Saturday, April 29, 2006

Carmela Sofia.....Our little piggy

This is our little piggy fur baby.

Carmela Sofia Bean

I just had to write a post about her today because I love her so much.

We were bad parents yesterday, not intentionally, but it turned out that way.

We had to go to Duluth and back yesterday - AFTER work - good thing we get off at 2 on Fridays.

We left work later than expected - then traffic was HORRIBLE getting out of town (it took us an hour just to get to Forest Lake), not to mention it was raining pretty bad. Then there was construction on 35. Nice.

We got to Duluth and got our stuff done really fast - then decided to get some food before we left town from our favorite little greasy place in our old stomping grounds,

it took them an HOUR to prepare our food.

Which was a medium cheese pizza and garlic cheese bread.

We were pissed.

So we ended up leaving town at the time we were hoping to get back.

Carmela has been in her crate now for 10 hours!!!!

We felt SO bad.

We had choose to leave her in there because we didn't want her to come to work with us because she's having her semi-yearly girly flow - so she would have to be in a diaper.

and that's also the reason why we didn't bring her on the trip with us - because she sits on my lap - and even with the diaper - I didn't want to risk it.

We just wanted to get up there and back within a reasonable time frame.

She was in her cage for almost 13 hours by the time we got home - Travis literally RAN to her - yes he RAN!

She forgave us - after she pood and peed.

We just love her so much and feel horrible for having her in there for so long.

She's going to have to be spoiled today.

More than usual anyway :)

Posted by Katrina :: 12:39 PM :: 1 Chortles

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Thursday, April 27, 2006

The ABC's of ME

Borrowed from the other Katrina :)

* Accent: I guess MinnesOOOOOHHHtan - but I don't see it
* Booze: Miller lite - or Sextini's - depends on my mood
* Chore I Hate: Cleaning the toilet - I refuse to clean it anymore
* Dog or Cat: Dog definitely- but some cats are cool
* Essential Electronics: TV, digital camera, anything that plays music
* Favorite Cologne(s): Lucky You
* Gold or Silver: Silver - but I'm starting to accept gold a bit more
* Hometown: Duluth, MN.
* Insomnia: Never - I sleep like a rock
* Job Title: Unappreciated Office Manager
* Kids: I want one
* Living arrangements: two bedroom apt in suburb of Minneapolis
* Most admirable trait: truly unjudgemental
* Namesake: first name: my Mom heard the name on a soap opera she watched (the character was a prostitute. Nice). Middle: My Mom's best friend's (at the time) middle name.
* Overnight hospital stays: None, Thank god. Hospitals scare me.
* Phobias: Hospitals/nursing homes - and Wayne Newton
* Quote: "Everything happens for a reason"
* Religion: None, really
* Siblings: Three - all younger - two brothers - one sissy. Did I mention they are all the same age?
* Time I wake up: today - 7:40
* Unusual talent or skill: Ummm I can do a lot of different voices and accents - does that count?
* Vegetable I refuse to eat: water chestnuts - is that a vegetable?
* Worst habit: procrastination and being late
* X-rays: Teeth, head, bowels (hee hee )
* Yummy foods I make: garlic cheese bread, pasta sauce, salads, sammies, and pita chips
* Zodiac sign: full on Sagittarius

Feel free to borrow or change the questions :) Have fun!
Posted by Katrina :: 1:44 PM :: 0 Chortles

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New Purses!!

Yes, I splurged and got two. Love it!

The orange one is kate spade - it's green on the inside with black and white straps - I'm using that one today :)
The pinky is prada - its the shape of purse I've wanted forever! It would be absolutely perfect if it was in green - but I still like the pink a lot - Trav says it looks cheezy in pink - but he loves the orange one - who knew?

Posted by Katrina :: 12:04 PM :: 2 Chortles

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Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Purse Party Tonight!!!

Purse Party! Purse Party! Woo Hoo Purse Party!

Can you tell I'm just a bit excited! Seriously - I even had a dream about the purse party last night! I know!

