Elsewhere

My trip so far - lovely ladies, six hours of sleep, mashed potatoes and gravy.

Elsewhere:

Looking for a stylish laptop bag?

Check out Wito’s debut on ParentDish.

Want to hear about my weekend?

Then head over to Secret Agent Josephine’s blog!

(The incredibly lazy writer in me LOVES it when this happens.)

Typity Typity Typity

My new gig started today over at Work It, Mom! I’m taking over for the illustrious Susan Wagner at The Working Closet. Come read my rambling diatribes about cute shoes! And lovely clothes! And how the J. Crew catalog is my bible! And maybe even, LIP GLOSS!

YOU CAN’T STOP ME NOW, PEOPLE.

(Or just gaze upon some really heinous clothing items in today’s post.)

Also, are you looking for some cool summer toys for the kiddos? Check out my feature at ParentDish.

I am officially finished typity typing for the week. Cocktail hour is starting 4 hours early. Peace be with you all.

How To Use A Neti Pot

1. Enter Mother’s Market. Spend upwards of twenty minutes aimlessly walking around the store, feigning interest in various items while, in reality, you are too shy to ask the cute dude with dreads about the Neti Pot.

2. Locate a very tall Swedish man with a skinny plumber’s butt and ask for assistance locating the Neti Pots. Loudly knock over an organic tissue box display with your stroller.

3. Find and purchase Neti Pot.

4. Return home. Sit on couch. Take Neti Pot box out of the shopping bag.

5. Stare at Neti Pot box.

6. Repeat #5 several times.

7. Make dinner.

8. Finish dinner. Sit on couch.

9. Repeat #5.

10. Place Neti Pot box on the couch next to you, barely touching your leg. Pray that the physical contact alone will unleash the magical healing powers of the Neti Pot.

11. Realize magical Neti Pot diffusion isn’t happening. Decide to open the box.

12. While opening the box, notice the term “nasal douching” written on the side. Gag forcefully. Repeat #5.

13. Quickly get over your fears when your sinus cavities remind you that YOU WILL DIE IF YOU DON’T DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE MUCUS.

14. Prepare Neti Pot with the warm water and salt. (1/4 teaspoon to 8 ounces water is the recommended amount. I used a little bit less, thanks to your comments.)

15. Read the directions 5,000 times and obsessively worry that your head won’t be tilted properly.

16. Lean over the sink, tilt head and stick the Neti spout into your right nostril, creating a “seal”.

17. Pour water into your right nostril. See nothing coming out the other side. Wonder where the water is going. Tilt head upwards to look in the mirror. Salt water now gushes down your throat. Choke. Scream, “I’M DROWNING! HELP MEEEE!”

18. Realize you are, in fact, NOT drowning. Collect yourself.

19. Try again, this time tilting your head properly. The saltwater flows directly out the other nostril! You are amazed! This is the coolest party trick ever!

20. Feel equally happy/horrified about the expelled contents of your nose.

I’m here to tell you - don’t be scared of the Neti Pot! There is definitely a little bit of a learning curve when it comes to the tilt of your head (not tilting downwards enough can cause the saltwater to drain in your throat), but once you have that down, it’s really easy. I’m definitely a fan. Now, if I only had bought one a week ago, I probably wouldn’t be dealing with my newly-diagnosed sinus infection of mammoth proportions. Oh well, at least I’ll know next time.

The Best Contest EVER.

A hot, new hairstyle for FREE.

Check out Hair Thursday and Moosh in Indy for more details.

Let’s Get Physical, Phys-a-cal

Let me hear your body talk!

My Wii Fit review at ParentDish is up. Be sure and check out my amateur yoga pose in the gallery. Hawt.

Kick Ass Workout Plan

How did I just know this topic would be the most popular? Let’s catch up.

I started running, debated over shorts and shoes, completed the C25K program and kept it up for months. Unfortunately, my pesky right ankle would have nothing to do with my running plans. Add in cold winter mornings, a huge dose of laziness, and well, here I am after a stagnant winter and spring.

(My ankle feels great, though. Thanks for asking.)

During the past couple of months, I’ve been taking a Pilates class at my local community center, but my teacher has been less than stellar. It seems she would rather talk about Neti Pots and male Kegel muscles (did you know men can do Kegels too? No? Well, let me tell you about it again and again! And AGAIN.) than focus on the exercises. Plus, once a week is fun, but it’s pretty hard to see results at that rate.

Keep in mind I stay home with Wito, so day classes are out and I’m not really interested in a stinky gym with childcare. However, the motivation is there.

After seeing this post a year ago and this recent one, I decided I just HAD to buy this exercise DVD. (How could I not? DID YOU SEE LINDA’S ARMS? Good God.)

I found a gently used copy on Amazon, and it doesn’t disappoint, considering I am not the cardio-bouncy-dancing type. I don’t find Chalene, the instructor, to be annoying and the routine is challenging yet attainable. Oh, and it will make you sweat. I do this workout at 6 in the morning, before I can give myself the chance to make excuses. Plus, Wito is still sleeping so I don’t need to worry about delivering an accidental roundhouse kick to his noggin.

Earlier this year, I also bought this Pilates DVD (to supplement my Neti Kegel Class) and it rocks. It’s absolutely amazing how controlled movements can make such quick improvement to your body. The DVD has two different sections - one for beginners needing position modification and one for advanced beginners. Within each section is a full workout, plus tons of individual 10-20 minute segments (if you don’t have time for the full workout). I usually do the 30-minute full workout during Wito’s nap.

Combining these two workouts is awesome because you are working your body in completely different ways. Turbo Kick and Jam is more of a cardiovascular workout with quick muscle movements, while Pilates is completely controlled with very little movement. (Honestly, I was shocked at how sore I was after my first Pilates class. It burns, baby.) The combination of the two has really made a difference already. I highly recommend it.

(Plus, no gyms! Just you and the DVD player.)

So, my new exercise plan consists of this:

Turbo Kick and Jam - 2x/week

Pilates - 2x/week

And the kicker. My pinch hitter and seriously the best part of my workouts. The Wii Fit.

DUDE.

(You’ll have to wait to hear about that one until Friday, when I review it over at ParentDish. See photos of me in exercise pants, unsuccessfully trying to master yoga! BONUS.)

As for running, I do miss it and hope to sporadically add some runs into my regimen.  (Although, let’s be serious. I have a drawer filled with 4,000 running-related items and it mocks me EVERY DAMN DAY.  I have to run, if not for that reason alone.)

There you go! My new and improved kick ass workout plan!

Questions? Any other DVDs I should know about for the future? What’s YOUR workout plan this summer? Do tell.

Next Page »