Has it Been A Month?!

My favorite time of the year!

I can scarcely believe it's been a full lunar cycle since my magnanimous fall! A couple of those weeks were the equivalent of a roller coaster rocketing downward, and if not for the support of some (you know who you are) I might have lost my footing. But life's ride appears to be on the ascent - for now.

My knee is pretty much completely healed. I still have the remnants of three steri strips stuck to a small scab, which I keep covered with a band-aid most of the time. I was told by Mummy AND the NP who removed the stitches and applied the steri-strips NOT to remove them. The NP said I could trim the edges that come loose. One thing at which I've always excelled is doing exactly as I'm instructed (which is probably why it took me until high school to realize that I didn't HAVE to keep getting my hair permed, as Mummy insisted).

I'm back in full-workout swing now! Today begins the 48-hour weigh-in window for the Jillian Michales Diet bet I entered just after my tumble. It was rough, but I lost the 5.9 pounds needed! I was nervous for a bit, as the first week I couldn't exercise because my knee wasn't up to it, but I kept the calories in check. By the end of the first week I felt I could do something low-impact, but have nothing at home and gym membership. I asked some friends if they had a bike I could borrow for a week or so, but to no avail. Then the thought of biking made me think of spin classes, so checked around to see the cost of those. A nearby gym offers a week free membership and they had spin classes. So I got my tushie over there three times to take advantage and kept the calories in check and dropped four pounds that week! The following week I could workout at home, and did one a day out of my current DVD catalog and didn't lose a pound. I ordered two new (totally awesome DVDs which I'll have no problem reviewing!) and all last week I mixed it up with a few JM Body Revolutions DVDs, kept the calories down, and as of Saturday I was 141 - my goal! Last week was working out every day - four of those days had two workouts. This week looks to be the same. Kickboxing on Sunday, circuits and kickboxing yesterday. A workout before work - not sure which one yet. But I know that I have my new DVDs to thank for the last week - mixing things up is a sure way to take it up a notch. So I just need to submit my weigh-in photos, and as long as they're accepted I'll at least get back when I put in the pot - and since I'm taking a trek to the my favoritest place in the world this weekend, that will be nice to have.

On the hayride

Last Monday I stayed home with Isaac and Shiloh and took them to a local farm where we could pick out pumpkins. I bought a carving set with some sticker decals that we should really get around to carving. That should be a this week activity - I'm certain Shiloh will be fascinated by the pumpkin guts.

Nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-na-nuh….

This one!

No, this one!

Let's just get all of them!

A more lovely time of year, there is not...

Of course, Shiloh was also sick last week. I had to pick her up from daycare early on Tuesday and stay home with her on Wednesday. I didn't like the sound of her cough, and being a paranoid, OCD hypochondriac with access to Google, I discovered that all of her symptoms were the early symptoms of Pertussis (AND the common cold). But I called the doctor anyway - I have insurance (although after seeing what they AREN'T covering for my trip to the ER it made me wonder why??) but I let her doctor tell me it's just a cold. Of course she bounded out of bed the next day with no cough and her appetite had returned. At work one of the scientists asked if I was out on Wednesday (I'm just so easy to miss..) and I said yes because Shiloh wasn't well. I iterated my tale of self-induced terror of whooping cough worries, and he was kind enough to say I was just being a mother. 

Well, I need to check on the pumpkin bread in the oven (I've been up since 4) and get the rest of the day under way. I hope everyone is well!

XO

MAGICAL GOODNESS

Below is my favorite pumpkin bread recipe - straight from Halloween by Silver Ravenwolf! I've even included the magical properties of each ingredient, as listed. LOVE this book….

Pumpkin bread and more within!

PUMPKIN BREAD

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

13/4 c flour (fertility and money)

11/2 c sugar (love and passion)

3/4 tsp salt (protection)

1 tsp baking soda (not magical)

1/2 tsp cinnamon (spirituality and protection)

1/2 tsp nutmeg (luck and health)

1 c canned pumpkin (abundance)

1/3 c water (cleansing)

2 large eggs (fertility)

1 tsp of vanilla (love and mental prowess - I could certainly use me some of this!)

1/2 c vegetable oil (also not magical)

1/2 c chopped walnuts (health and wishes - will counteract a fertility spell)

(I only had pecans on hand, and their magical properties focus on money and employment - I Googled "magical properties of pecans" just for you!"

WHAT TO DO:

Heat oven to 350.

Combine all the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet in another. Beat the wet ingredients together, then slowly add the dry. Mix in the nuts, then pour into a greased bread pan. Bake 60 - 75 minutes. (The book says 75 - 80, but I started at 60 since my oven seems to run hot.) The good ole' stab-it-with-a-butter-knife test will tell you if it's done. Let it sit for a few before handling and enjoy!