Jessica's purse party is tonight if any of you didn't know that already - I have waited FOREVER , or so it seems, for a new purse - I am in dire need!







I did yoga last night - I ALMOST wasn't going to do it - because I was really tired - but I decided to just get up and do it. So I did it in the dark - with just the TV on - and it helped a lot - I felt like I was able to concentrate more on everything - I even did most of it with my eyes closed.
BOY did I work up a sweat! I was dripping all over my mat - I had to wipe it off so I wouldn't slip!

Trav always says that I'm in a really good mood the next day after yoga. I don't know if it's the yoga - or the purse party :)

Posted by Katrina :: 11:51 AM :: 1 Chortles

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Monday, April 24, 2006

Cardio is for weiners

School today - going to finish my homework right after this post.

I had a good weekend - shopping with Stace and walking with Carmela - it was beautiful outside!
I got two necklaces, a bracelet, a shirt, pants, and a skirt - all for under $40!!! Yessssssssssss!!! Bargains give me a boner.
Carmela and I walked around the pond on Friday and Sunday - not Saturday because I walked around shopping all day and was too tired - plus we got home late.

Still sticking with the plan - still not eating after 7 - I ate dinner only once last week - oh and I ate dinner on Sunday too - so twice.
I'm doing my yoga tape tonight because I have school and I'll get home too late - plus it looks like it's going to rain.
I'm going to try to implement more yoga into my routine - I'm thinking of doing each one every other day - something like : Monday - walking/jogging, Tuesday - Yoga, Wednesday - walking/jogging, Thursday - Yoga....and so on.

It's just that I saw results WAY faster when I was doing yoga every other day. I've lost 8lbs so far with the walking/jogging - but that all came off in the 1st week so it seems I've plateaued already.
I think combining the walking(cardio) and the yoga(muscle building) will be something ideal for my body.
I've always lost more weight with muscle building vs. cardio. Thinking back throughout my whole life - I was ALWAYS running around outside - playing with my friends, walking, biking, rollerblading - and still chubby.
During my peak of chubbiness in the 5th grade, my mom would make me do leg lifts, push ups, sit ups and wall sits every night before bed (I would always try to get out of it). I didn't notice back then that I had lost weight, but if you look back at pics of me from 5th grade to 6th - there is a COMPLETE difference. I went from my chubbiest as an adolescent to my thinnest just by doing some simple muscle building. Put it this way - I had bigger boobs in 5th grade than I did in 6th.
When I started doing Yoga a few years ago - I was on a similar plan - I would do yoga every other night, not eat after 7, and keep my calories to 1,200 and under. I lost 25 lbs in two months.
I of course gained it all back when I stopped doing yoga. but lost 18 when I became a vegetarian.
Without changing my diet at all - I've gained 15 of that back - my doctor said that it's just my body evening things out now that it's used to my diet.
I chalk it up to having to eat dinner at 9 every night for almost a year. That sucked!

So now that I have told all of you about the yoga routine - I have a reason not to stop the routine again.
That's what helps keep me going.

Thanks for all your help - I know it's been tough on you :)




This is just a little entertaining message for you know who:

For as obsessed with perfection as you are, you would think to look in the mirror once in a while - because you and your sister are not all the same - she's skinny and you're......well......not.
Sorry to be the one to break it to you. But someone had to tell you - and since you still read this everyday - now you'll know.

Have a heifer of a day!

Posted by Katrina :: 2:13 PM :: 1 Chortles

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Thursday, April 20, 2006

April showers bring.....cold feet!

Not the jitters kind of cold feet - literally COLD ASS FEET!

Seriously - that's what I have left after a day like today. Let's begin shall we....

*first and foremost I need to update you (as per my plan) that I have been doing really good about not eating after 7 - in fact I have only had dinner once this week. And I didn't feel deprived - I just haven't been hungry. I walked yesterday for a while - if you count an hour and 1/2 grocery shopping. And today - oh ho ho - today....well just read on my lovelies....


