The 365th Day

"Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve.  Middle age is when you're forced to. " ~Bill Vaughn

This is the 365th post to this blog. As I said in the beginning of this year, I didn't guarantee weight loss for you or for me.  

I believe I am as hefty today as I was on January 1, 2011.  When I got on the scale at the gym I weighed in at 217.  When I got on the scale at home I weighed 214.    Give or take three pounds, I'm maybe a pound or two less than I started the year. 

Today concludes my daily posts to this blog.  This post will conclude my ramblings about dieting and exercising.  I wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year!

Thinking of next year

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. " ~Benjamin Franklin

Another year almost gone and thinking to myself what should I accomplish in 2012.   I haven't a clue. At the moment I have a sinus headache and  I really don't care about much of anything. 

Perhaps I will feel better tomorrow or maybe next year. 

Writing letters

"You must write your first draft with your heart. You rewrite with your head." ~ Finding Forrester

Today, after all the work involved in getting the lights down outside, I found time to sit down to write my annual letters to the boys.  I write the letters and then mail the letters do that they are post marked with this years date.  I plan to give these letters when they graduate from high school. 

What a day

"Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful, that's what matters to me." ~ Steve Jobs

What a day!  I worked up a sweat tearing down all six of the Christmas trees in the house. I am wiped out. 

Birthday Calorie Finale

"Keep Christmas in your heart all year long. It will leave less room for cholesterol!" ~ Randy 

The birthday and hopefully the holiday overrating comes to an end this evening with a 1,000 calorie entree from the Olive Garden. 

The day after

"Christmas is forever, not for just one day, for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.  The good you do for others is good you do yourself. " ~ Norman Wesley Brooks, "Let Every Day Be Christmas," 1976

Fun, fun, fun day. I love the day after Christmas.

Mom, Paula and I kick started the day with shopping.  By afternoon I was at the gym working out.  I could have ate better - Hamburgers and Pizza - however I was pleased I found time to exercise. 

Run, eat and eat some more

December 25

Great little One! whose all-embracing birth
Lifts Earth to Heaven, stoops Heaven to Earth.
~Richard Crashaw

I turned 42 today.  

I kick started the day with a short run.  I should have ran for hours especially since I ate entirely too much today.  

I did try to contain myself.  I only had a half of a cinnamon role at breakfast and one serving of the egg casserole.   For lunch, I filled my plate with more green beans and salad and smaller portions of carbs.  I did have a generous helping of the brownie truffle dessert and a small slice of Red Carpet cake.   It was the candy sitting around the house that put me over the edge.  I couldn't refuse the bite size Baby Ruth candy bars.  

Oh well, the scale was kind to me this morning.  I weighed less than I was earlier this week.  I also weighed a tad less than I did last Christmas.  And I do mean tad...as in five, six, seven pounds less. 

Love a Good Christmas Mess

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly. ~Andy Rooney

We are ready for Christmas.  The house is tidy. The dishes are in the dish washer. The laundry is done. 

I'm looking forward to the "mess" of Christmas -  Wrapping paper from unwrapped gifts thrown about the living room floor, dirty dishes from a delicious meal sitting stacked in the sink, and a load full of new clothes in need of being washed. 

Yes, I am ready for the beautiful mess of Christmas. 

A Festivus Miracle

It must be a Festivus Miracle because this morning after I finished my high intensity, twenty-five minute workout, I had lost one pound.  It's either a miracle or the fact I have been exercising the last three days and skipping the chocolate chip cookies.  

Actually, if the truth be known, the cookies are gone.  Happy Festivus to me!

Winter begins

One kind word can warm three winter months. ~Japanese Proverb

The first day of winter and I spent it under a blanket watching a great movie.  Water for Elephants was excellent. I should have read the book first.  It was a classic love story. 

Before I crawled under the blanket, I did get in a workout!

Dodging the crowds

"I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." ~Charles Dickens

I honored the season of Christmas with two visits to the Kohl's department store today.  First time, was to purchase some new dress shirts for the boys to wear to Christmas Mass.  The second trip was to return the shirts.  Wrong size for Logan and the other two didn't like my choices.  

All I know is I must have lost at least five pounds dodging the crowds of people, in particular husbands that had no business being in that store.  Seriously, start your shopping earlier if all your going to do is stand there dumbfounded in the aisle or if you are going to wander the store in circles.   I just wanted to say to every man in the store... "Buy her a gift card and save her the trouble of having to return the awful gift you are going to purchase in desperation!"

