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Whoooo Hoooo!
Pau Hana (Finished Work) Friday is here!!
Quick note before I start my weekend:
1) You can now follow me via BlogLovin!
and
2) My girl from Jenn's Adventures is hosting a great giveaway!! Go check her out!
Hope you enjoy your weekend!
First up? A NAP! and then probably more nesting....
ALOHA!
10.28.2011
I'm Giving Up My Klout
Do you have Klout?
Even if you have no idea what I'm talking about, you probably do. The website says everyone has Klout.
I recently discovered klout.com when my Twitter feed was blowing up with Twitterers (is that a word??) giving other Twitterers klout or +K to people who are influential in there life.
Out of curiosity I looked up my Klout.
Scary thing is that when I signed up, Klout had listed topics of Hawaii, Blogging, and Google Reader (what the hell?) that I was influential in.
Gave myself a pat on the back.
I started lurking around the website and learned how to create lists to give my friends on Twitter their fair share of Klout.
What's the point??
Well, when you have reached a certain level, you earn perks. The incentive to build your network and influence is to get free loot. And we all love free loot, right?
The first tip-off to me that didn't feel "just right"- Seeing that people who HAVE NOT signed up for Klout had Klout scores and profiles!
I was encouraged to invite these friends so that I could "increase my klout" and get a truer reading of my influence. Because these people were great influences on me (according to Klout), if I started influencing them my Klout score would increase.
Increasing my Klout score became a great challenge for me. I tried to post and reply on Blogger and my Twitter account and gave +K freely to other bloggers that influence me, in the hopes that they would return the favor.
Then I started thinking.
How did Klout get this information on everyone?
I googled and found some interesting blog posts on the topic.
Tonia Reis from The Real Time Report writes how Klout gets most of it's profile information. Basically by using your Twitter account, which is a public platform, Klout analyzes your influence.
OK, fine. But a huge issue arises when she finds her son now has a Klout profile. According to Tonia, her son is very careful about keeping his information private. How did Klout get his info?
Well, Tonia created a public post on Facebook and since her son had commented on it, his info was now available for them to use.
Have they gone too far?
Danny Brown also shares some insight on Klout (and shares updates on that particular post).
I realize that Klout pulls information that is public. And Twitter is a public forum. And this blog is public.
So it's not like Klout went digging for information on me.
It just pulled it from the internet.
Now the issue for me isn't that Klout has this information but more so that by using my information, friends and family have no idea that their information is now fair game.
I totally get that the information used is public and already out there. I'm just not sure I want it all
to be linked up yet, even if in reality it is, I prefer it not to be my reality (yes, I sound delusional but it works for me.).
to be linked up yet, even if in reality it is, I prefer it not to be my reality (yes, I sound delusional but it works for me.).
After some reflection, I decided I'm not 100% confident that joining and updating my profile on Klout is the way to go.
It really is a fascinating concept.
My first red flag should have been that I didn't completely understand the system and was just "going with it".
So for now I'm unlinking (since there is currently no way to delete your profile) my blogger account. There is not option to unlink my Twitter account so I revoked access via my Twitter settings > Applications.
Like many other blogs I read out there, this wouldn't be such an issue if given the option to opt in or out.
UPDATE: Check out this post on how to delete your Klout information. I haven't tried it (because it's lunch time in the 808 state and I'm hungry!) but will keep you posted if it works.
UPDATE: Check out this post on how to delete your Klout information. I haven't tried it (because it's lunch time in the 808 state and I'm hungry!) but will keep you posted if it works.
Have you heard of Klout? Do you use it? Do you find it useful, fascinating, confusing? What do you see as the good/bad/ugly of having and using such "personal" but private information?
10.27.2011
Easy Chicken Quesadillas
I looooove me some chicken quesadillas!!
And the great thing? They are pretty much low carb (as long as you're not eating 23 of them!) and super easy to make.
Last night's dinner (and let's be honest, we're having it again tonight) was super tasty if I must say so myself.
I used:
3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 bag of shredded Mexican Cheese (I don't know the actual volume, just one regular sized bag)
Taco Seasoning (low-sodium and MSG FREE please!)
Guacamole
Salsa
Chobani non-fat plain yogurt
I diced the chicken and through it into a pan. After browning the chicken and added the taco seasoning and a dash of water. Then I let that baby simmer for a few minutes, until the seasoning started to thicken.
Once the chicken was ready, I got a smaller pan and heated up a tortilla. I like mine crispy so I don't mind if they get a bit burnt!
Once the tortilla was hot, I added some shredded cheese to the center and spread it around.
TIP: Don't try to sprinkle it around the tortilla. The cheese will end up all over the pan making for more clean up than necessary. Or that's just me...
Once the cheese starts to melt, add chicken to half of the tortilla. And cover with more cheese (you can never have enough when making quesadillas!)
Then fold in half and let set on the hot pan for a few seconds. Flip if desired or if cheese isn't melting properly.
Final step? Accessorizing!
With salsa, guacamole, and Chobani plain greek yogurt.
And then plate like you're a food network star!!
CONFESSION: This is my first time substituting plain yogurt for sour cream. In fact, it made me kinda nervous so I made sure to get the best- Chobani Greek Yogurt, of course!
And next time we make these I think I'll add some onions and red peppers to the chicken to give some oomph to the veggie factor.
This may not be the healthiest dinner, but it fits my low-carb meal plan and was easy/fast to make.
Do you have a "Go-To" meal when you're in a time crunch or really really really hungry?
I usually will make a grilled cheese sandwich or it's Mexican cousin, the quesadilla. I love grilled cheese sandwiches with a side of soup... yummmm!
I've also been known to make scrambled eggs for breakfast. It's a great way to make sure I'm getting enough protein and it's super easy to make. All major points in my book!
And the great thing? They are pretty much low carb (as long as you're not eating 23 of them!) and super easy to make.
Last night's dinner (and let's be honest, we're having it again tonight) was super tasty if I must say so myself.
I used:
3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 bag of shredded Mexican Cheese (I don't know the actual volume, just one regular sized bag)
Taco Seasoning (low-sodium and MSG FREE please!)
Guacamole
Salsa
Chobani non-fat plain yogurt
I diced the chicken and through it into a pan. After browning the chicken and added the taco seasoning and a dash of water. Then I let that baby simmer for a few minutes, until the seasoning started to thicken.
Once the chicken was ready, I got a smaller pan and heated up a tortilla. I like mine crispy so I don't mind if they get a bit burnt!
Once the tortilla was hot, I added some shredded cheese to the center and spread it around.
TIP: Don't try to sprinkle it around the tortilla. The cheese will end up all over the pan making for more clean up than necessary. Or that's just me...
Once the cheese starts to melt, add chicken to half of the tortilla. And cover with more cheese (you can never have enough when making quesadillas!)
Then fold in half and let set on the hot pan for a few seconds. Flip if desired or if cheese isn't melting properly.
Final step? Accessorizing!
With salsa, guacamole, and Chobani plain greek yogurt.
And then plate like you're a food network star!!
CONFESSION: This is my first time substituting plain yogurt for sour cream. In fact, it made me kinda nervous so I made sure to get the best- Chobani Greek Yogurt, of course!
And next time we make these I think I'll add some onions and red peppers to the chicken to give some oomph to the veggie factor.
This may not be the healthiest dinner, but it fits my low-carb meal plan and was easy/fast to make.
Do you have a "Go-To" meal when you're in a time crunch or really really really hungry?
I usually will make a grilled cheese sandwich or it's Mexican cousin, the quesadilla. I love grilled cheese sandwiches with a side of soup... yummmm!
I've also been known to make scrambled eggs for breakfast. It's a great way to make sure I'm getting enough protein and it's super easy to make. All major points in my book!
Please Feed The Preggo
Of course after all the nesting this weekend, I was HUHN-GREE!
One place we went to for dinner was Buca Di Beppo, one of my all time fave restaurants.
My first time here was in college for my roommates birthday. Everything was delish! I even had my graduation dinner at this restaurant.
However, because I need to be on a lower carb than usual diet, I always thought that Buca was out of the question. How am I supposed to go "low-carb" with such yummy pasta dishes and "Meatballs as big as yer head!"??