Alrighty - so this morning I wake up early-ish - about 7:45 and I get into the shower. I hurried up in the shower because I knew that Carmela had to go to the bathroom. So...I get out of the shower, towel dry my hair a bit, get some pj's on and go to bring her out. OK apparently time goes extra fast when you are trying to hurry up in the shower - because miraculously it was freakin 8:20! So I take the dog out - I can only assume that she will go right away because she waited while I took my shower of eternity. Guess not. She pooped right when we got out there - but she took FOREVER to pee. Finally 12 minutes later I brought her in - her bladder still full. I HAD to get ready - it's now 8:32 and I'm still in my pj's with wet frizzy hair - we have to leave at 8:45! So Trav got dressed and took the dog out again while I finished getting ready. I was getting dressed when Trav came back in and yelled "She got away from me and is chasing someone down the street!" So I - in only my skirt and a bra - yell "WELL GO OUT THERE AND GET HER! I'm not even DRESSED!" So he goes back out and I finally get my shirt on and flip flops and go out there to get her. Keep in mind the time now it's now 8:45.

Carmela is a block down the street chasing after an old black lady walking to the bus stop. The old black lady is terrified and keeps frantically swinging her bags at yelling at Carmela
"GET! GET! GO HOME!" Well by this time Carmela thinks it's a goddamn game - so she keeps charging at the lady and then running away. I'm walking down there calling her name - I finally get the old black lady to stay still and calm down so Carmela will stop "playing" with her. Carmela then decides to run away from ME now and runs down the block some more. Lovely.
What time is it now? Who the f*&@ knows. I wonder if that old black lady will write about a little dog chasing after her this morning in her blog?
Anyway - I finally get Carmela to follow me back by asking her if she wanted to go buh-bye. Then two little girls came out of their apartment building to wait for their bus - Carmela now wants to play with them. They try to help me grab her - but she just wants to play.
NOW my weirdo neighbor that does the landscaping for our building comes out and is trying to get Carmela's attention. Carmela likes him and goes up to him - get grabs her by the collar - AND THEN LETS HER GO! "Oops" he says. Oops?! Oops?! Fuck you, Buddy.
So now he's determined to get her and started CHASING her towards the house screaming at her to get in the house. Told you he's weird. So now Carmela is scared and starts barking at him. She FINALLY follows me inside and I slam the door. It's 9:05. Awesome.
I am livid.
I STILL have to make our lunches for the day. We were supposed to be at work 5 minutes ago.
Carmela knows she was bad - she's hiding behind Travis so I can't see her.
She still didn't pee.
The thing that sucked so bad is that I couldn't even scold her for it! She was about 5 seconds from having to be in her crate for the next 8 hours and I couldn't have her thinking that her crate was her "bad" place. So I just yelled at Trav - he understood though :)

Work was ok - the day went by super fast and I had a deja-vu. Whenever that happens to me - I always feel like I'm doing the right thing - like I am where I'm supposed to be - so it's always a good feeling.

All of a sudden it's 4:00 and I have to leave for school. Trav had to work late, so I took the Light Rail to downtown and figured I could just walk the 8 blocks to school. Well it didn't take long to realize that was a bad idea. I wore my heels today - keep in mind I'm still wearing a skirt as well. I figured - these heels aren't that bad - I can do it. Oh I did it alright - I walked the 8 blocks. In the mother-effing rain.
It didn't start raining until just as I got off the train - just a sprinkle. So I put up the hood on my sweater and decided to just keep going - I didn't really have a choice.
About - oh- a second later - it started raining hard. My face was wet, my hands were cold, my legs were freezing and my shoes made that wonderful *squish* noise. Not to mention the comfortable friction my thighs were creating by rubbing together - on account of me being so fit and trim.
I finally get to school - and it stops raining. I couldn't make this up, folks.
I'm freezing and soggy - and I smell like stale wet clothes. On my way to my classroom 3 separate people take one look at me and each said "Oh is it still raining pretty hard outside?"
No Bitch, I just felt like taking a shower wearing all my clothes, my purse, and my backpack before class today, got a problem with that?
Can you tell I have my period too?

