanut butter being a healthy fat, and her waffle being a not so good carbohydrate and I said to her, all you have to do is eat a hard boiled egg or some sausage and you will have a balanced meal.

Don't wake up tomorrow and strip your children of all the "not so good" things you've been feeding them, just offer them balance and as time goes on, you'll see that those not so good things will start to dissipate and those good things will be the go to food.

 

Crock Pot Tuesday

So, in our house we have crock pot Tuesday.  Tuesday is the day that Jim and I take the ENTIRE DAY OFF! Ok, well that is a little white lie.  We don't really take the entire day off....BUT we don't coach in the morning and we both vowed to stay off of electronic devices for the day.  No IPhones, no IPads, no Laptops, and no no no WORKING.....

Until the 4:30 class of course.  We then head to the gym together for the 4:30 class and usually follow that up with either the competition team when we aren't in the middle of a challenge or a challenge WOD...which puts us all leaving the gym together no earlier than 7 pm.

Knowing that one of us will not be home to get dinner started we've had to become creative in making sure that dinner is on the table when we all end up in the same place at a late time.  It's bad enough that we are eating dinner at 9 pm on Monday's and Wednesday's...it's nice to have dinner by 7:30 on Tuesday.

So.....along came crock pot Tuesday.

I have tried a lot of things in the crock pot.  Your traditional pot roast with potatoes and carrots.  I made beef ribs in one crock pot while the other one had sweet potatoes, an apple, and loads of cinnamon for my famous smashed potatoes recipe.  Of course you can do cabbage and sausages and your chicken is amazingly tender when cooked slowly in the crock pot all day. But just the other day I stumbled across a stuffed peppers crock pot post and I thought to myself.....hm, I need to try that.

My family LOVES stuffed peppers....I don't mind making them.  But the process takes forever and 24 pans later I finally have dinner ready.

SO, I pulled out my old stuffed peppers recipe and decided to go for it:

Step #1:
Line the bottom of my crock pot with red potatoes.
(In the scheme of eating protein, carbs, and fats....I wanted to add a more complex carbohydrate to our meal.  I chose red potatoes.  Although we don't eat them often, I do love me a potato every now and then.)

Step #2:
Cut the tops off of 6 colored peppers.  Discard the stem.  Save remaining parts that can be eaten for stuffing mixture. Place peppers in crockpot.

Step #3:
Create the stuffing.
I used 1 lb ground beef.  1 pound turkey sausage.  6 garlic cloves finely chopped. A couple stalks of thyme.  6-8 green onions finely chopped.   2 eggs.  4 slices bacon (raw) chopped.  The tops of all my peppers finely chopped.  Chopped parsley.  It called for celery finely chopped I didn't have any so I added celery seed for flavor.

Mix everything together. Do not cook.

Step #4:
Stuff peppers with stuffing.

Step #5:
Cook on low for 8 hours.

Step #6:

Enjoy.  I used one pan and this fed 4 adults and 1 child and a dog.  Gage and Brooke each ate 1/2 of a stuffed pepper and 1 potato.  Jim and Brandon each ate 1 1/2 stuffed peppers and 1 potato.  I ate 1 stuffed pepper and 1 potato and didn't finish mine so Alvin enjoyed it for breakfast the next day.  We had one left over pepper that Brandon brought to work and heated up with a potato for lunch the next day.

Jim topped his with sour cream....you could add shredded cheese or parmesean if you're more primal.  

Comments heard from my family....please cook stuffed peppers every crock pot Tuesday!!  These are amazing and yummy. 

A peek inside our refrigerator.....

So, last week I held a nutrition class for the athletes that are participating in the open games challenge.

I thought I would give you some insight as to what a weekly grocery shopping looks like for me.  Remember I told you when I find a good sale, I stock up. 

It's Sunday morning and all the shelves in my refrigerator are bare.  It's actually not too common to see the refrigerator loaded with food as I try to pretty much buy what we are going to eat for the week as most of our food is fresh.  So, by Sunday it's scraps and leftovers.

The weekly ads come out on Sunday morning.  I scour the pages of all the ads.  Meijer, Target, WalMart,  and Kroger (which usually lands in my mailbox on Tuesday's) I also make sure to hit up Aldi's.  I prefer heading to Goshen as the stores aren't as busy and they are pretty much all in a row as I make my way through each one.