One of the hubbs favorite dishes is the Chianti Braised Short Ribs. These are GOOD... so tender! So with a little tweaking we were able to figure out a suitable meal for the both of us.
We ordered the short ribs, ravioli, and a side of broccoli. For just the two of us, it was a lot of food! We were sure to order "small" sizes of the entrees (really, you're only choice is small or large). And it was DELISH!
My only gripe with Buca? Is the way they handled their host/seating process.
We are always prepared to wait for Buca. At least 20-30 minutes if you go during prime dinner time (6-8) which we did (we arrived at 7:15).
First of all, there was a guy at the host stand in front of the restaurant. We approached him and he didn't mumble a single word. So we kept walking to the stand in the restaurant, only to get sent back outside to see "Andrew" at the front.
I took a seat inside and hubby put our name in and grabbed a buzzer thingy. The buzzer would vibrate/light up (FUN!) when our table was ready. Quoted wait? 1 hour.
Whatever. We'll wait. There's only 2 of us so we may get seated sooner.
During that 1 hour wait, there were other couples that I watch put their name in and play the same waiting game as us.
No problems so far, right? Right.
That is until a family of 3 walked right up to the inside hostess and put their name in. Apparently they are friends of hers and were asking about the wait. They were quoted 30 minutes. 30 MINUTES!!!
And sure enough, in 30 minutes (a little before 8) they were seated.
This gets my hormones in a really grumpy mood. See, I don't have a problem waiting if everyone else is waiting too.
To make a long story longer, there was another couple who checked in AFTER us and got seated BEFORE us.
We eventually got seated (obviously) but the mood was pretty grouchy after that. At least the food didn't disappoint!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another restaurant we ate at this weekend was BIG CITY DINER.
BCD is a locally owned restaurant chain. Each time we've eaten here (I don't know maybe 10 times in the last 3 years?) we haven't been disappointed. The food is decent, the drinks are good, and the price is never too far out of range.
My husband ordered a loco moco (hamburger patty over rice topped with a fried egg and smothered in gravy) and I ordered a cheeseburger (Baja Burger- jack cheese, salsa, and avocado), hold the fries, and a garden salad. Halfway through my burger I decided to take the top bun off to make sure I was within my carbohydrate limits.
One of my fave things to order (pre-pregnancy) are their Midori Margaritas. Sooooo gooood and probably one of the first things I'll have post-pregnancy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We also tried a brand new place, well for us anyway: UAHI GRILL (click to read some Yelp reviews!).
It's a small restaurant in Kailua, HI. We got there before the "rush" (seriously, 2 other couples arrived within 30 minutes of us).
Their menu has a lot of healthy options. However it seems like their extension of "Hawaiian Grill" is kinda far-fetched. The only Hawaiian food they had was Kalua Pig (roasted, salted, shredded pork). Still, they had fresh veggie options, fish, and chicken.
I ordered the Red Curry Fish and it was AMAZING. Just typing about it makes me drool and crave it. The curry I'm used to is a little bit thicker with vegetables (almost like a beef stew). This curry sauce was poured over brown rice and two pieces of fish (Mahimahi- a white flaky fish- was the selection of the night) served with a side of Papaya Salad.
Hubbs ordered the Jerk Chicken. He read it came with red peppers, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. When it arrived, the presentation was a bit dissapointing. The red peppers were more of a salsa texture and there were only two (2) pieces of asparagus. I don't know about you, but I thought Jerk Chicken was meant to be spicy. This chicken was "blackened", but not with seasoning- more likely from overcooking. The chicken was also dry! Poor hubbs finished his meal but left unsatisfied.
I did share some of my curry with him and he loved it!
We're not sure if we'd return. It was kinda pricey. For the amount we paid we could have went to Big City Diner and left satisfied. However, the curry is really really really good and that may be good enough to make me go back!
Do you have any favorite local restaurants in your area? Or do you navigate towards chains?- Living in Honolulu, we like to balance a little bit of both. When we feel adventurous we'll try locally owned restaurants. But when we want a little more predictability, we'll hit up a chain.
What are you biggest decision factors when deciding if you'll return to a new restaurant? First of all, if the service is good, that is BIG in my book. You can have the best food in the world but if your servers are snobby I won't be returning. Second- is it worth the price? If the food is ridiculously priced, I have a difficult time justifying my return, even if the food was delish. But as long as the service is decent, we can afford it, and the food is delish, we'll most likely return.
One place we went to for dinner was Buca Di Beppo, one of my all time fave restaurants.
My first time here was in college for my roommates birthday. Everything was delish! I even had my graduation dinner at this restaurant.
However, because I need to be on a lower carb than usual diet, I always thought that Buca was out of the question. How am I supposed to go "low-carb" with such yummy pasta dishes and "Meatballs as big as yer head!"??
One of the hubbs favorite dishes is the Chianti Braised Short Ribs. These are GOOD... so tender! So with a little tweaking we were able to figure out a suitable meal for the both of us.
We ordered the short ribs, ravioli, and a side of broccoli. For just the two of us, it was a lot of food! We were sure to order "small" sizes of the entrees (really, you're only choice is small or large). And it was DELISH!
My only gripe with Buca? Is the way they handled their host/seating process.
We are always prepared to wait for Buca. At least 20-30 minutes if you go during prime dinner time (6-8) which we did (we arrived at 7:15).
First of all, there was a guy at the host stand in front of the restaurant. We approached him and he didn't mumble a single word. So we kept walking to the stand in the restaurant, only to get sent back outside to see "Andrew" at the front.
I took a seat inside and hubby put our name in and grabbed a buzzer thingy. The buzzer would vibrate/light up (FUN!) when our table was ready. Quoted wait? 1 hour.
Whatever. We'll wait. There's only 2 of us so we may get seated sooner.
During that 1 hour wait, there were other couples that I watch put their name in and play the same waiting game as us.
No problems so far, right? Right.
That is until a family of 3 walked right up to the inside hostess and put their name in. Apparently they are friends of hers and were asking about the wait. They were quoted 30 minutes. 30 MINUTES!!!
And sure enough, in 30 minutes (a little before 8) they were seated.
This gets my hormones in a really grumpy mood. See, I don't have a problem waiting if everyone else is waiting too.
To make a long story longer, there was another couple who checked in AFTER us and got seated BEFORE us.
We eventually got seated (obviously) but the mood was pretty grouchy after that. At least the food didn't disappoint!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another restaurant we ate at this weekend was BIG CITY DINER.
BCD is a locally owned restaurant chain. Each time we've eaten here (I don't know maybe 10 times in the last 3 years?) we haven't been disappointed. The food is decent, the drinks are good, and the price is never too far out of range.
My husband ordered a loco moco (hamburger patty over rice topped with a fried egg and smothered in gravy) and I ordered a cheeseburger (Baja Burger- jack cheese, salsa, and avocado), hold the fries, and a garden salad. Halfway through my burger I decided to take the top bun off to make sure I was within my carbohydrate limits.
One of my fave things to order (pre-pregnancy) are their Midori Margaritas. Sooooo gooood and probably one of the first things I'll have post-pregnancy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We also tried a brand new place, well for us anyway: UAHI GRILL (click to read some Yelp reviews!).
It's a small restaurant in Kailua, HI. We got there before the "rush" (seriously, 2 other couples arrived within 30 minutes of us).
Their menu has a lot of healthy options. However it seems like their extension of "Hawaiian Grill" is kinda far-fetched. The only Hawaiian food they had was Kalua Pig (roasted, salted, shredded pork). Still, they had fresh veggie options, fish, and chicken.
I ordered the Red Curry Fish and it was AMAZING. Just typing about it makes me drool and crave it. The curry I'm used to is a little bit thicker with vegetables (almost like a beef stew). This curry sauce was poured over brown rice and two pieces of fish (Mahimahi- a white flaky fish- was the selection of the night) served with a side of Papaya Salad.
Hubbs ordered the Jerk Chicken. He read it came with red peppers, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. When it arrived, the presentation was a bit dissapointing. The red peppers were more of a salsa texture and there were only two (2) pieces of asparagus. I don't know about you, but I thought Jerk Chicken was meant to be spicy. This chicken was "blackened", but not with seasoning- more likely from overcooking. The chicken was also dry! Poor hubbs finished his meal but left unsatisfied.
