Earning Stars

I have to start this post with my Star Wars challenge chart. Not because I am bragging (well maybe a little bit), but instead,  I need to remind myself that not only can I do this, but that I am doing this. The past few days have been some hard earned stars. The challenge has been much more mental than physical. It has been difficult to get myself out and going - especially if I don't get my walk done first thing in the morning.

Monday

Millie was happy to take me for a walk after work. I convinced myself I was doing it for her. Because my Garmin wasn't charged I decided to not be concerned about the distance and varied my route and just enjoy a 30 minute walk with my pup.

The first sign that people are getting on the Halloween bandwagon. I would respectfully remind you that it is still September. I can deal with Christmas decor before December, but Halloween before October I am not so sure...  I will concede that these jack-o-lanterns are pretty cute.

This old dog is always chained up in his front yard. He likes to lie right next to the house and wait for you to get close - then he bounds out at you. It makes me a little sad because you can tell he just desperately wants to play. Millie always cries like a baby (puppy) because she wants to play too.

Our wandering might have gotten us a little far from home. Is that the Statue of Liberty I see in the distance?

 Definitely unique yard decor.

This was Millie's favorite part of the walk. There were a group of 5 boys playing football in a cul-de-sac. They were probably 1st to 3rd graders. They all wanted to pet Millie and tell me about their dogs. It was adorable. I couldn't help but wonder where they would be in 10 years. Would they still live in the neighborhood, be friends, etc.? Obviously, I did not take pictures of the boys, despite their cuteness. I do have my lines - squished squirrels and random children :)

Again with the  odd pavement markings. I have to wonder if this is the work of someone bored  with their job.

 Ooohhh...wet concrete! I stopped myself from letting Millie add her footprints to the new driveway.

With my walk finally out of the way for the day, I couch-potatoed and watched Monday Night Football. My husband contentedly working on his Slave I LEGO model. I love how much he loves putting them together. I wish I could afford to buy everything on his wish list.

Tuesday

Another morning that I didn't get out bed and walk before work. It almost ended in a streaking disaster. The night before my nieces had called wanting me to make them M&M cookies. Unfortunately, it didn't work out due to our schedules and lack of M&Ms. I had to stop at the grocery store on my way home so I picked up M&Ms - better late than never, right?  I called my niece and invited her over to make the cookies. We ended up having a great time together. There was a crazy moment when she dropped a whole tray of cookies (dough) in the oven while she was putting the tray in.  Dough blobs were all over the bottom of the oven and in the crack of the door. I was frantically trying to grab them with tongs before they melted. Millie was trying to grab the ones that fell into the crack of the door. It was quite intense. Thankfully, we were able to rescue most of the dough.

The whole time we are making cookies in the back of my head I am trying to figure out how and when I am going to get my workout in. By the time we finished the cookies, visited with my father-in-law (he came by to do final measurements for my craft closet shelving) and ate dinner I was feeling even less like a workout.

For the record, we gave away the majority of the cookies. We took some to my married niece, gave some to my FIL and sent some home to my sister's family. Right before we left the house my niece was asking me for paper. She was doing some "secret" thing - not unusual. My husband was trying to herd her to the door, but she made sure she was the last one out.

When we got back home I found this note in the middle of the living room floor in front of the TV. I had mentioned that I would probably have to do the dreaded marching in place while watching TV. And I might have mentioned that I really didn't want to do it.

How great is that?? Between my motivational note and Millie's supervision I completed my 30 minutes while watching that new Blood and Oil show (jury is still out on that one).

 I think Millie found my marching a bit odd.

 And a little boring. I confess I didn't love it either, but I got it done.

Wednesday

Not getting up and getting my walks done has created a bunch of unnecessary stress the past few days. This morning I was determined not to ignore the alarm clock and get my walk done. Poor Millie had to stay home. Today is trash day and I really didn't feel like negotiating a trash sniffing stop every 100 feet. I took this picture for her...she was unimpressed.

 This house is full-on Halloween.

I was a little fascinated by the floating ghosts around the window. That would have been enough decoration for me.

So, that is how I earned my stars the past three days. I am hoping to get back in the morning groove. Now that I am three weeks in on regular exercise, I need to get serious about the eating. Our ladies group is planning a "food" challenge for October. Each person will set their own goals for the month. I like that we are setting our own goals because we are a varied group and everyone is in a different place with their nutrition and relationship with food. I am still working out my final goals and will share them tomorrow.

How are getting in your exercise today?