So, I have not yet done the next day of the 30-day shred. I was so sore, that I even had muscles twitching! I know I over did it. But today, I have no soreness, but have no motivation to exercise. I did get my bread maker going. I found 1 recipe that only uses a tiny portion of whole wheat that seems to get along with my bread machine. I have put away a few dishes, worked on my customer service, etc. So I have been productive, but just can’t seem to get motivated to do that 20 minute DVD. Sad, isn’t it??

I know music seems to help me a lot. And I think Ellie Ghoulding’s latest album is going to be my new workout / motivation music. Have you heard her stuff? If not, you really need to. My favorite’s are Burn and Goodness Gracious. Her entire album Halcyon is phenomenal. There isn’t one song I do not like!

Anyway, back on the working out issue. I know how good the results were before. I am thinking also I weighed myself 2 days earlier, and saw I lost 5 lbs already, so maybe my subconscious just said, oh you are on track this week. Work on other things. Maybe. I don’t know. I hope that is it, and that I motivated next week. I do not know what the problem is. How do you get motivated, but more importantly stay motivated??

Help needed.

I think spring will help, but that is so far off. I think it also has to do with the cold, the overcast, and having so much work to do. I am thinking stress does not help either, but exercise will combat that. Maybe I just need to get going and somehow make a habit of it. I don’t know. What do you do or do you struggle too?

Through this weekend, get 20% off any order in my etsy shop!

Etsy Shop: etsy.com/shop/CrochetGarden

CODE: TWENTYOFFJAN2014

Stay warm, and Happy January!!!

I bought a bread maker last summer, or around there, and bought the book: The Bread Lover’s bread Machine Cookbook. Ratings are awesome, even I love it. I have tried about 5-7 recipes and all have turned out delicious! My family’s favorite so far is the Peasant bread recipe. I love it because there is no milk or egg in it. Another favorite are the French Bread recipes… Those I have it make the dough, then finish them off in the oven using my long french bread pans. Hah, who knew I could bake??

So after trying the bread maker out, and finding this book to be fantabulous… I decided to go out and buy a 25 pound bag of whole wheat. Much of what I read tells me whole grains is the way to go, and I figured we had our fun playing around with the white bread recipes so I could use up all the white flour in the house… Now it was time to make whole grain breads. I didn’t think much of it and just clicked my order for Great River Organic Milling, Organic Whole Wheat Bread Flour. The flour too had great reviews.

I have tried making the Buttermilk Whole Wheat Bread recipe twice, and both times it came out hard, and a small balled-up like loaf. The first time I had it on the French Setting, and the second time on the Basic (after reading somewhere on the net someone made this no problems on the basic setting). So, I thought maybe my bread maker does not like this recipe. I then tried a second different recipe that uses whole wheat. Again, same result.

I do not know if it is me, or my bread maker. I am stumped. I looked up the recipes to try and find reviews, and it seems many people have made this particular recipes in their bread makers and had no problems. I then thought, well maybe it is the flour. So after much research, the majority of people had no problem using this flour in both ovens and bread machines alike. I am so confused and not sure. I not a bread expert by any means. Anyone have any ideas of what I could be doing wrong?

So I have started the 30 day shred. I did not complete it last time. I am on Day 2, but really I do not think i should count those days since I did not complete the DVD. However, I got through Circuit 1 yesterday and halfway through Circuit 2 today. I guess baby steps, right?

Because my knees hurt, I don’t like some of the exercises. So what I think I am going to do is just modify. Those particular exercises that are hard on my knees, I am just going to to the upper body portion, but somehow keep moving to keep my heart rate up. I think this will be sufficient until I lose more weight or until my knees can withstand more.

The good thing is, is that the workout is only 20 mins. But now I think about it pathetic I did not complete it yesterday and today. But tomorrow is another day! Once I get fully through it, I will count that as Day 1. I also think I actually could have made it through today, but I had a banana right before and ouch did it give me a terrible cramp on my right side. I think tomorrow I am going to do it right when I wake up and have a cup of coffee.

Here is a little snapshot of my (messy) living room/exercise area. If I ever get the basement cleaned out, I may just make that my workout area. But right now it is a cluster of stuff I am getting for a yard sale in spring. At the floor, is a box Santa gave me for Christmas, the Jillian Michael’s Body Revolution. I am going to treat myself and open that only after I have completed my 30 day shred for 30 days.

You know, I should give myself a reward if I complete the 30 days… Any ideas? Something that does not cost any money (finances so tight right now). Hmmm.. That is hard, everything costs something! lol. Anyway… anyone want to do the 30 day shred with me?? I need a partner!!

Do you have a baby or access to a baby? I am looking for testers to try out a yoke in size 10 thread. I only need a fit check, really. You have the option to work on the entire gown if you so wish, but are not obligated. I am thinking about 3 weeks time to test the yoke. I need you to have a baby to try it on, though, and be able to send me a photo so I can see how the dress is fitting.

The dress will be part open in the back, with 2 buttons, then will close and work in the round down. I would say it will be an Intermediate Skill lvl. I have sizes : Newborn (0-3 mos, 3 mos, 6 mos, 9 mos, 12 mos). Please comment here, or Sign Up On the Testing Forum (click here).

If you are on Facebook, you can also Click Here For Facebook page.

I think this gown is going to be lovely when finished (or at least I hope so)!

Well, 2013 was kind of rough, but I have good feelings for 2014! I really became disconnected from things this past year, especially with all the illegal pattern sharing and such. It took me a while, and I am still struggling with it, but I have learned to “set it aside.” I cannot keep it monopolizing me, discouraging me.

Funny how a new year can be the little spark needed to ignite the passion again. Or maybe it has been enough time for me to work through it all. Who knows. Maybe it was my birthday. Instead of looking downhill, I am looking up hill, and bracing for whatever new comes my way.

I am now getting back on the track of health. I need to get back to exercising everyday. Oh how I wish I had a workout partner! It is so easy to get off track. Regardless, it is up to me and I need to just set my mind to it, prepare, and just do it. So that is what I plan. I have some new cookbooks, an can’t wait to try out some new recipes. Now if this freezing cold would go away. I am not ready for spring, most likely because I have lost as much as I wanted to by this point, but I am ready the this frigid ice to be gone!

Anyway, with that, I open up 2014 with a new pattern release. Well, not really a pattern release (yet). For right now, it is available for my facebook fans. I hope throughout the year to treat all my fans, whether they are my blog fans, website fans, Etsy fans, Ravelry fans… etc! So I start with facebook. Any fans of my facebook page can download the Snowflake Hat for free during January!

Link to facebook pattern for fans:

SNOWFLAKE HAT CROCHET PATTERN HERE

Happy Crocheting you all And stay warm!! Happy 2014!