Class goes well, I get thirsty and go to the vending machine to get some water - which I ended up getting Diet Coke because I was beat and needed some sort of energy. I got deja-vu again!
So I'm like - alright - so this was all SUPPOSED to happen today? I don't know, Man.

Trav pics me up from school and we head home. I get home and I have to pee really bad - but I figure (I really need to stop assuming things) that Carmela has not peed at all today - and she probably has to go way worse than me. Being the good Mom I am - I just change into my pj pants and throw on a sweatshirt (cuz believe it or not - it's raining again) and head out with her. I'm outside with her wearing flip fops - and my feet are now ICE cold! She pees right away - but then proceeds to just stand there and whine because it's raining out. But I know she has to poo too. So I'm walking around the yard - taking her to her favorite poo spots - and nothing. I'm too stubborn to just bring her and then take her out again 10 minutes later - my feet are freezing and I just want to go in already!
So I decide to take her to her FAVORITE poo spot - the pond.
She usually never makes it around the first bend without pooing, I thought, this is guaranteed.

I guess Carmela knew what I needed even more than me. Despite my freezing toes, flip flops, and full bladder. It was really peaceful there. It had stopped raining again. We saw a crane take off from the pond and fly away - which was really nice. The worms were out crawling across the pathway and it reminded me of when I was really little and HAD to be CARRIED over every worm on the sidewalk. If not, I would stand there and wail with fear. Then one time my Papa made me pick up a worm and I realized they weren't scary - just slimy. So from then on out I picked up every worm I saw and put it back in the grass. I'm weird.

I felt like picking up a worm for old time's sake - but I had to pee way too bad. I had to keep walking for fear of pissing my last clean pair of comfy pants - and seriously if they had not been my last clean pair - I would have thought long and hard about the sweet release and bared the rest of the walk wet - and warm.
As I rounded the last bend of our once around the pond - I was done reminiscing and just wanted to pee and warm up my feet already!

I'm finally comfortable, dry, and empty. I just had to tell all of you about this lovely day before we all curl up in bed with a movie.

and yes, she finally pooped :)

Posted by Katrina :: 9:00 PM :: 1 Chortles

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Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Still kickin' - or so I justify

Thank you Superwoman, for checking up on me. I am still continuing my plan, though I have to say I skipped a few days. I was in Duluth this weekend and I was totally off schedule - not to mention I forgot to bring tennies. But I did run around a bit with Erin's daughter Maeghan, and I still didn't eat after 7. Yesterday, we stayed home from work because we needed to bring the car in - and it took ALL DAY because all the mechanics are on strike - aren't we lucky? So I did my homework and then went to school - but by the time I got home it was dark out - so I disappointedly missed another day. But, I only ate a little breakfast and then lunch at 3:30 - and that was it. So I think I still did ok.
Tonight, we finished eating at 7:15 - So I'm staying up a little later - maybe running up and down the hall with Carmela. Can't walk/jog outside around the pond - it's raining out. So it's my yoga tape tonight - followed by a little artistic relief: I'm attempting my first watercolor painting - on cold press just like my favorite mother-in-law - who I thank for putting up my last two posts for me :)
I'll let you know how it turns out.

I'm also doing this art journal thing - my next entry is a collage of stuff I find in nature - hopefully it will stop raining soon so I won't have a soggy collage.

I've still got my motivation - my goal is something that will never go away - so it's kind of guaranteed motivation. I just hope I don't justify my way out of it.

Quick - someone piss me off so it makes me work harder. Seriously - it works, whenever I'm pissed - I just go and go and go - finishing things I haven't finished in forever, cleaning the house spick and span - that's what kept me jogging one day - I just kept thinking about my doctor and how much I got pissed at her for calling me fat - it made me walk even faster!

