Holiday traditions

One of our family traditions growing up involved baking.  We made tons of cookies for Christmas of course but we also made sugar cookies for every other holiday that isn't necessarily associated with cookies.  Whether it was St. Patrick's Day or Halloween, we were baking and decorating sugar cookies.  They were always made from scratch - no cookie "rolls" of dough here!  The frosting was also homemade which made it even better for licking off of  your sticky fingers!

The fun started with rolling out the dough and using some of Mom's hundreds of cookie cutters to pierce the dough in fun shapes and sizes.  Every once in awhile, if you were lucky, you could sneak a yummy taste of the raw dough from the scraps left behind.  With spatula in one hand and cookie sheet in the other, either Kelly or I would scoop the dough to the sheet inevitably getting flour all over the floor.  Once they were cooled properly on the wire rack, the real fun began.

Most decorating days involved friends or neighborhood kids.  I can honestly say I every single time I decorate a cookie now I think of our neighborhood friend "Nega". If I remember correctly "Nega" means "little niece" in Brazilian.  Her real name is Luciana.  Nega's family was not as country or home-grown as ours and we always felt Nega longed for the family life we provided.  I think that's why, more often than not, she was at our house!    And you could bet, if we were making cookies, Nega was right there in the middle of all the craziness!

Complete with homemade frosting, sprinkles, chocolate chips and usually some other random supplies we would begin!  The frosting was always divided up into different bowls with various shades of that holiday's colors.  Mixing the frosting into interesting shades of purple or blue was always a challenge!  Usually Kelly, Nega, Mom and I would sit around our round wooden kitchen table and start decorating. For week's later, frosting and sprinkles could be found in the crack of that table!  Sweet little reminders of the fun we had around that table!

As the years passed the tradition began to lose ground some as we grew "too old" to be decorating cookies in high school.  We would still make cookies for Christmas and school parties but the smaller holidays began to pass by cookie-less.  Once Kelly went off to college and Tyler remained home with us, the tradition was revived.  Tyler's decorating skills so closely resembled Nega's - the more sprinkles, the better!  And oh boy the mess a two year old can make while decorating cookies!  Whew!

As I went off to college, I would occassionally introduce various roommates to our holiday tradition.  One year I had a little helper from the four year old girl I was babysitting in college.  Even as I graduated and moved on to start my career, I would still make cookies for some holidays.  I figured out really fast that my colleagues and friends had not grown up with the same tradition and absolutely marveled over the detail of the cookies!

Cooper and I have continued the tradition (as has my sister and her kids).  We don't bake sugar cookies for every holiday but we certainly don't miss many.  And this weekend was no exception.  With Halloween tomorrow and cookies needed for school, I reverted back to my roots.  Out came the flour and rolling pin, cookie sheets and sprinkles.  Coop is usually willing to help for the first 5-10 minutes and then he abandons me with the 80+ undecorated cookies.  Today though, he was my "sprinkle master".  He probably helped for a good 25 minutes before getting bored this time.

The end result - a sea of beautiful and some overly sprinkled Halloween cookies.  Perfect for little fingers to devour at the Halloween party tomorrow.  Also good for my colleagues who are trying so desperately to lose weight!  (hehe!  I'm trying to sabotage their weight loss efforts so I can win the contest!)

Here are a few pictures of our Halloween cookies:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

Weight Watchers.......again

Yep, you heard me.  I'm back on Weight Watchers.  Ironically it took a weekend of complete binging to push me over the top (of the scale).  So let me just start with this.........

STARTING WEIGHT:  137.6

Urgh!  My ideal weight would be 124-125 so as you can see I have a lot of work to do!  To add insult to fat injury - literally - I have a pulled/torn muscle to contend with while exercising too.  So it's not going to be easy!

Why Weight Watchers?  I'll tell you why!  My mom and grandma both lost enough to become lifetime members using Weight Watchers about 10-12 years ago.  Throughout the years I have tried almost every single diet fad that is out there.  Just to name a few: Flat Belly Diet, Atkins, Durkan Diet, Low Calorie, tracking everything on Livestrong and I'm sure many others I cannot remember!  Not one of these diets can compare to the easy and obvious results that Weight Watchers provides.

In 2003, my girfriend {D} and I joined the meetings in New Jersey and we loved it!  I lost 12lbs in 7 weeks and I was so happy with the results and the flexibility.  Then after having Cooper in 2005, I re-joined the new online Weight Watchers program.  The online tools and tracking were ideal for me since I couldn't really get to meetings with an infant in tow.  With the help of Weight Watchers (and to be honest a heaping pile of new mommy stress), I lost the 25lbs I gained during pregnancy AND 27lbs of pure fat!