I did share some of my curry with him and he loved it!
 |
| My Red Curry Fish |
 |
| Hubby's Jerk Chicken + 2 Asparagus |
Do you have any favorite local restaurants in your area? Or do you navigate towards chains?- Living in Honolulu, we like to balance a little bit of both. When we feel adventurous we'll try locally owned restaurants. But when we want a little more predictability, we'll hit up a chain.
What are you biggest decision factors when deciding if you'll return to a new restaurant? First of all, if the service is good, that is BIG in my book. You can have the best food in the world but if your servers are snobby I won't be returning. Second- is it worth the price? If the food is ridiculously priced, I have a difficult time justifying my return, even if the food was delish. But as long as the service is decent, we can afford it, and the food is delish, we'll most likely return.
10.26.2011
And The Nesting Begins...
What is NESTING you ask?
Well, according to an article by Pregnancy Weekly, "[Nesting] is an uncontrollable urge to clean one's house brought on by a desire to prepare a nest for the new baby, to tie up loose ends of old projects and to organize your world."
And ^THAT^ my friends is going down in my world.
I guess it all started last week when I realized that we didn't have everything we needed for baby's arrival. We needed a crib, mattress, sheets, diaper bag (and more diapers), more clothes, a breastpump, bottles, etc...
Of course this equaled apanicky passionate discussion with my husband about how we don't have ANYTHING for the baby!
So this past weekend we decided to gather up what little savings we had and gift cards from family and friends and get to business.
First stop? Babies R Us.
We got my breastpump (had 6 FREE accessories- bottles, label lids, pads, etc..), a crib, and mattress. Whoo hoo!! I felt so accomplished and we were outta there before noon!
We went home to drop off our goods. I ended up sorting ALL of baby's clothing/towels/washcloths/blankets for the laundry. Husband slept.
Woke up the husband and we were out the door again. This time to Target to get some other accessories with our gift cards (clothes, burp cloths, more bottles and diapers).
We also walked out with a new computer desk! For the baby of course.
And because of the new computer desk, I now had to change the decorations in my entire living room. Obviously.
Next on the to-do list?
DECLUTTER! We have so much junk mail and paper around the house we are finally taking the time to go through it all andtrash it get organized.
We're also going to set up baby's crib this weekend. Which means we also need to move around our bedroom furniture. We live in a tiny 1 bedroom apt. and we have to make room for this tiny person and all it's stuff.
I'm officially 32 weeks today! Only 8 weeks left (+/- 1 or 2) till baby's arrival!
Well, according to an article by Pregnancy Weekly, "[Nesting] is an uncontrollable urge to clean one's house brought on by a desire to prepare a nest for the new baby, to tie up loose ends of old projects and to organize your world."
And ^THAT^ my friends is going down in my world.
I guess it all started last week when I realized that we didn't have everything we needed for baby's arrival. We needed a crib, mattress, sheets, diaper bag (and more diapers), more clothes, a breastpump, bottles, etc...
Of course this equaled a
So this past weekend we decided to gather up what little savings we had and gift cards from family and friends and get to business.
First stop? Babies R Us.
We got my breastpump (had 6 FREE accessories- bottles, label lids, pads, etc..), a crib, and mattress. Whoo hoo!! I felt so accomplished and we were outta there before noon!
We went home to drop off our goods. I ended up sorting ALL of baby's clothing/towels/washcloths/blankets for the laundry. Husband slept.
 |
| Items to note: in the back- hamper of baby's washed clothes, pile of my laundry, bottles of water, and TUMS. Effects of our shopping trip/nesting kicking in! |
We also walked out with a new computer desk! For the baby of course.
And because of the new computer desk, I now had to change the decorations in my entire living room. Obviously.
Next on the to-do list?
DECLUTTER! We have so much junk mail and paper around the house we are finally taking the time to go through it all and
We're also going to set up baby's crib this weekend. Which means we also need to move around our bedroom furniture. We live in a tiny 1 bedroom apt. and we have to make room for this tiny person and all it's stuff.
I'm officially 32 weeks today! Only 8 weeks left (+/- 1 or 2) till baby's arrival!
10.19.2011
Drastic Times Call For Drastic Measures
.... Or do they?
Recently I read a post on Gourmet Runner about a trainer who has gained over 70 lbs, on PURPOSE, as part of his year long program called Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit. He's doing this so he can better relate to his clients who are trying to lose larger amounts of weight.
While most of her commenters had written him off as crazy, there were also those who saw the value in his "experiment". However, majority stated loud and clear that while this may be a valuable lesson, it is irresponsible to put your body through something this extreme, in the name of credibility.
After reading her post it got me thinking about all the celebs who have lost/gained weight all in the name of "commitment" to their profession. Isn't it similar to what that guy is doing?
Check out this pick of Matt Damon that I found on the internets:
Matt lost about 50 pounds for the role of a heroin addict in Courage Under Fire. Matt admitted that he went too far and eventually had to be on medication for years to combat the effects on his adrenal glands. However, he still thought it was worthwhile.
Or how about this actress from one of my all time favorite movies ever:
She went from a size 6 to a size 14 for her role as Bridget Jones in Bridget Jones' Diary. She basically ate whatever she wanted and indulged every craving. However, she says that the diet, both to gain and to lose weight, was "horrible".
Not that this is anything new. Robert DeNiro gained about 60lbs for his role in Raging Bull in the 80s!
This is all so perplexing to me. I struggled to lose weight most of my life. And yet there are people who are losing and gaining large amounts of weight all in the name of "commitment to their art". I understand the damage I'm doing to my body when I gain weight.... I can't understand why someone would sacrifice their own body, the only one we're issued in life, in order to be successful.
I want to lose weight so that I can be healthy and content. When I gain weight, I know I'm not living a healthy lifestyle and I am not content with that at all. And I would never want to be soooo skinny that I put my health at risk.
I have finally found myself at a point in my life where I want to be healthy for the sake of being healthy. I want to be in a healthy weight range to primarily be a healthy example for my friends and family and secondarily to build my self esteem. I'd be lying if I said I only wanted to lose weight for the health benefits. I have some vanity as well but it isn't as big of an issue for me.
I guess the reason this all struck a chord with me is that while these celebrities may be celebrated for their commitment to their industry and their weight loss before/after a role, it's unhealthy and irresponsible.
But that's their choice, I guess. Their body, their decisions.
I just hope that the people who admire them don't follow blindly in their footsteps.
Recently I read a post on Gourmet Runner about a trainer who has gained over 70 lbs, on PURPOSE, as part of his year long program called Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit. He's doing this so he can better relate to his clients who are trying to lose larger amounts of weight.
While most of her commenters had written him off as crazy, there were also those who saw the value in his "experiment". However, majority stated loud and clear that while this may be a valuable lesson, it is irresponsible to put your body through something this extreme, in the name of credibility.
After reading her post it got me thinking about all the celebs who have lost/gained weight all in the name of "commitment" to their profession. Isn't it similar to what that guy is doing?
Check out this pick of Matt Damon that I found on the internets:
Matt lost about 50 pounds for the role of a heroin addict in Courage Under Fire. Matt admitted that he went too far and eventually had to be on medication for years to combat the effects on his adrenal glands. However, he still thought it was worthwhile.
Or how about this actress from one of my all time favorite movies ever:
She went from a size 6 to a size 14 for her role as Bridget Jones in Bridget Jones' Diary. She basically ate whatever she wanted and indulged every craving. However, she says that the diet, both to gain and to lose weight, was "horrible".
Not that this is anything new. Robert DeNiro gained about 60lbs for his role in Raging Bull in the 80s!
This is all so perplexing to me. I struggled to lose weight most of my life. And yet there are people who are losing and gaining large amounts of weight all in the name of "commitment to their art". I understand the damage I'm doing to my body when I gain weight.... I can't understand why someone would sacrifice their own body, the only one we're issued in life, in order to be successful.
I want to lose weight so that I can be healthy and content. When I gain weight, I know I'm not living a healthy lifestyle and I am not content with that at all. And I would never want to be soooo skinny that I put my health at risk.