Am I weird?

Posted by Katrina :: 8:05 PM :: 4 Chortles

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Sunday, April 16, 2006

Blinkies

Get your blinkie at this web sight. It is a great web sight!

http://web.tiscali.it/empress.cindy/blinkies.html

Posted by Katrina :: 8:31 PM :: 0 Chortles

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What Planet Are You From?

What Planet Are You From?

this quiz was made by The Autist Formerly Known As Tim

Posted by Katrina :: 8:22 PM :: 0 Chortles

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Wednesday, April 12, 2006

3rd time's a charm

Yesterday was the third day hump - the take it or leave it choice - and I took it!
I went again for a half hour - though there was no one on the path today - I was still motivated.
I think it's the songs I listen to on our MP3 player - I swear, everytime I get to a hill to jog - the music coincides with it - every song too! It helps a lot.

Though I have to admit.....

I ALMOST cheated last night......

Part of my plan is to not eat after 7pm - well I got back from jogging at about 6:40 and I still needed to make dinner - so I made salads and sandwiches (Trav had eggless egg salad and me - fakey bologna) and we ate on time. But, I really wanted to have a serving of pretzels and try one of the dips I bought from the craft show last Friday. So I made the dip (the lowfat - vegetarian version).

BUT....

It needed to sit for an hour in the fridge - and trust me it really needed to sit because you could barely taste the seasoning.
So I watched my Sex and the City and went back to see if the dip was better.....
It wasn't.

So I didn't cheat.

I tried the dip this morning - It was ok - I think I'll make it differently next time - it's salvageable though.


I've got a lot planned for this evening - hopefully I'll get it all done AND get to watch one of the other Netflix movies we have this week, since I finished SATC. Seriously, season 4 = best season so far.

Posted by Katrina :: 2:53 PM :: 1 Chortles

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Tuesday, April 11, 2006

The 2nd time around

Even I didn't really believe that I could do it - but I did. I thought that I would wimp out and just walk the whole time - or not be able to do it for as long as the first time. Turns out - that doubt I had actually drove me to do it for longer! 30 minutes of really fast walking and jogging up the hills - and these aren't any weenie little hills, I tell ya. It kept me out of breath the entire time, which is great. Never did I think I would be saying that being out of breath is a great thing. Who knew?

There were a bunch of other people walking around the pond at that time - I haven't seen more than one person walking when I have gone in the past - but it was probably the time of day - just after work - you change into your work out clothes and do your daily walking before dinner. I guess sooner or later - you just become the "norm."
That sucks.

I think that the other people being there made me more motivated to keep up with the jogging parts - because no one else was jogging. I was secretly one-upping them.
I'm a turd. But hey, whatever works.

So I called my doctors office yesterday to see what the results were from the bloodwork I had done to test my thyroid hormone, blood sugar, glucose, cholesterol, tryglicerides etc....
Let me just interject by saying that the whole reason we decided to switch to a vegetarian lifestyle was because last spring (yes it's been a whole year that we have been vegetarian!), I went to have these same tests taken to diagnose my hypothyroidism. When the results came back, my cholesterol was 210 - which is considered "borderline high." So I researched how to lower cholesterol and Trav and I decided we would give the vegetarian thing a try and it stuck.
The point is - I became a vegetarian to lower my cholesterol - and now the new tests revealed that my cholesterol actually went up! 13 points!
Needless to say I was totally disappointed. I started reading on the internet about changing your diet and your cholesterol STILL being high. The stuff I read basically said that some people just genetically have higher cholesterol. So since mine is still considered "borderline high", I'm going to stick with being consistent with my plan. We are going to continue our vegetarian lifestyle because it fits and I like eating healthy - it makes me feel better.
That's just another motivational factor for me, to keep this going for a year and next spring see how I'm coming along. Only then, if it's still "borderline high" or moved into the "high" zone, will I consider medication to lower it.