Pizza, wings and ice cream

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear.....I'm singing.  I'm in a store and I'm singing!" ~ Buddy, Elf

To celebrate my eleven year old's birthday, we went to Dave's Pizza and Wings.   While there, we asked our waitress, Ms Kristen, if she was going to sing a birthday song to Logan.   "Oh no, not me," said Kristen.  "I'll get Dave.  He can sing." 

We all laughed.  The last thing Logan wanted was for anyone to bring attention to his birthday.  And Kristen sure didn't want to be singing.  

Later Dave came out with a chocolate chip cookie covered in a heap of ice cream and chocolate syrup.  He gave him five spoons and told Logan if he wanted to share he could hand those out.   If he didn't want to, he could keep the spoons and keep it for himself.   He passed out the spoons!  

It was delicious!

The Christmas Letter

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas. ~Peg Bracken

Dear Family and Friends,

I’m writing this letter on a cold, dreary day perfect for cutting wood, as opposed to the warm, sunny day that my family and I chose for wood cutting earlier this fall.

On that day in October, Derek, Caleb and Logan came to Grandma’s in their work clothes prepared to cut down a forest. I thought they were being silly. My Mom and my brothers had mentioned there were a few logs that needed splitting but I wasn’t anticipating we would be cutting wood all day. I arrived wearing a fairly nice pair of jeans, a Mizzou T-shirt and dress shoes and I wasn’t anticipating anyone would need my help. Unbeknownst to me, that once my brother Jeff gets a chainsaw in his hands, he simply cannot put it down.

When Paula arrived in her white t-shirt, shorts and open toed sandals, we all laughed. “You’re not exactly dressed for the occasion,” I muttered. I had suggested she go home to change, but she insisted on staying to help. The boys rolled their eyes and shook their heads in disbelief. My Mom, Jeff and my brother, Kevin, remained silent, unwilling to share their opinion on what Paula consider being appropriate “foreman” attire.

Our ten-year-old, Logan, was particularly unpleased to have Paula in the woods. At first, she wanted his job which was to push the lever on the automatic wood splitter. Logan refused to leave his post and directed her to the trailer, insisting she stack wood. As he observed her stacking abilities, he became more disgusted. “Woman, what are you doing?” he asked. “Down from there, let me show you how this done.”

With Logan stacking wood on the trailer, Paula was free to take her seat at the splitter. Jeff continued to cut more and more trees. Kevin and I lifted every heavy oversized piece of wood on the splitter. And Paula, well, she pushed a lever. Our thirteen-year-old, Caleb rolled the logs up the hill towards the splitter. In between each log, he would pull out his phone, check and respond to his text messages. Paula asked him, as she always does, “Who is more important than us?” Caleb slipped the phone back in his pocket and rolled another log up the hill to the splitter. “Oh, watch my toes,” yelled Paula. “Don’t roll those logs over my feet. You could break a toe.” Caleb rolled his eyes and said, “You think.”

As the day progressed and the trailer filled with wood, I was certain we would soon be done. Oh no, I was wrong. By this time, Jeff had showed our fifteen-year-old, Derek, how to cut down a tree. Now, we were on a roll. I asked Derek if he wanted me to show him how to cut a downed tree but he didn’t respond. “Grandpa Peters showed me how,” I said. “Of course he only let me cut wood once. And I’m sure that it had nothing to do with me running his saw blade into the dirt and the mud.” Derek wasn’t amused.

In addition to using the chain saw, Derek also got to drive Grandpa’s truck and trailer to deliver the wood. Seriously, there’s nothing scarier than riding shotgun while your 15 year old son drives a diesel pickup truck with a load of wood hitched to the back. “Get over,” I remember yelling, not once but two, maybe twelve times as we would encounter the oncoming traffic. Of course, I can’t really judge the boy. I think it might have been my fault the trailer got wedged up against the tree in the middle of the woods and my brothers had to unhitch the trailer and move the truck so we could re-hitch the trailer. I might be wrong, but I think they might have been a little aggravated with me. Just a little!

