True Confession

I have to come clean. This has been in the skeleton in my closet for too long. I can't take the lying and the covering up anymore.

Here it is. My deepest dark secret.

But first, for comic relief since I can't handle the stress of this.

Like my new uniform? Actually it's Kamden's. He's 6. I don't know what kind of glue the person was sniffing when they picked the sizes for an under 8 year old soccer team but clearly they need to upgrade. Kamden's whole team looks like a bunch of third world children that were kindly donated some used women's' soccer team uniforms. The shorts fit me for goodness sake. On him they are practically pants.

Okay, okay, there is no more putting this off. It's got to come out sooner or later, might as well bite the bullet. Which is kind of ironic, you will see later.

In the early to mid 90's I went through a country phase.

It wasn't just the sudden love of all things Reba and Garth. Oh no. I took it to a whole other level.

Wranglers. Belt buckle the size of a tea cup saucer. Roper boots (the tie up ones with tassels, oh yes indeed). And because no outfit comprised of these fashion mainstays would be complete without one, a western shirt.

Luckily for me, there is no photographic evidence of this dark period of my youth.

My only defense is that I actually did own a horse and I did ride regularly. Unfortunately, this defense does not cover the times I went to the bar decked out this paraphernalia.

Oh the crazy things we do in our youth.

Okay, I've cleaned out my closet. Now it's your turn. Lay it on me. What secrets are you hiding? It's time. Let it out.

And also be glad you aren't here.

Enough said.

Photo Food Journal

Back in early 2009, I documented my journey to fit. This journey has not ended and I have not stopped seeing the positive results. I began my journey by doing cardio 4-5 times a week. In 2008, after a year of cardio alone, I was determined that I needed to kick it up a notch. Or three.

Cue working with a personal trainer. Worth every single penny. Then I took up running and ran a half marathon and then kept running regularly (much shorter distances though, whew) along with regular weight training.

This brings us to today. I am down to the weight I was when Jay and I first got married, I have much more energy (most days) and I just feel all around better. We won't discuss my shopping addiction. It's the only downside so far to getting fitter and healthier. I want to buy fun, trendy clothes now because when I try them on, my reaction is not what the %&$&$^ is that?

However, this last week and half, I have been lethargic and down right grumpy. It's not my hormones this time. Those are under control thanks to a lovely prescription to Seasonale .

What it is, and I know it, is my eating habits have been sliding backwards. Over this journey to fit, I have made several changes to my eating habits, slowly and surely. Lately, what with Thanksgiving pumpkin pie and turkey, I have been falling back into the trough. Literally.

So today, I am getting out of the trough and back into clean eating (Kami's edition) and because I am desperate for blog material, you are the lucky winners of a photo food journal. Hold your applause until the end, please.

For breakfast, calcium added orange juice, 9 grain oatmeal with a few raisins topped with almond milk. Did I mention that I am lactose intolerant? I have, for the most part, given up all dairy. And I don't actually miss it that much because when there is a dessert or dish that has dairy, all I need is a little help from my friend, Lactaid.

Breakfast is followed by my morning coffee, Organo Gold Coffee to be specific. Whatever that ganoderma extract does, it works. I living proof. Regular coffee makes my menopause symptoms go bananas (and not in a good way) but this stuff doesn't. Colour me happy, coffee coloured to be specific. I split the pack into two and have two cups a day.

Another important change I made to my eating habits is eating less but eating more often. It works, people, it really works. Energy levels stay much more constant and you stay happier. It is win win. My snack range from fruit and nut mix, to Sweet and Salty Peanut granola bars (YUM) to this one, soy yogurt, half a banana and 1/3 cup of Choo-it oatmeal mix.

Lunch is often leftovers.

Today it was turkey meatloaf with sun dried tomatoes, steamed broccoli and cauliflower and snap peas.

There will be another snack before supper, since today, the boys have swimming right after school and then Kamden has a soccer game. I am also sipping my second cup of coffee as I type this.