I have finally found myself at a point in my life where I want to be healthy for the sake of being healthy. I want to be in a healthy weight range to primarily be a healthy example for my friends and family and secondarily to build my self esteem. I'd be lying if I said I only wanted to lose weight for the health benefits. I have some vanity as well but it isn't as big of an issue for me.
I guess the reason this all struck a chord with me is that while these celebrities may be celebrated for their commitment to their industry and their weight loss before/after a role, it's unhealthy and irresponsible.
But that's their choice, I guess. Their body, their decisions.
I just hope that the people who admire them don't follow blindly in their footsteps.
10.18.2011
The Calm Before The Storm
While yesterday was a BLAHHHH day (because it was Monday and I've been feeling kinda down lately), today was a lot better.
But I know what's coming.
Tomorrow I'm coming into work an hour earlier than usual since I'm covering for a co-worker who is on vacation. To San Diego. One of the places I was supposed to go to next month.
I'm not bitter or anything.
So tomorrow I take over her responsibilities while still handling all of mine. Great.
Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer. I'm not looking forward to this at all!
But I do have some goodnews.
Do you like giveaways?
DUH, I know you do!!
Check out Cait's Starbucks Giveaway!
It's really easy to enter and you have until October 24. So what are you waiting for? Go check her out!
But I know what's coming.
Tomorrow I'm coming into work an hour earlier than usual since I'm covering for a co-worker who is on vacation. To San Diego. One of the places I was supposed to go to next month.
I'm not bitter or anything.
So tomorrow I take over her responsibilities while still handling all of mine. Great.
Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer. I'm not looking forward to this at all!
But I do have some goodnews.
Do you like giveaways?
DUH, I know you do!!
Check out Cait's Starbucks Giveaway!
It's really easy to enter and you have until October 24. So what are you waiting for? Go check her out!
10.17.2011
Blah Mondays
Today was a pretty rough day.
1) It was Monday. I loathe Mondays.
2) They turned OFF the AC in our work building. Something about working on the main chillers that keeps the galleries nice and cool. Hello?! What about the pregnant lady! It was pretty horrible.
3) Work was super busy (on top of the heat!!). I'm covering for a co-worker who is going on vacation so I need to brush up on her tasks which include all deposits and check payments. FUN. This is also the time where we have to process payroll. We have a deadline for Wednesday morning.
4) In addition to working in the heat, trying to brush up on all the responsibilities of my co-worker, processing payroll in time, I have had 2 abnormal glucose reading today. One hour after breakfast my glucose was over 140 and one hour after dinner my glucose was over 150.
BUMMED. OUT.
Breakfast consisted of 2 whole wheat pieces of toast and peanut butter. I've had it before with NO PROBLEM! The difference today? I ate breakfast at work. Usually I eat at home and then get some movement in (ie: walking to my car, walking a block from the parking lot to my work place, walking upstairs to my office). But today I sat at my desk and ate my sandwich and buried my head in my work.
Dinner was 1c. of brown rice, 1 chicken breast, and some broccoli. I've also had this before with NO PROBLEM! However, because I was so busy with work, I forgot to have my afternoon snack. So I'm thinking that because I didn't have a snack, my body released stored glucose and that caused my insulin to spike. I really don't know.
Now I'm super nervous about what the doctor is going to say when he sees 2 high numbers in one day, both with meals that are within my plan.
This may mean that I need to go on an anti-hypoglycemic medication.
Going on medication scares the BEJEEZUS out of me. It just screams "life sentence" in my head, even though deep down I know that this isn't necessarily true.
I thought I had accepted the fact that if my numbers continued to be abnormal even though I was following the meal plan and exercising, I may need to go on medication.
It is still a hard pill to swallow.
(Have you noticed the new page up top titled "Gestational Diabetes"? I posted some info and links I found during my research/panic that I think is useful. I also linked to other Gestational Diabetes posts for the convenience of my readers)
1) It was Monday. I loathe Mondays.
2) They turned OFF the AC in our work building. Something about working on the main chillers that keeps the galleries nice and cool. Hello?! What about the pregnant lady! It was pretty horrible.
3) Work was super busy (on top of the heat!!). I'm covering for a co-worker who is going on vacation so I need to brush up on her tasks which include all deposits and check payments. FUN. This is also the time where we have to process payroll. We have a deadline for Wednesday morning.
4) In addition to working in the heat, trying to brush up on all the responsibilities of my co-worker, processing payroll in time, I have had 2 abnormal glucose reading today. One hour after breakfast my glucose was over 140 and one hour after dinner my glucose was over 150.
BUMMED. OUT.
Breakfast consisted of 2 whole wheat pieces of toast and peanut butter. I've had it before with NO PROBLEM! The difference today? I ate breakfast at work. Usually I eat at home and then get some movement in (ie: walking to my car, walking a block from the parking lot to my work place, walking upstairs to my office). But today I sat at my desk and ate my sandwich and buried my head in my work.
Dinner was 1c. of brown rice, 1 chicken breast, and some broccoli. I've also had this before with NO PROBLEM! However, because I was so busy with work, I forgot to have my afternoon snack. So I'm thinking that because I didn't have a snack, my body released stored glucose and that caused my insulin to spike. I really don't know.
Now I'm super nervous about what the doctor is going to say when he sees 2 high numbers in one day, both with meals that are within my plan.
This may mean that I need to go on an anti-hypoglycemic medication.
Going on medication scares the BEJEEZUS out of me. It just screams "life sentence" in my head, even though deep down I know that this isn't necessarily true.
I thought I had accepted the fact that if my numbers continued to be abnormal even though I was following the meal plan and exercising, I may need to go on medication.
It is still a hard pill to swallow.
(Have you noticed the new page up top titled "Gestational Diabetes"? I posted some info and links I found during my research/panic that I think is useful. I also linked to other Gestational Diabetes posts for the convenience of my readers)
10.16.2011
Struggling With My New Meal Plan and Eating Habits...
I haven't been as strict with my diet as I should be and my glucose numbers show it.
This past week I've had about 4 abnormal numbers (meaning out of range) and I'm not sure if that will alarm the doc enough to recommend putting me on medication.
I can see that the reason why my numbers are so high is because I've been having more carbs than usual.
If anything, I hope they can give me another week to get everything back in line!
I also haven't been walking as much as I was in the weeks before. Usually after lunch and dinner I go for a 20-30 minute walk. Walking is known to greatly decrease glucose levels.
My excuse? Well, the past couple days it's been raining around lunch time and I'm not about to go walking in the rain. And at night? It's either raining or I'm too lazy. Yeeeaaahhh.... I need to work on that!
A few nights where I haven't gone for a walk I sit on my exercise ball and work on some arm strength. It worked one night... and failed miserabley on the other.
My dietician has recommended a meal plan where I'm eating a limited amount of carbs, paired with protein, and sprinkled with as many non-starchy vegetables as I like. I can eat a limited amount of fruits in the afternoon (meaning within the limits of my meal plan... so a snack will be a small piece of fruit no more than 30g of carbs), but not in the morning since that is when our bodies have the hardest time breaking down carbohydrates. The breakdown is like this:
Breakfast- 2 servings of carbs (1 serving = 15 grams) w/ 1-2 servings of protein.
Snack- 2 servings of carbs, 1 serving of protein
Lunch- 3 servings of carbs, 2 servings of protein, 1-2 servings of green leafy vegetables
Sanck- Same as above
Dinner- Same as lunch
Sanch- Same as above
Yes, I get a snack after dinner. One of my fave parts of the meal plan!
But lately? My snacks have been heavily carb loaded. The other day I had a slice of pound cake (yikes!) that a co-worker made from scratch. Today I had multiple servings of cereal. Cereal wouldn't be so bad if 1) I limited it to one serving and 2) paired it with some protein. I don't drink dairy milk but drink almond milk instead. Thing is... there's hardly any protein in almond milk.
It is uber important to pair carbs with protein because it helps slow down the glucose from flooding my system. This is also why complex carbs > simple carbs (example? brown rice > white rice). When the body breaks down non-complex carbs (white rice, white flour, refined sugar, etc...) it floods the system with glucose and my body struggles to break down and/or store it. However when the glucose is slowyly released, the body can handle it a lot better and my glucose levels stay pretty consistent.