It’s been a long time since I helped cut wood but I’m happy that I did. Although there was some yelling and some name calling, there was also plenty of laughter and many opportunities for the boys to talk about Grandpa. Not a moment went by that warm, sunny day without the boys talking about how Grandpa would make them do this or do that when they cut wood together. I might have ruined a good pair of jeans and Paula might have almost broken her toe, but it was a day we’ll soon not forget.

May your Christmas and New Year be blessed with an abundance of laughter!

The Peters – Scott, Paula, Derek, Caleb and Logan.

Fried Chicken and a Nap

"First we'll make snow angels for a two hours, then we'll go ice skating, then we'll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse Cookiedough as fast as we can, and then we'll snuggle." ~ Buddy, Elf

I thought about going to the gym today but got distracted by a really good Christmas movie, a comfy sofa and warm blanket.  This led to an afternoon nap. 

I should have exercised because tonight we are having Logan's favorite meal for his birthday...Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes!

Favorite new soup

"We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup." ~ Buddy, Elf

I believe I have discovered a favorite new soup.  We had friends over for dinner last night.  Paula prepared sandwiches and soups.  One of the soups she prepared was from a new recipe.   It was a Chicken Tortilla Soup.   It was amazing.  Loved it. 

The soup is sort of healthy.   As long as I don't top it off with shredded cheese and sour cream, I'm positive it would be even healthier. 

Anyhow, it was a delicious soup and an enjoyable evening visiting with friends.

Late night cookie binging

"No! No! I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!" ~ Ralphie, A Christmas Story

I'm ready for these late night Christmas cookie binges to come to an end.  A night doesn't pass by that I'm not having at least three or more cookies.  It's not normal.  

Three cent dinner

"Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?" ~ Clark Griswold, Christmas Vacation

I had the best dinner this evening. First of all, it only cost me three cents.  Second, I had the best sweet potato fries along with a delicious mesquite grilled chicken breast. And the customer service was superb.  

I used a gift card at Colten's Steakhouse and owed three cents.  The waitress told me she wouldn't charge me the three cents.  However, I had no cash for a tip. I wrote a note to my waitress telling her I was going to the car for cash and would be right back. She must have thought that I got hit by a minivan in the parking lot because all I had was a twenty dollar bill. I went to the grocery store across the parking lot to break the twenty. Finally I had cash and went back to pay my waitress her well deserved tip. 

Stop the madness

"Actually, I'm a human, but I was raised by elves." ~ Buddy, the movie Elf

I've been eating all day long. I had a "meat lover's" pizza for lunch and a huge avocado hamburger with fries for dinner.  In no way have I been eating healthy today.  

Eventually something will click with me and I will stop the madness. 

Sleeping, not exercising

"When I grow up and get married I'm living alone! Did you hear me! I'm living alone! I'm living alone! I'm living alone!" ~ Kevin McCallister, Home Alone

Yes, I completely forgot to write a post to the blog last night.   If you were thinking that I was out exercising and didn't have time, you would be wrong.  I was at home sleeping.   Yes, I fell asleep before 8:30 p.m.  

Just another night in December

"I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It's not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love." -Linus, Charlie Brown Christmas

I'm sitting in the dark, eating Chocolate Chip cookies.  In addition, I am admiring the glow of the Christmas tree while my ten-year-old repeatedly breaks into song.  The Christmas program is this week and he has the songs stuck in his head.  It's just another night in December. 

Good to be home

"At Christmas, all roads lead home." ~ Marjorie Holmes

It is good to be home. 

We spent the day traveling home from Branson.  We shopped our way home stopping in Lebanon, the Lake and Jefferson City.  Although we didn't do much physically, we are all tired and wiped out. I could fall asleep writing this.  

It is good to be home. 

Anyone else in the mood for Christmas?

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ~Norman Vincent Peale

It was another wonderful visit to Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. 
 
I enjoyed every step of it - small and large.  
 
It was especially busy in the park on Saturday evening.  The weather was perfect for a stroll through Silver Dollar City's winter wonderland.  Obviously the rain had kept people away last weekend, so many locals decided to come to the park this weekend.   Of course, I really didn't mind.  I've come to expect it every year.
 
Although you had to wait in lines and deal with the abundance of people, the millions of light were spectacular.   My wife and I, who have been coming to Branson at Christmas since 1992, thought the park was decorated especially well this year.  
 
I ate a huge chocolate chip cookie with a cup of hot chocolate while I was there.   I even shared.  There were many food items to indulge in while I was at the park, but I avoided all of them except the chocolate chip cookie.   
 