Supper will be a packed picnic to eat in between. Somehow.

Today, for Jay and I, supper will be salads accompanied by last night's BBQ'd steak. Top it off with the oil and vinegar dressing my mom has been making since I can remember (I can make it now. All by myself. I am so growed up), it will be good. I hope.

And later, because every day still requires some form of sweetness, I will have a square of dark chocolate (70% cocoa butter). Mmm. And probably another snack once the kids go to bed.

So there you have it. I am pledging to get back on track with this here gem (Ha!) of a post.

Because it is all worth it.

Any ideas on how I can eat even better? Or did I inspire you to make a few changes? Or did I bore you to tears? I am going for a record!

Manic Monday

Fall may be here but Mother Nature is pampering us with sunshine and mild temperatures. We are not complaining however, I have a feeling Crotchety Old Man Winter is stewing into a tizzy somewhere just waiting until he can unleash his frustrations on us. I am understandably shaking in my boots.

Yesterday we headed out to Pumpkin Hollow. It has become an annual tradition to head out there and do the corn maze together as a family. It was fun.

But this post won't only be about that, oh no, I will bore you with some other random tid bits too. Like that fact that my knee or my IT band specifically has been giving me grief since early September. This means little to no running as running is what aggravates it. I am not a happy camper about this because despite the fact that most of you think I am nuts, I like running.

I have seen a physio therapist several times and have been working on stretching and strengthening my hips but it is still not up to snuff. I am also trying new shoes.

Cross your fingers for me, m'kay?

Work has been keeping me reasonably occupied which has been keeping me out of trouble. You know how I am apt to find trouble when otherwise unoccupied.

No?

Oh right, that is my crazy alter ego, Tami. B-E-Yotch likes to get me in trouble.

Other than that, not too much new here at the Khlopchyk House, hence the lack of activity here on the old blog.

The boys are handsome as ever, though some say I am bias. I have no idea what they are talking about. And it pains me that these photos, that were unplanned, turned out better than the planned ones. Murphy.

And did you notice the new look around here? It's all thanks to Jen. She made the header (which I LOVE!) and changed up the colour scheme. And except for a yellow stripe debacle courtesy of me, it went well. Thanks for your patience with me Jen!

It's just another manic Monday!

Now you can sing it over and over and over in your head like I am. You're welcome.

Photography is for Professionals

Every year we get photos of the boys done around their birthdays in June. This year it didn't happen so I decided to do them myself.

I had a vision of what I wanted. It involved using an old piece of the now defunct power station converted to a science center in our fair city.

Problem is, it is surrounded by trees on three sides. Trees with the sun streaming through the leaves makes for shadows.

So they both have large metal things growing out of their backs too, did you know that? We tried to keep it under wraps but they both had a growth spurt so there is no hiding it any longer. The shadows hide their faces so we can still be in cognito.

I don't mind this one though.

Attempt number two was this weekend. After much discussion and reading about placing the sun behind your subject rather than behind the photographer as I thought, we got these.

It just wasn't possible, in this spot, to put the sun behind them. I was really set on this spot, why I don't know, the metal thingy's are yellow but not very yellow up close.

Take 3, the play ground near by.

Huh. So the sun is behind them but somehow I still don't think I got it right. Ah well, the subjects are still cute so we'll call it a day.

Someday, I will take that photography class I keep talking about. That day will be when I remember to register before the class fills up. Hell might freeze over first.

Fall Photos for a Friday

Fall is here and nature's canvas is brimming with gorgeousness (that's a word, isn't it?)

And some people are pretty grumpy about too, apparently.

The leaves are a falling all around us. We are happy it is not the sky falling.

And the colours, oh the colours.

Still grumpy. Bad day?

and constipated too. Poor guy.

Happy Autumn weekend to you, unless you live where fall hasn't hit yet, then happy summer weekend. And I am not jealous at all.

Okay, maybe a little bit.