When I checked my glucose levels after dinner tonight, I was over by 2 points. I can't help but think that if I didn't stuff my face with cereal a few hours before, I might have been in a normal range.
My doc gave me the following ranges:
Fasting (before breakfast)- <95
1 hour after meals (first bite, not the last)- <140
*If I eat somewhere that takes longer than 30 minutes to eat, say like a restaurant, I can wait 2 hours after my first bite to test. Then my limit is <120.
This meal plan is such a delicate balancing act for me. It's HARD.
After these last few days though I found my motivation to get back to business and buckle down. It's important for my health and also for my baby.
I've accepted that I'm going to make mistakes but I really hope the few bad choices I've made don't have a lasting impact on my baby.
Tomorrow is a brand new day and I'm ready to start fresh!
This past week I've had about 4 abnormal numbers (meaning out of range) and I'm not sure if that will alarm the doc enough to recommend putting me on medication.
I can see that the reason why my numbers are so high is because I've been having more carbs than usual.
If anything, I hope they can give me another week to get everything back in line!
I also haven't been walking as much as I was in the weeks before. Usually after lunch and dinner I go for a 20-30 minute walk. Walking is known to greatly decrease glucose levels.
My excuse? Well, the past couple days it's been raining around lunch time and I'm not about to go walking in the rain. And at night? It's either raining or I'm too lazy. Yeeeaaahhh.... I need to work on that!
A few nights where I haven't gone for a walk I sit on my exercise ball and work on some arm strength. It worked one night... and failed miserabley on the other.
My dietician has recommended a meal plan where I'm eating a limited amount of carbs, paired with protein, and sprinkled with as many non-starchy vegetables as I like. I can eat a limited amount of fruits in the afternoon (meaning within the limits of my meal plan... so a snack will be a small piece of fruit no more than 30g of carbs), but not in the morning since that is when our bodies have the hardest time breaking down carbohydrates. The breakdown is like this:
Breakfast- 2 servings of carbs (1 serving = 15 grams) w/ 1-2 servings of protein.
Snack- 2 servings of carbs, 1 serving of protein
Lunch- 3 servings of carbs, 2 servings of protein, 1-2 servings of green leafy vegetables
Sanck- Same as above
Dinner- Same as lunch
Sanch- Same as above
Yes, I get a snack after dinner. One of my fave parts of the meal plan!
But lately? My snacks have been heavily carb loaded. The other day I had a slice of pound cake (yikes!) that a co-worker made from scratch. Today I had multiple servings of cereal. Cereal wouldn't be so bad if 1) I limited it to one serving and 2) paired it with some protein. I don't drink dairy milk but drink almond milk instead. Thing is... there's hardly any protein in almond milk.
It is uber important to pair carbs with protein because it helps slow down the glucose from flooding my system. This is also why complex carbs > simple carbs (example? brown rice > white rice). When the body breaks down non-complex carbs (white rice, white flour, refined sugar, etc...) it floods the system with glucose and my body struggles to break down and/or store it. However when the glucose is slowyly released, the body can handle it a lot better and my glucose levels stay pretty consistent.
When I checked my glucose levels after dinner tonight, I was over by 2 points. I can't help but think that if I didn't stuff my face with cereal a few hours before, I might have been in a normal range.
My doc gave me the following ranges:
Fasting (before breakfast)- <95
1 hour after meals (first bite, not the last)- <140
*If I eat somewhere that takes longer than 30 minutes to eat, say like a restaurant, I can wait 2 hours after my first bite to test. Then my limit is <120.
This meal plan is such a delicate balancing act for me. It's HARD.
After these last few days though I found my motivation to get back to business and buckle down. It's important for my health and also for my baby.
I've accepted that I'm going to make mistakes but I really hope the few bad choices I've made don't have a lasting impact on my baby.
Tomorrow is a brand new day and I'm ready to start fresh!
10.15.2011
Getting Lucky
This weekend has been great so far! I've found a few great deals this weekend and super stoked to share them with you!
First- I found this dress on Friday night about 20 minutes before closing. The hubby and I walked into Sears to check out TVs, camera's, furniture, you know... just browse around.
Of course we found ourselves in the baby section. What else did I find? 3 glorious racks of maternity clothes! It is soooooo difficult to find maternity clothes. I have one store that is close by but all the other options I've seen have beensuper ugly not quite my style.
Imagine my delight when I started browsing the racks and came across dresses that were marked for $19.99! I grabbed a few and made my way to the dressing room.
We decided to go with this one:
It's a little bit fancy for anywhere I'd be going but I loved it. My decision was between this one and the one behind it. Both marked $19.99. I couldn't bring myself to spend $40 that we didn't plan on spending so hubby and I decided we should just get one.
We put the other dress back on the rack and headed to the cashier. When the price showed on the screen we were pleasantly surprised: $9.99!!
Yup, $10 for this wonderful dress!
After I paid for it I sent hubby back to the dressing room to get the other one, just to check the price and see if we'd get lucky again.
We didn't, it was still $19.99. But because the total would only be about $30 for 2 dresses, we decided to get both! SCORE!
Second- Today (Saturday) we took a drive out to Kapolei.... it's about a 30 minute drive from our house. They are building a lot of new shops and restuarants out there and we wanted to check it out.
One store in particular? Ross.
Yup you heard that right. We passed about 2 Ross stores on our way to Kapolei but wanted to check out the new one. We heard this one was bigger and cleaner so we thought we'd get lucky.
And I did!
I found these Steve Madden sunglasses (don't remember what the retail price was) for $10! I was just thinking this morning how I needed new sunglasses because the only pair I have is purple (yes, purple. And I also paid $10 for those) and doesn't really match my everyday outfits. Muy importante folks!
So I scored for the second time this weekend:
After we went shopping, we headed back into town (Honolulu). We were suppossed to meet up with my cousin from Kaua'i. But he and his girl went parasailing on the other side of the island and were running late. We ended up rescheduling for dinner tomorrow instead.
Hubbs and I decided to eat at the place we picked anyway since we were already in town. We ended up here:
I've only tasted the food here at certain catered events. Hubbs has never been here. This place is more of a take-out joint than a sit down place. There are only 2 tables outside and 4 chairs (we managed to score a seat). There is a park nearby that we contemplated eating at or even just taking our food home to enjoy.
We ordered:
Mine on the left: Laulau (meat wrapped in taro leaves and ti leaves, steamed traditionally in an underground oven (imu) but modernly steamed on the stove), poi (pounded taro mixed with water), lomi salmon (pieces of salmon mixed with onions and tomatoes), and haupia (coconut custard/pudding) for dessert!
Hubbs on the right: Kalua pig (traditionally also roasted in an imu but modernly slow roasted in an oven and smoked), lomi salmon, poke (raw fish cut in cubes and mixed with various seasonings... this one was soy sauce and sesame seed oil w/ sea salt and green onions), rice, and haupia for dessert.
The verdict? ALL DELICIOUS!
Because my blood sugar has been high lately I saved the haupia for later and took it home. Hubby inhaled his food in about 2 minutes.
The best part? It was pretty affordable.
Ironically in Hawaii, Hawaiian food can get pretty pricey. That's because almost eveything is fresh and because the ingredients are pretty local (lots of taro and fish in our meals!) it's hard to buy in bulk.
For both of our plates and hubby's drink we shelled out $20. A meal like this at other Hawaiian food restaurants would have set us back closer to the mid $30's.
Not the cheapest meal we could find... but for the quality and portions, we were plenty satisfied!
Hope you all had a fabulous Saturday!
Cheers to an even better Sunday!
First- I found this dress on Friday night about 20 minutes before closing. The hubby and I walked into Sears to check out TVs, camera's, furniture, you know... just browse around.
Of course we found ourselves in the baby section. What else did I find? 3 glorious racks of maternity clothes! It is soooooo difficult to find maternity clothes. I have one store that is close by but all the other options I've seen have been
Imagine my delight when I started browsing the racks and came across dresses that were marked for $19.99! I grabbed a few and made my way to the dressing room.
We decided to go with this one:
It's a little bit fancy for anywhere I'd be going but I loved it. My decision was between this one and the one behind it. Both marked $19.99. I couldn't bring myself to spend $40 that we didn't plan on spending so hubby and I decided we should just get one.