I'm grateful my wife and I found time to bring the boys to Silver Dollar City once again.  Once again, I am in the mood for Christmas.

Branson or bust!

"Nothing says holidays, like a cheese log." ~ Ellen DeGeneres

In Branson, prepared to finish my Christmas shopping.  No cheese logs on my list.  

It's going to be a great weekend. Shop till you drop.  I'll be getting in plenty of walking time at the outlet malls and at my favorite amusement park in the world - Silver Dollar City!

Let Christmas officially begin!

Love gifts that come from the heart are the best

“Christmas doesn't come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more....” 
― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Christmas comes from the heart and gifts that come from the heart are always the best. 

I think the best gift I could give myself is to take it easy on myself and instead of beating myself up perhaps build myself up. 

I will have fries with that!

"French fries. I love them. Some people are chocolate and sweets people. I love French fries. That and caviar." ~Cameron Diaz

Yes, I ate French Fries from McDonalds.  And it was good!

I read an article in the Reader's Digest about a man who follows a vegan diet all day until six.  At six, he eats a regular meal with meat, cheese and all the other food products that are not on a vegan diet.  By practicing this method of madness, he actually loss weight. 

I decided to give it a try. It worked for two days and I suppose I could count today to if you consider French fries vegan. 

It snowed, I walked

“Nature has no mercy at all. Nature says, "I'm going to snow. If you have on a bikini and no snowshoes, that's tough. I am going to snow anyway." ~ Maya Angelou

Even though it was snowing this morning, I risked my life to exericse today.  I drove directly to the gym.  I went inside and I stepped up on that silly treadmill.   For 21 minutes, I walked.   I increased and decreased the speed continually for all 21 minutes.   It was a good workout and I believe I broke a sweat. 
 
I also got on the scale and used that gadget that calculates your body fat percentage and your body mass index.   We will not speak about that and just say that I did it.

Ate in moderation

I don't want any vegetables, thank you. I paid for the cow to eat them for me. ~ Doug Coupland

It was a good day. I ate with moderation. And best of all, I didn't over indulge in the Christmas cookies and candy. 

Healthier dinners at home

“Bein' rich is having leftovers. Good leftovers make yo' tongue fly outta yo' mouth and smack yo' brains out.” 
― Paula Deen

There usually aren't leftovers in our house. I suppose we aren't rich?!  

We haven't ate at home all weekend. I'm guessing we consumed way more calories than we needed. 

We really need to eat healthier dinners at home.  Perhaps that would be a good resolution for the New Year. 

A cookie baking, letter writing sort of day

If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason. ~Jack Handey


Today's quote has everything to do with the Christmas letter I wrote this afternoon.   While Paula and the boys were baking cookies and making candy, I was downstairs in seclusion writing the Christmas letter that we send out each year with our Christmas cards. 
 
The letter I wrote has a connection with the quote I posted today.   Since I haven't printed the letter or mailed it out, I won't share it yet.   I will say that it is about trees.  And of course, it is also about us - me, Paula, Derek, Caleb and Logan.
 
No bragging about accomplishments in my Christmas letter this year, which is usually the case with all the Christmas letters I have written.   I try to capture a moment in our lives and I believe I have successfully done so once again.   I hope everyone that receives the letter in their mailbox enjoys the letter and knows that I send the card and the letter with lots of love.
 

Motivation to exercise, an app for that?

"Peace on earth, good will toward men? Is there an app for that!" ~ Randy Glasbergen

I'm checking the newest apps available for diet and exercise. I'm not having much luck finding anything. 

There are so many apps it is overwhelming. I can map and track my run but of course I would have the desire to actually run.  I can also track my period if I had one. I can even download an alarm clock that analyzes my sleep patterns and awakes me when I am well rested. I'm guessing it wouldn't wake me up until noon. 

I'll keep searching. 

Christmas wish list

"I was texting while driving my sleigh,” said Santa. “Your toys are in a ditch outside of South Bend, Illinois.” ~ Randy Glasbergen

I have a Christmas wish list.  I only have one item on the list so far - lose 5 pounds this month.   I don't think I started things off very well.  I didn't exercise.  I bought a box of chocolates at lunch.   I had McDonalds French fries for dinner.   Oh and there were those three chocolate chip cookies I had after I finished my dinner.  

I really need to find my motivation back because it has been missing for a long time.