The weather was excellent yesterday - perfectly sunny, warm, and breezy - compared to just a month ago:

BARF! Ick! I'm so glad that it's spring - I am fully taking advantage of these few months of warmth.

Speaking of - it was so warm yesterday - I guess warmer than anticipated because the building where we work - forgot to turn the heat off! So we were baking in here! Now the air conditioning is on - but it's been on all day - non-stop! So now we are freezing!!!!! Nice.

One last piece of information before I leave you: I truly am in love with my new laundry soap - it makes my clothes smell so good - I don't even need to wear perfume or lotion. Just thought you'd like to know.

it's Cheer Fresh linen by the way - in case you wanted to try it.

Posted by Katrina :: 2:56 PM :: 1 Chortles

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Monday, April 10, 2006

Back in action

I'm not even going to talk about how long it's been since I've posted. Let's just pretend it hasn't been as long as it has.

okay, on with the posting.


I'm really excited for today - this week in fact. It's sort of a new beginning. We are finished with the transition of new jobs, I don't have school this week, and I've found, hired and trained in the new Evening Receptionist. So what does all this have to do with a "new beginning"? All of this means, my friends, is that Trav and I are now able to get home at the same time = 6:00. I don't know if any of you know what this means to us. For over a year, Trav has left work at 8:30PM; and due to our having just one car, that means I didn't leave until 8:30 either.
Let me tell you folks, not so much fun staying at work for 11 hours then getting to spend about an hour at home before you have to go to bed and get up to do it all over again.
Not to mention - eating dinner at 9ish = not so great for your waistline.

Which brings me back to the original intention of this post.

I know this may come to a surprise to some of you, but, I'm just going to lay all out : I Katrina Bean, am overweight.
I know, I know, I can already hear yours astonished gasps, but it is true.
Though you need not worry, adoring public, being the crafty little turd I am, I have established a plan. BWAAAHAHAHAAAAAA!

It's not an evil plan though, as that laugh may have implied. Just so you know.

As I stepped on my crappy, metal scale at home and watched the little needle sway FAR past the "Heifer" mark, a little piece of me died inside. I'm not one to concentrate on the amount I weigh - but rather by the way I look - or by the way my pants fit. It then dawned on me that my new favorite pants are the ones that are stretchy and flowy and my least favorite are the ones that have all those uncomfortable buttons and zippers and whatnot - you know the ones that you dread wearing to your sedentary job because of the marks they leave on your stomach at the end of the day. The ones where when you wear them - you actually dread lunchtime because then when you are full - you feel WAY too full and can't suck it in anymore? Yeah that's what I realized. (By the way I am wearing those pants today)

So in my effort to do something about it, I have honed in all the self control I can muster - and made myself a plan. A plan I can stick to - and a plan with a goal. An incredible incentive will (hopefully) be received in the end as well - but only a few special people know about it, and I'm not ready to mention it just yet. But, that's my motivation - and it's a good one :)

But anyway, telling you all about it is part of my plan. It will help me to know that other people will know if I fail - and I just can' t let that happen.
I have already acknowledged that this is going to be hard - actually I've already started and it IS hard! But it is defiantly something I can stick to, I'm confident of that. So that excites me - to know that even though it's hard, I can and will do it.
If I may, I need to request one thing from you all in Blogville; If I don't post about it (my plan) for sometime - like a week or so - I'm going to need you to bombard me with comments (which go into my email) - reminding me that I can do it and that I need to do it.

I'm not ashamed to ask for support - everyone needs it from time to time. I know myself, and I know when to ask for a deeply needed kick in the ass.

Thanks to all who are reading this, especially those closest to me. Things are going to get even better from here on out! I can't wait!



P.S. I just had to mention this because seriously - this is HUGE! So I started my plan, right, and guess what part of it is..... the part I already did........I freakin JOGGED, Man! Are you kidding me! I actually jogged! For a whole 20 minutes! AND SOME OF IT WAS UP HILL!

I KNOW!!!!!!!

Posted by Katrina :: 11:30 AM :: 1 Chortles

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