We put the other dress back on the rack and headed to the cashier. When the price showed on the screen we were pleasantly surprised: $9.99!!
Yup, $10 for this wonderful dress!
After I paid for it I sent hubby back to the dressing room to get the other one, just to check the price and see if we'd get lucky again.
We didn't, it was still $19.99. But because the total would only be about $30 for 2 dresses, we decided to get both! SCORE!
Second- Today (Saturday) we took a drive out to Kapolei.... it's about a 30 minute drive from our house. They are building a lot of new shops and restuarants out there and we wanted to check it out.
One store in particular? Ross.
Yup you heard that right. We passed about 2 Ross stores on our way to Kapolei but wanted to check out the new one. We heard this one was bigger and cleaner so we thought we'd get lucky.
And I did!
I found these Steve Madden sunglasses (don't remember what the retail price was) for $10! I was just thinking this morning how I needed new sunglasses because the only pair I have is purple (yes, purple. And I also paid $10 for those) and doesn't really match my everyday outfits. Muy importante folks!
So I scored for the second time this weekend:
After we went shopping, we headed back into town (Honolulu). We were suppossed to meet up with my cousin from Kaua'i. But he and his girl went parasailing on the other side of the island and were running late. We ended up rescheduling for dinner tomorrow instead.
Hubbs and I decided to eat at the place we picked anyway since we were already in town. We ended up here:
 |
| Yama's Fish Market |
I've only tasted the food here at certain catered events. Hubbs has never been here. This place is more of a take-out joint than a sit down place. There are only 2 tables outside and 4 chairs (we managed to score a seat). There is a park nearby that we contemplated eating at or even just taking our food home to enjoy.
We ordered:
Hubbs on the right: Kalua pig (traditionally also roasted in an imu but modernly slow roasted in an oven and smoked), lomi salmon, poke (raw fish cut in cubes and mixed with various seasonings... this one was soy sauce and sesame seed oil w/ sea salt and green onions), rice, and haupia for dessert.
The verdict? ALL DELICIOUS!
Because my blood sugar has been high lately I saved the haupia for later and took it home. Hubby inhaled his food in about 2 minutes.
The best part? It was pretty affordable.
Ironically in Hawaii, Hawaiian food can get pretty pricey. That's because almost eveything is fresh and because the ingredients are pretty local (lots of taro and fish in our meals!) it's hard to buy in bulk.
For both of our plates and hubby's drink we shelled out $20. A meal like this at other Hawaiian food restaurants would have set us back closer to the mid $30's.
Not the cheapest meal we could find... but for the quality and portions, we were plenty satisfied!
Hope you all had a fabulous Saturday!
Cheers to an even better Sunday!
10.12.2011
Why I Love Blogging...
Yeah yeah... I know what you're thinking.
"If you just LOOOOOOOVVVVEEEE blogging so much why don't youmarry it post more often?"
Honestly?
I'm really lazy. And I have a junk camera so I am kinda embarrassed about the quality of pics that show up on my blog.
But really- How hard is it to take a few pics via camera phone and email it to myself and then save on my computer and then upload to my blog?
Apparently really difficult since my computer is also a POS.
Anyways. Back to the Point.
I love blogging because of the great sense of community it creates. I love finding new blogs and love it even MORE when it is someone I know!
Recently I was awarded the Versatile Blogger Award from Jenns Adventures.
Part of the award acceptance requirements is to pass along the award to 15 new bloggers. Well, she covered a lot of the blogs I recently started reading so I passed the award along to 1 new blog and 3 others that aren't necessarily new to me but that I love to read and may be new to you (HOLY RUN ON SENTENCE BATMAN!)
You can check them out HERE.
So because I have 11 spots left for my Versatile Blogger Award I'm going to pass it along to....
JAYMEE of JAYADORES!
Jaymee is a former co-worker of mine when I used to work in public accounting. She is a very bright, funny, creative, and sweet lady who moved to Hawaii from Southern California. She works in tax by day and is a graphic designer by night. Her claim to fame? Designing shirts and business cards for SKINNYRUNNER!
Be sure to check out Jaymee and let her know you found her on my blog (pleaseandthankyou).
Besides awards, another way to build a sense of community is...
GIVEAWAYS!!
I love giveaways because they bring exposure to your blog and also? You can win free stuff!
Check out this giveaway from GOURMET RUNNER:
Easy as pie! And my favorite part is that there are TWO winners! Whoo hooo! Plus, her name is Vanessa which is only the most awesomsauce name in the universe!
So when you get a chance, go check out my girl Jaymee and then go enter the giveaway from Vanessa at Gourmet Runner!
"If you just LOOOOOOOVVVVEEEE blogging so much why don't you
Honestly?
 |
| Or like the Kardashians say, "BIBLE?" |
I'm really lazy. And I have a junk camera so I am kinda embarrassed about the quality of pics that show up on my blog.
But really- How hard is it to take a few pics via camera phone and email it to myself and then save on my computer and then upload to my blog?
Apparently really difficult since my computer is also a POS.
Anyways. Back to the Point.
I love blogging because of the great sense of community it creates. I love finding new blogs and love it even MORE when it is someone I know!
Recently I was awarded the Versatile Blogger Award from Jenns Adventures.
Part of the award acceptance requirements is to pass along the award to 15 new bloggers. Well, she covered a lot of the blogs I recently started reading so I passed the award along to 1 new blog and 3 others that aren't necessarily new to me but that I love to read and may be new to you (HOLY RUN ON SENTENCE BATMAN!)
You can check them out HERE.
So because I have 11 spots left for my Versatile Blogger Award I'm going to pass it along to....
JAYMEE of JAYADORES!
 |
| Courtesy of her blog: jayadores.wordpress.com |
Be sure to check out Jaymee and let her know you found her on my blog (pleaseandthankyou).
Besides awards, another way to build a sense of community is...
GIVEAWAYS!!
I love giveaways because they bring exposure to your blog and also? You can win free stuff!
Check out this giveaway from GOURMET RUNNER:
 |
| Courtesy of her blog: gourmetrunner.blogspot.com |
"Active Bands have offered to give TWO readers each a gift certificate for $25. Then, you can pick which ones you like best and have them shipped to you. Here's how to win:
+1 Become a follower of my blog, or let me know if you are already (Mandatory)+1 Like Active Bands on Facebook+1 Like Gourmet Runner on Facebook+1 Tell me which style Active Band you like most from their website+1 Spread the word about this giveaway--blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc.Be sure to leave a comment for each entry to be counted!"
Easy as pie! And my favorite part is that there are TWO winners! Whoo hooo! Plus, her name is Vanessa which is only the most awesomsauce name in the universe!
So when you get a chance, go check out my girl Jaymee and then go enter the giveaway from Vanessa at Gourmet Runner!
You Never Think It Will Happen To You, Until It Happens To You
A little over a week ago we were on Maui for my cousin's wedding.
It was a beautiful weekend and a gorgeous wedding and reception. We had a great time!
There were some unusual events though.
Saturday night (the night of the reception), my husband went to the ATM at the hotel to take out cash to tip the bartenders (for his hosted Bellini's and my hosted Iced Teas). It didn't work.
Weird. Maybe it was the machine?
Then later into the night my dad decides to go on a beer run and takes hubby along. At the store husband is ready to pay and it gets DECLINED! Poor thing was so embarrassed! My dad told him not to worry about it and paid for their booze.
The next day we're getting ready to have lunch with my college roommate and her brand spankin' new husband. We stop at our bank to get some cash for the ATM. His card doesn't work AGAIN!
The current balance was enough to cover our rent and expenses for the next few days. But the available balance? hmmm... only a couple HUNDRED dollars!
Here in Hawaii that will not get you very far!
We rush back to my dad's apartment to look up our statement on line and yup, there it was in black and white. There was almost $1K missing from our account!
Husband calls our bank and find out that someone in MICHIGAN used my hubby's debit card information to purchase 1) $30 worth of food/refreshments from Olive Garden and 2) over $800 in sporting goods!!
The crazy thing? As he was on the phone with our bank, ANOTHER charge was attempted but was blocked... $70 in gas!
The reason why his card was blocked on Saturday night was because of the "suspicious" activity. The bank didn't bother to call, they just blocked his card. Whatever.