For those of you who aren't familiar with the program, it is very simplistic.  You track every bite that goes into your mouth.  Each food has a "point" value.  The program has recently changed from calculating points based on calories, fat and fiber to using the fat, carbs, fiber and protein amounts in any given food.  This new plan encourages followers to eat more "clean" foods - fruits, vegetables, lean protein, etc - rather than 100 calorie snacks!

The main factor that I LOVE about Weight Watchers is the flexibility.  Since I began the program I have always been allowed "flex points" or bonus points for the week.  I think the flexibility allows me to know I can have a cheat night if I need to or enjoy a business dinner out when necessary.  You simply have to track what you eat and account for every single bite.

In addition, you can earn more points by exercising.  So a 45 minute workout can earn you enough points for a cupcake for example.  I try not to use the activity points, but let's be honest, I love chocolate!

So I am back on the weight loss band wagon.  Again!   It is frustrating and it is difficult but as Kate Moss said (and I repeat daily) "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"

Please encourage me on my journey to find the skinny Casey within!  I need all the support I can get!

____________________________________________
Update 10-13-11
Week #1 Weigh In:
134.8
Net loss: 2.8lbs

Coudy girls in Boston

As I write this post I am sitting at Logan International airport about to return from a weekend trip to Boston. My friend Allison move to Boston two years ago to start anew in a great city close to her favorite vacation spot of Nantucket. In March she called me out of the blue and announced with extreme excitement that she was pregnant!! A new baby was coming and another dear friend was about to experience this wonderful world of motherhood!

Allison and I have known each other since Kindergarten. In our small hometown, we all have known most of our friends since we were 4 or 5!! In high school Allison was one of my closest friends and as we graduated and headed off to college at Penn State, we only grew closer! For one semester in our junior year we actually lived together at her college house. When I say I've known her my whole life, I mean my WHOLE life!

So of course I knew I would be planning a visit to Boston after Allison had told me the good news! I had no idea at that time that the visit to Boston would be this amazing!

Shortly after finding out she was pregnant, Allison also learned she had a cyst on her right ovary that would need to be removed somewhere around week 15. This was alright in her mind which surprised me at how calm she was with this news of a surgery while pregnant. Again, little did I know at that time!

The cyst was removed and against all odds and all predictions of her doctors, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer! I was in my hometown with many of our childhood friends when I first learned of my dear friend's diagnosis. I remember struggling to be excited for the wedding that had brought me back to my hometown. All I could think about was Allison and her baby!

Fast forward five months and six chemotherapy treatments and here we are in Boston. Allison is two weeks away from delivering a full term baby boy. She has finished her chemotherapy and all signs are pointing to positive ending for all!  I could not be happier for her and more excited for this little one's arrival!

(Finishing this post a week later......so bear with me as I catch up)

The morale of the story, in short, is that Coudy girls (and guys too) will always be there for one another. We may have drifted apart, moved away or even had a minor spat over the years but in the end, we always come together!

I have so much more I could reflect on from the weekend in Boston with my old friends.  We sat up late at night talking, we rode with Allison (the token driver of the class of '98), we laughed, we (I) cried, and we reminisced!  And now looking back and reflecting on the weekend, I am so grateful to have a wonderful group of childhood friends!  I know they will always be there for me and vice versa.

To my girlfriends!

Where were you.....

When the world stopped turning?   Where were you on 9-11-01?

I'm sure every single person in America and many throughout the world can remember every detail about where they were on 9-11.  Ten years has gone by since that terrible morning when the world stopped breathing and watched the second plane crash into the Twin Towers.  As I spent the morning watching the news coverage and trying to explain to Cooper why this day is so important, I began to wonder.  What if!

What if the terrorists plan was thwarted?  What if the two planes that crashed in New York and the one in Washington DC were diverted from their final destination?  What if the suicide bombers got nervous or decided it wasn't worth it?  What if those planes had air marshalls on them?  What if the passengers chose to storm the cockpit on each of those flights?  What if?

On the morning of September 11th 2001, I awoke in my junior year of college in State College, PA.  As was my morning routine, I checked my computer for any evening IM's before even leaving my bedroom.  My roommate Abbey had a message saying something about sending prayers to the people of NYC.  I remember thinking to myself "what happened in New York City"?  So I turned on the TV in my bedroom and saw the coverage of the first plane going into the Twin Tower.  As I watched, the second plane hit!  My stomach dropped.  I knew at that very moment that this was not an accident.  Immediately my thoughts went to my mom and grandma who were set to fly home from Florida that day.

Our apartment had a common area in the middle of the four bedrooms and I remember going out there and watching the coverage with my roommates.  I wondered why classes hadn't been cancelled and was immediately annoyed, as any college student is, that I had to get myself ready for class when all of this was going on!  I wanted to stay home and watch the news with the rest of the world!