Let me remind you that earlier in the year, I purchased 1/4 of a grass fed cow.  I also stock up on chicken, turkey, and such at DC Meats....so my morning plans are normally to pull something out of the freezer to thaw for dinner that night.

Yesterday's Agenda:

Stop #1:  Sam's Club
On my list.  Toilet paper.  Downy.  Large bag of raw almonds.
Purchased:  All of the above plus a large bag of prunes.  First time I had seen them at Sam's and they are my FAVORITE to go with my post workout protein shake.  Lot's of carbs and full of fiber:0)  YUMMY.  They also had this huge jug of EVOO, bought that as well. Also grabbed a large bag of frozen mixed berries.

Jim will be blogging about his almonds and you will know why we needed to buy those:0)

Stop# 2:  Target
On my list.  SoBe Water is on sale 10 for $10 and if you buy 10 you get a $5.00 gift card.  I don't drink SoBe Water, but Brooke and Brandon like it every once in awhile as a treat.  Normally we live on water and almond milk.  I figured for that price I would buy some in hopes to keep Brandon away from the mountain dew.

Stop# 3:  Aldi's
On my list:  Container of mixed nuts.  Veggies.
Purchased:  Container of mixed nuts.  Bag of red potatoes $2.29.  2 bags of tri-color peppers $1.99 each.  Bunch of bananas .44 cents a pound. Bag of oranges $2.99.  Bag of fuji apples $3.49. 
I love Aldi's I really do.  I had seen a similar but name brand container of mixed nuts at Sam's for $15.00 so very happy that this is only $10.00.    It's deluxe mixed nuts with NO peanuts. I usually take them home and add raisins or currants to the mixture.
Their vegetables are not organic.  I do make sure to wash everything that I purchase from there extra good.

Stop #4:  Starbucks.  Refueled for our big trip into Meijer's.

Stop#5:  Meijer
On my list:  Meijer had a big sale this week on item's that were 10 for $10.00 and if you buy 10 you get the 11th for free.
Some of the $1.00 items were:  larabars, quarts of strawberries, dole fruit cups, canned chicken, pasta sauce, salsa, spicy mustard, avocados, pints of tomatoes, blackberries, - on the items that were perishable I bought enough for the week....you can also stock up and freeze the berries.  At this price it's like stealing you're berries.  I LOVE berries post workout as well...and just for a snack every once in awhile.  The canned items, like pasta sauce, salsa, and chicken I stocked up.  When they are only $1.00 that's the time to buy.
Also, bought.  Almond milk. Marzetti's simply dressed ranch and thousand island dressing.  Some toiletries.

So, my food for the week is purchased.  Some things will last past the week.  The produce and perishables will be eaten and the refrigerator shelves will be empty by next Sunday.  Total time away from home was under 2 hours. 

My dairy items will be delivered on Wednesday:  I order those from Layman farms through Dr. Angela's office.  Milk, cheese, butter, and Alvin's dog food.

My eggs- I picked some up this week at DC meats for $3.25 a dozen.  I picked more up from Angela's office $2.50 a dozen.  And of course Robin gets them for me when she can $2.50 a dozen.  If I am desperate we will buy the cage free eggs at the grocery but I end up paying almost $4.00 a dozen.  We normally eat 5-7 dozen eggs a week....so I buy them often and when I find them. 

100 Random Facts about Carole Ann Turnbo

I am going to attempt to write 100 random thoughts and facts about myself.  Some of you may already know this about me and some of you may not.  Here goes:

1.  I love coffee.
2.  I'm afraid of drowning.
3.  I don't like to touch raw chicken.
4.  I talk to my dog like he is human.
5.  I cry at least once a day.
6.  I laugh more than I cry.
7.  Usually at my own expense.
8.  I hate doing dishes.
9.  I love doing laundry but I hate matching socks  and putting it away.
10.  I procrastinate....really bad.
11.  I'm not a good listener...if you want me to know something tell me at least twice.
12.  I hate wet sinks.  I'm not lying.  If I walk by a sink I have to dry it.
13.  I love chocolate.
14.  I love ice cream.
15.  I never ate potatoes until I was pregnant with Brooke. 
16.  I love potatoes....especially sweet ones!
17.  I am addicted to sugar (oh and probably coffee!)
18.  I barely ever drink water.
19.  If I do, it's usually someone else's.
20.  Christmas is my favorite holiday.
21.  I love babies.  I wish I could have more babies.
22.  I hate guns.  There is one in my house now.  I can't stop thinking that I hate it.
23.  I am so lazy that I will literally be at the point of peeing my pants before I get up and run to the bathroom.
24.  I love to bake.
25.  If I bake, I will eat the majority of whatever it is.  I don't know when to stop.
26.  I love to shop.
27.  I wouldn't think twice about paying $5.00 for grassfed butter but I would think twice about paying $5.00 for a new shirt.
28.  I don't like to peel oranges, I hate when it gets under your fingernails.
29.  I have a little bit of a jealousy problem.
30.  I am very good at praying but not so good at reading the bible (one of my 2013 goals)
31.  I never set goals until I met Jim.
32.  I love Jim. 
33.  I love spelling games.
34.  Although math is my favorite subject.
35.  I love my kids.
36.  I would do anything for my kids.
37.  I hate when people say "Guess What?"
38.  I would rather text than talk.
39.  I screen my phone calls.
40.  I'm shy.
41.  Sometimes, I think I'm fat.
42.  At times my confidence is low.
43.  I like drinking out of straws as opposed to cups.
44.  I speed.  Almost all the time.
45.  I am always late, and I don't know why cause I am speeding.
46.  I hate to drive in the snow...I take that back about speeding...I drive like a grandma in the snow.
47.  I can't wait to be a grandma. Back to that baby thing.
48.  I sleep with my phone by my bed.
49.  I sleep on my stomach.
50.  My favorite outfit is my birthday suit, if I lived alone that's what I'd be in most of the time;)
51.  I have about 50 sweatshirts.
52.  I love lulu lemon.
52.  I never read.
53.  I get mad at Jim when he reads and doesn't pay attention to me.
54.  I need a lot of attention.
55.  It's my fault my kids need a lot of attention.
56.  I spoiled my kids.  I held them ALL the time.
57.  I hate going to the bank.
58.  I hate when I am telling someone something and they say, "I know!"  If you knew, I wouldn't be telling you.
59.  I hate being lied to.
60.  Sometimes when I don't know a word, I'll just make one up.
61.  I don't fare well with electronic equipment.
62.  Apparently I have something called sleepy talk....that scares me as I don't recall most of these convo's.
63.  My nickname when I was a baby was Lovey.
64.  My nickname from Jim is Doll.
65.  My kids still call me mommy. 
66.  I get sad when my kids call me mom....which is ever so rarely.
67.  I super duper love the beach.
68.  I refuse to go sledding.
69.  I am petrified of haunted houses.
70.  Oh yeah and corn mazes.....eeeek!!
71.  I argue with my GPS.
72.  I'm usually wrong...
73.  I have 4 sisters and 4 brothers.
74.  One of my brothers died 3 years ago on 1-18.  I miss him.
75.  My dad has Alzheimer's.
76.  My parents live in Fort Wayne.....and most of my family....I miss them.
77.  My favorite color is purple.
78.  I love shoes.  Especially my o-lifting shoes.
79.  I qualified for the masters....and I am super excited.
80.  I love CSI, Law and Order, and Criminal Minds.
81.  When I was young I wanted to be a nurse.
82.  I used to smoke.  (I know GROSS!)
83.  I like toasted marshmallows but not smores.
84.  I like beer and margaritas.
85.  I love to be barefoot.
86.  My feet are usually always cold.
87.  I wish I could grow a better garden.
88.  I grow beautiful indoor plants....hm.
89.  I hate double unders.
90.  Oh, and running.
91.  I love clean and jerks.
92.  I like getting the mail.  It's like getting a surprise every day.
93.  I love breakfast in bed.
94.  I didn't start exercising until I was 38 years old.....
95.  I love spreadsheets and making lists.
96.  Jim puts my toothpaste on my toothbrush for me every night. 
97.  If I love you, I'm not afraid to tell you.  I think you should always let the ones you love know.  I will tell you, I will tell my husband, I will tell my friends, I will tell my kids, my animals, my plants, my whatever I love...I believe that love is everything.
98.  I like to believe I never look back and always look forward.  I like to think that I can't move forward if I were looking over my shoulder at the past....but I do think that my past is a true reflection of who I am today and what I will be know for tomorrow.
99.  I live by a "no regrets!" motto.
100.  I love bed head!!!  LOL

There you go, I did it.  Not gonna lie at about 26 I thought how am I ever going to finish this.  Enjoy.  C