At least it got us to call them.
After an hour long conversation we figured it all out. An investigation was launched and now we are patiently waiting our reimbursement from the bank.
Lesson learned: Check your bank account often!
After this fiasco we learned that there were other people we knew that had this happen to them!
An uncle had someone using his credit card to purchase airfare and another college friend had someone buying porn out of New Zealand!
Crazy part of it all? My husband is UBER cautious of keeping his records safe and private. We learned that sometimes people will just use random numbers and hope that they hit an actual account. Or they could use heat sensors. Or it could have been an inside job.
So now my husband has a bad taste in his mouth for all things Michigan. He said he's even gonna stop cheering for their football team! I find that a bit extreme but he's been pretty sensitive about all this.
Sad part about all this? All the bank reps we spoke with said that unfortunately, it's not a matter of "IF" this happens to you, it's just a matter of time...
It was a beautiful weekend and a gorgeous wedding and reception. We had a great time!
 |
| The only pics I got- me in the bridal party lineup! |
There were some unusual events though.
Saturday night (the night of the reception), my husband went to the ATM at the hotel to take out cash to tip the bartenders (for his hosted Bellini's and my hosted Iced Teas). It didn't work.
Weird. Maybe it was the machine?
Then later into the night my dad decides to go on a beer run and takes hubby along. At the store husband is ready to pay and it gets DECLINED! Poor thing was so embarrassed! My dad told him not to worry about it and paid for their booze.
The next day we're getting ready to have lunch with my college roommate and her brand spankin' new husband. We stop at our bank to get some cash for the ATM. His card doesn't work AGAIN!
The current balance was enough to cover our rent and expenses for the next few days. But the available balance? hmmm... only a couple HUNDRED dollars!
Here in Hawaii that will not get you very far!
We rush back to my dad's apartment to look up our statement on line and yup, there it was in black and white. There was almost $1K missing from our account!
Husband calls our bank and find out that someone in MICHIGAN used my hubby's debit card information to purchase 1) $30 worth of food/refreshments from Olive Garden and 2) over $800 in sporting goods!!
The crazy thing? As he was on the phone with our bank, ANOTHER charge was attempted but was blocked... $70 in gas!
The reason why his card was blocked on Saturday night was because of the "suspicious" activity. The bank didn't bother to call, they just blocked his card. Whatever.
At least it got us to call them.
After an hour long conversation we figured it all out. An investigation was launched and now we are patiently waiting our reimbursement from the bank.
Lesson learned: Check your bank account often!
After this fiasco we learned that there were other people we knew that had this happen to them!
An uncle had someone using his credit card to purchase airfare and another college friend had someone buying porn out of New Zealand!
Crazy part of it all? My husband is UBER cautious of keeping his records safe and private. We learned that sometimes people will just use random numbers and hope that they hit an actual account. Or they could use heat sensors. Or it could have been an inside job.
So now my husband has a bad taste in his mouth for all things Michigan. He said he's even gonna stop cheering for their football team! I find that a bit extreme but he's been pretty sensitive about all this.
Sad part about all this? All the bank reps we spoke with said that unfortunately, it's not a matter of "IF" this happens to you, it's just a matter of time...
10.10.2011
I Heart 3-Day Weekends!!
Whoo hooo! I'm loving this nice break from work.
Last weekend I was in Maui for a wedding and things were super hectic.
When I got back to Honolulu I felt like I needed a vacation from my vacation. After the wedding festivities, I tried to hang out with all of the relatives I haven't seen in awhile. It was really tough because my time there was sooooo short and I wanted to spend time with so many people! I even missed out on time spent with my girl at Jenns Adventures and a few other high school buddies. It was definitely a bittersweet trip since we won't be returning till after the baby is born in December.
When I got back to work on Tuesday, I was playing catch up all week! I felt like I was constantly behind. So this day off is a nice break for me.
We met with my gestational diabetes (GD) specialist on Wednesday and she said my number were really good!
Dr. Silva at the Fetal Diagnostic Institute of the Pacific is really easy to talk to. She answered all my questions and made us feel really comfortable.
I'm really happy with my results, even though they aren't perfect, and confident that I'm doing a good job.
My husband even gave me a high-five as we walked out the door!
On Friday we went to dinner with my uncle from Guam, which was a nice surprise. I had to be really careful about what I ordered because I know how disatrous eating at restaurants can be.
The place? Macaroni Grill. One of the worst places to eat for someone on a special diet. But I made it work =)
I ordered the Chicken Cannoloni (sp??) and it was OK. I had a salad on the side to round out my meal. The service was suuuuuper slow. But the company was great. I only ate half of my dinner because (surprise surprise) it was a tad bit salty.
We ran a bunch of errands on Saturday and spent the night chillin at home.
Sunday was equally relaxing. We woke up late and had a light breakfast at home. Then we headed out for a "cruise".
You know, when hop in the car and just drive. A CRUISE- island style.
We ended up at Crepes No Ka 'Oi in Kailua. It's a cute little place that serves savory and sweet crepes. I ordered a Bella Italia (tomatoes, onions, peppers, and sausage) and it was YUMMMM. The husband ordered a Pizza Crepe (cheese, pepperoni, marinara sauce, and olives) and was equally YUMMMM.
We sat at the bar in front of a mirror so of course I had to take a picture:
After lunch we walked across the street and browsed through a Pier 1.
I gotta admit. Pier 1 Imports can be a bit pricey for our budget but the way they set everything up just sucks me in! Walking around I started planning our first dinner party when we find a place we want to get settled into. Not where we live now, but somewhere, someday. God bless my husband for humoring me through that!
After our stroll we hopped into the car and ended up at the beach. Unfortunately, it was WAY too windy for us and we didn't feel like freezing when we came out of the water. We sat there for a bit, took in the scenery and salt air, and then headed home.
We rounded out the night with dinner/leftovers, an evening stroll, and drive to grab some frozen yogurt.
By the time we came home, we were walking zombies. Such a great day, but we were wiped out!
So what are the plans for today? The husband is at work, I get to stay home. I planned on cleaning the house but apparently that only entails making the bed, washing dishes, and blogging. I may or may not go to Target later for some household items but we'll see.
Hope you're enjoying your day!
Last weekend I was in Maui for a wedding and things were super hectic.
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| Yes- 7 months preggo and in the bridal party. I rocked it! |
When I got back to work on Tuesday, I was playing catch up all week! I felt like I was constantly behind. So this day off is a nice break for me.
We met with my gestational diabetes (GD) specialist on Wednesday and she said my number were really good!
Dr. Silva at the Fetal Diagnostic Institute of the Pacific is really easy to talk to. She answered all my questions and made us feel really comfortable.
I'm really happy with my results, even though they aren't perfect, and confident that I'm doing a good job.
My husband even gave me a high-five as we walked out the door!
On Friday we went to dinner with my uncle from Guam, which was a nice surprise. I had to be really careful about what I ordered because I know how disatrous eating at restaurants can be.
The place? Macaroni Grill. One of the worst places to eat for someone on a special diet. But I made it work =)
I ordered the Chicken Cannoloni (sp??) and it was OK. I had a salad on the side to round out my meal. The service was suuuuuper slow. But the company was great. I only ate half of my dinner because (surprise surprise) it was a tad bit salty.
We ran a bunch of errands on Saturday and spent the night chillin at home.
Sunday was equally relaxing. We woke up late and had a light breakfast at home. Then we headed out for a "cruise".
You know, when hop in the car and just drive. A CRUISE- island style.
We ended up at Crepes No Ka 'Oi in Kailua. It's a cute little place that serves savory and sweet crepes. I ordered a Bella Italia (tomatoes, onions, peppers, and sausage) and it was YUMMMM. The husband ordered a Pizza Crepe (cheese, pepperoni, marinara sauce, and olives) and was equally YUMMMM.
We sat at the bar in front of a mirror so of course I had to take a picture:
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| No, nothing is wrong with hubby's teeth. The mirror was dirty and we tried 8 times to get a decent shot! |
After lunch we walked across the street and browsed through a Pier 1.
I gotta admit. Pier 1 Imports can be a bit pricey for our budget but the way they set everything up just sucks me in! Walking around I started planning our first dinner party when we find a place we want to get settled into. Not where we live now, but somewhere, someday. God bless my husband for humoring me through that!