Off I went to my logistics class that morning.  As I got off the bus and walked onto campus I recall thinking how quiet it was.  The hoards or students had all been quieted by the events of the morning.  And to my dismay, a sign was posted on my Blog class door stating classes were cancelled for the day.  I was so frustrated.  Here I was, stuck on campus and the world was realizing we were under attack.  As I stood at the bus stop I was able to get through to my mom in Florida.  Their flight was cancelled - all flights were grounded.  They weren't sure how they were going to get home yet.

Like the rest of America, I spent the rest of the day watching the terrible events unfold.  I spent weeks watching the news until finally, one day in October, I had had enough!  I made a conscience decision to avoid any more 9-11 news!  I couldn't stand to see another cloud of "dust".  I couldn't cry anymore.  I just wanted to pretend it was all over.  And I wasn't alone.  Eventually the media made a decision to take the news off of the air.  America had to get back to "normal".

For whatever reason, I kept the newspaper and magazines from that day/week:

Please comment and share with me your 9-11-01 story.  Where were you........?

Hurricane Irene

This is what I'm dealing with at the moment!

It's 10:30pm and we are getting pounded with heavy rains and winds as part of the early feeder bands from Hurricane Irene.  She is expected to be over South Jersey around midnight tonight.  So far, it hasn't been too bad because the power is still on!  Hopefully it stays on but I highly doubt it!

After living in Florida for six years, I had my fair share of hurricane experience.  It all started with two storms named Frances and Jeanne in 2004!  I was pregnant at the time and the storms came back to back with a large impact to our area each time!  I was living with my parents at the time of the storms.  For the first one, since we were all hurricane-virgins, we decided to evacuate and go across the state to Tampa!  Bad idea!  The storm came right across the state and knocked out the power in Tampa too.  So my storm-chasing father decided we would drive THROUGH the hurricane back to the house because he was convinced that if something would happen to the house, people would be out there looting our stuff!

Fast forward two very uncomfortable weeks with NO power and quite a mess to deal with and we were prepping for hurricane #2 - Jeanne!  Of course this time, we did not evacuate!  We stuck out the storm with mom and I huddled in the walk-in closet while dad slept soundly in the bedroom next to us.  At one point he went outside "for a walk" and had pine needles sticking in his eyes!  Not the smartest move!

So when I saw that Miss Irene was heading our way with a potential of a Cat 1 or 2 when she reached South Jersey I thought to myself "I got this!"  I feel like I have enough experience to get through a hurricane on my own now.  At the same time, it is nerve wracking!

We just went through a tornado warning!  I had about 10 texts from friends in the area telling me to go to the basement because of the tornado warning.  I went down there and filled an air mattress 'just in case'.  I'm typing this from the couch because it is too loud and scary on the third floor where my bedroom is located.  I think I'll camp on the couch tonight.  I'll update again later or tomorrow after the storm.

Stay safe and keep dry!

UPDATE: 9:15AM Sunday the 28th
Right after I put up this post I decided it was time to get some sleep.  I was camped out on the couch uncomfortably but luckily, I was able to sleep alright last night.  I woke up a few times to the sound of wind and rain hitting the house but nothing frightening.  Around 6am I heard the power flash back on so I decided it was time to sleep in my bed for a few hours.  Around 8am I got  up and turned on the news.  We didn't get any damage at the house at all.  No water in the basement, no tree limbs in the yard, nothing!  I might venture out in a bit to see how the town made out.   All in all, not a bad storm at all!  

HOT Yoga

Awhile back during a wonderful massage in Florida, the masseuse recommended to me that I should try Bikram Yoga.  What is Bikram yoga I asked?  The girl explained it as a yoga class in a very hot room.  Hmm....let me think?  No thanks!  I'm not a yogi at all and actually have never even taken one yoga class!

Fast forward two or three years to my friend Shannon and I sitting at the local pub talking about yoga.  Shannon is a yogi!  She practices 3-5 times per week at local studios and at home!  So I thought, who better to ask about "hot yoga" than Shannon.  Turns out, she had done it once and loved it!  She explained it to me as a series of 26 poses each done twice in a very warm studio.  Ok, a HOT studio!  Right there at the bar we decided to go to a class together.  I think I may have also committed to coming to a regular yoga class with her.  Maybe the alcohol was talking some?

Our plan was to jump right in and go to the studio near us that only does hot yoga.  It's called Laughing Buddha Hot Yoga studio.  I should have known from the ominous title that this was going to be 'no joke'.  I did a little research before we went so that I wouldn't look like a complete fool.  I actually found a few very helpful posters like this one below that show each of the 26 poses:

It made me feel a little better prepared but I was still nervous that the instructor would be calling out positions like "Downward dog" and "pigeon pose" and I would be standing there clueless.