After our stroll we hopped into the car and ended up at the beach. Unfortunately, it was WAY too windy for us and we didn't feel like freezing when we came out of the water. We sat there for a bit, took in the scenery and salt air, and then headed home.
We rounded out the night with dinner/leftovers, an evening stroll, and drive to grab some frozen yogurt.
By the time we came home, we were walking zombies. Such a great day, but we were wiped out!
So what are the plans for today? The husband is at work, I get to stay home. I planned on cleaning the house but apparently that only entails making the bed, washing dishes, and blogging. I may or may not go to Target later for some household items but we'll see.
Hope you're enjoying your day!
10.07.2011
Versatile Blogger Award!!
Whoo hoo!
I received the Versatile Blogger Award!!
Share seven things about yourself:
1. I'm married to my high school sweetheart. We've been together for 10 years and have been married for one.
2. I'm pregnant with our first baby, due in late December.
3. I hate having people rub my belly (you've been warned!)
4. I love to travel but have noticed I have a champagne taste on a chocolate milk budget... but I can dream!
5. This year I became a runner. I'm not very fast and haven't been running for the past few months, but I'm still a runner and will be working on my fitness for 2012.
6. I used to compete in pageants when I was little. I have a love/hate relationship with the TLC show "Toddlers and Tiaras" because it's so ridiculous sometimes! My experience was pretty much the complete opposite of that but sometimes I watch that show and think I actually know some of thesecrazies mothers.
7. I grew up as an only child but now have a baby brother and sister. We are 20 and 23 years apart, respectively. I love watching people's reactions when I tell them I have a brother in kindergarten and a sister in pre-school! Classic!
Pass the award to 15 recently discovered blogs:
Well, being that I've been on hiatus for awhile, I don't have that many new blogs to share. I do, however, have some of my faves that I would love to take this time to spotlight:
1. New Blog- My college roommate blogs for her dad at Andy Shah Photography
Some faves:
1. Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner
2. Rose @ Eat, Drink, and Be Meiri
3. Kimberly @ Healthy Strides
And there you have it folks! If you would like me to feature you as a Versatile Blogger (being that I have 11 spots left to fill!) just send me and email and I'll add you to the list (islandstylerunning@gmail.com).
I received the Versatile Blogger Award!!
How it works:
Thank the person who gave you the award: My BFF Jenn at Jennsadventures.com!
We've known eachother for almost 20 years now (don't do the math, please!). She has always been there for me even though after high school most of our friendship was a long distance one. I can count on her for anything! Go check out her blog and catch up on all her adventures. She loves food, fitness, travel, and of course her boyfriend! You will not be disappointed! (And why is this text in purple? BECAUSE IT'S HER FAVORITE COLOR!! WHOO HOO!)
Share seven things about yourself:
1. I'm married to my high school sweetheart. We've been together for 10 years and have been married for one.
2. I'm pregnant with our first baby, due in late December.
3. I hate having people rub my belly (you've been warned!)
4. I love to travel but have noticed I have a champagne taste on a chocolate milk budget... but I can dream!
5. This year I became a runner. I'm not very fast and haven't been running for the past few months, but I'm still a runner and will be working on my fitness for 2012.
6. I used to compete in pageants when I was little. I have a love/hate relationship with the TLC show "Toddlers and Tiaras" because it's so ridiculous sometimes! My experience was pretty much the complete opposite of that but sometimes I watch that show and think I actually know some of these
7. I grew up as an only child but now have a baby brother and sister. We are 20 and 23 years apart, respectively. I love watching people's reactions when I tell them I have a brother in kindergarten and a sister in pre-school! Classic!
Pass the award to 15 recently discovered blogs:
Well, being that I've been on hiatus for awhile, I don't have that many new blogs to share. I do, however, have some of my faves that I would love to take this time to spotlight:
1. New Blog- My college roommate blogs for her dad at Andy Shah Photography
Some faves:
1. Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner
2. Rose @ Eat, Drink, and Be Meiri
3. Kimberly @ Healthy Strides
And there you have it folks! If you would like me to feature you as a Versatile Blogger (being that I have 11 spots left to fill!) just send me and email and I'll add you to the list (islandstylerunning@gmail.com).
Revisiting My 2011 Goals
I got this idea from Aron at Runner's Rambles.
She has been an inspiration to me early on in my running/blogging "career".
Every quarter she likes to reevaluate her goals and see where she's at and if anything needs changing.
Really I only had one for 2011: Run a 5K under 30 minutes.
As most readers know, I chose this goal so that I could focus more on athleticism and not on losing weight. I wanted weight loss to be a "by-product" of my goal, not the main result.
So now that it's October, where am I now?
I started training in January and ran my first and only 5K of the year in May. I was about 7 weeks pregnant at the time.
It was tough.
But I did better than I thought I would!
I didn't reach my goal of less than 30 minutes.
My original plan was to try my best at my first 5K and evaluate what I needed to change for the next one.
But after finding out we were expecting, my fitness level dropped drastically. Which I now regret. I thought I had an excuse totake it easy sit on my ass and eat what I want. Granted I wasn't shoving my face with Ben & Jerry's every night, but I wasn't as focused as I was before. I should have kept up with it.
Since I most likely won't be running a 5K by the end of the year, I think it's best I rewrite my goals.
FOR THE 4TH QUARTER OF 2011:
I will have a healthy pregnancy- I will try my best to control my gestational diabetes. This means I need to closely watch what I eat, continue with my daily walks, and take my vitamins.
I will enjoy the last quarter of my pregnancy- Less than 12 weeks to go!! I need to be sure we have everything set for baby to arrive. I also want to start a baby journal so that I can document when I first felt baby's kicks (July 30), when my husband first felt baby move (September 1), when I felt baby's first hiccups (October 4), and other milestones. I can already feel that I'm going to miss being pregnant so I need to soak in all I can!
DO YOU SET GOALS EACH YEAR OR HAVE A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION?
I usually don't because every year it's the same goal- to lose weight. This year was supposed to be different and boy is it different! I think I might just recycle this goal for 2012. With a new baby, it will definitely be a new challenge.
HOW ARE YOU DOING ON YOUR GOALS?
I won't be achieving my goal this year but I'm OK with it. It's one more 5K than last year!
She has been an inspiration to me early on in my running/blogging "career".
Every quarter she likes to reevaluate her goals and see where she's at and if anything needs changing.
"Goals are always a work in progress so things definitely change over the matter of a year!"I figured it's time for me to reevaluate my goals too!
Really I only had one for 2011: Run a 5K under 30 minutes.
As most readers know, I chose this goal so that I could focus more on athleticism and not on losing weight. I wanted weight loss to be a "by-product" of my goal, not the main result.
So now that it's October, where am I now?
I started training in January and ran my first and only 5K of the year in May. I was about 7 weeks pregnant at the time.
It was tough.
But I did better than I thought I would!
I didn't reach my goal of less than 30 minutes.
My original plan was to try my best at my first 5K and evaluate what I needed to change for the next one.
But after finding out we were expecting, my fitness level dropped drastically. Which I now regret. I thought I had an excuse to
Since I most likely won't be running a 5K by the end of the year, I think it's best I rewrite my goals.
FOR THE 4TH QUARTER OF 2011:
I will have a healthy pregnancy- I will try my best to control my gestational diabetes. This means I need to closely watch what I eat, continue with my daily walks, and take my vitamins.
I will enjoy the last quarter of my pregnancy- Less than 12 weeks to go!! I need to be sure we have everything set for baby to arrive. I also want to start a baby journal so that I can document when I first felt baby's kicks (July 30), when my husband first felt baby move (September 1), when I felt baby's first hiccups (October 4), and other milestones. I can already feel that I'm going to miss being pregnant so I need to soak in all I can!
DO YOU SET GOALS EACH YEAR OR HAVE A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION?
I usually don't because every year it's the same goal- to lose weight. This year was supposed to be different and boy is it different! I think I might just recycle this goal for 2012. With a new baby, it will definitely be a new challenge.
HOW ARE YOU DOING ON YOUR GOALS?
I won't be achieving my goal this year but I'm OK with it. It's one more 5K than last year!
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