Our class was at 7:45pm on Tuesday night so we arrived early as instructed to get "adjusted" to the temperature in the room.  As we walked into the studio I kind of wondered what the hell I had gotten myself into!  But in I went!  The room wasn't as hot as I had imagined it - at least not while the door was open.  Shannon and I stood there chatting a bit before class started.  Once the instructor came in I immediately told her that not only was I new to hot yoga, I was new to yoga in general!  She was very excited to have a newbie on her hands.

We did a few warm up breaths and then we got started.  The first pose involves linking your fingers under your chin, breathing in and out and trying to fold your elbows up to the top of your head.  HA!  My elbows were parallel to the floor as opposed to the desired perpendicular position.  Shannon of course was able to bend and contort herself into this odd position.  In the back of my mind I was reminding myself of my inability to flex or be flexible!

As we moved on to the second pose, I became more confident.  The instructor was extremely helpful and would correct me when needed.  I was thinking how Shannon had said when she had done hot yoga before she didn't remember sweating in the class but she was soaked with sweat when she left.  As we went into the end of the second pose where you fold yourself forward and hug your forehead to your CANKLES, I realized I was dripping with sweat!  Literally, sweat was dripping off of my head and onto the mat!  At first I was a little embarrassed until we rolled into the next pose and I realized every one of of the other 6 ladies in the class was just as sweaty as me.

We continued on through the first 13 poses without too much difficulty.  There was one pose (#7 above) where I was able to get fully into position and my taller, leaner friend had a little struggle.  (I quietly patted myself on the very sweaty back!)  As we transitioned to the seated poses I realized we were half way or 45 minutes through the class.  At that point I started to feel a little fatigued and light headed.  I sat out one pose to just compose myself and catch my breath.  I didn't feel nauseous but I also didn't want to get to that point.

As the class finished, the instructor graciously opened the door and windows and a rush of COLD air came flowing in!  I wanted to get off my sweat soaked mat and make out with this woman!  I've never been so hot or so sweaty in my whole life!  Oddly enough, half way through the class I thought to myself "this is how sweaty I would be if I had sex all night long without a single break!"  I don't know why that is what I was thinking about as I was drenched in sweat - but I like where my head was at!

We left class in relief and both agreed to do this again!  We loved it.  I loved it!  I was shocked.  I expected to tolerate it enough for the class and I hoped that I would like it but I was surprised with how much I really, truly loved it.  Maybe it was the "high" from being so dehydrated after sweating profusely for 90 minutes.

I expected to be a little sore after hot yoga and I was.  Yesterday I felt sore in my neck and back but I'm used to those areas being sore after almost any physical activity.  I was more exhausted than anything!  I couldn't believe how physically exhausted I was!  And I still am wiped out from the class.  Today I felt a few more muscles become sore.  Muscles I was sure didn't even exist in my pudgy little body!  It's not a painful sore but a "I got a good workout" kind of sore!

Overall score for Hot Yoga - B+!   I could do without the exhaustion that follows (and I hope it goes away after a good night's rest tonight) but all in all, I can't wait to do it again!   So if you get a chance, go try it for yourself and let me know what you think!  

Week One

Without Cooper went a little something like this:

Monday - Gym (2hrs)
Tuesday - Sushi date
Wednesday - Gym (2hrs)
Thursday - Shopping at Target (and being SAD)
Friday - Hair appt. and Bar tour
Saturday - Gym (2 hrs), hair appt again, work (1hr), dinner and a movie
Sunday - Gym (1hr), weeded flower garden, cleaned 3rd floor and 3 bathrooms top to bottom, shopping, made a yummy dinner and cookies for the office and now maybe a movie

Can you tell I am trying to fill my schedule so I don't have time to worry about Coop or miss him too much.  I have to say it was nice to have a day to myself today from start to finish.  I slept in and did just what I wanted and when I wanted to!  But I'm pretty sure I would trade it to have my little man here with me.  I've called him once and checked in a few times during the week.  I tried to call tonight but my grandma didn't answer her phone!  My sister and her family were up there this weekend so I know that he is having fun!  I just miss him!

I'm also learning a lot about myself this week.  I've been on a few dates with a boy and I'm realizing that I am VERY used to being alone.  It's very hard for me to give up this time alone to be with someone else who wants my time.  It's almost ironic that all I've wanted for and asked for is to find someone (anyone) to be with.  Now that I have the chance, I'm a little less interested than I thought I would be!  I honestly thought I would jump all over the very next live body that came along.  And here I am with a nice guy who is VERY interested in me - but it's not enough.  If he's not the one and I know it - why should I settle?  I am so independent and so strong in my own right that I almost need someone who is equally strong and independent!  I'm noticing that it's not just anyone who will sweep me off my feet.  My feet are pretty well planted and very grounded in who I am and who I expect in a partner.  Maybe too much so!

On to week #2 ........  24 more days without my baby boy!  The love of my life!   I miss you baby!