Long time, no blog (day 104)

Thought it was time to update you on what is happening in my life.  I have done nothing that is currently on my list, but I am thinking about adding some goals to my list

102. Catch a cold, do not treat it and allow it to turn into Pneumonia
103. Lay in bed for an entire week, emerging only to use the bathroom.
104. Use enough cough drops and cough syrup that you end up enjoying the taste of them.
105.  Go days without any care for personal hygiene (yourself or others)
106.  Sit/lay in front of the television for 168 hours over a 2 week period (conciseness is not a requirement for this goal) (168 hours = 12 hours a day)

I know, I am an overachiever.

44-20-25-0-13 (Day 80)

And today's numbers are 44-20-25-0-13

44 - We picked a bucket of blackberries and made jam.  #44 is complete!  It was an interesting experience.   I have always known how to pick and wash berries, de-seeding them however, is another story. I ended up with 30oz of wonderful blackberry jam, and purple stained hands. Twice in the last couple of weeks, I have  hauled the boys and some friends to a U-pick blueberry field in an attempt to perfect my new mad jamming skills.

20 - Today marks 20 days of no soda pop (see #9). Zero, Zip, NADA!
I have 10 days until I will be able to guzzle a glorious Diet Coke.

25 - Last week I bought enough fabric to make at least 10 bibs for Pregnancy Aid.  I am excited to get started on this project (see #25).  Pregnancy Aid is a great non-profit agency that helps families by allowing them to pick out children's and maternity clothing, toys, furniture and bedding. The women (most of them great grandma's) who volunteer at Pregnancy Aid are fantastic and truly care for their clients.  If you would like more info on how to help out, just let me know.

0 - This is the number that you get to see if you miss one day of  "continuous" walking (see #5).  I was doing so well, and then one evening before going out for my walk I decided to just take a minute and watch a little TV... At 2:30am I hauled my toucas (and Brent's) off the couch.  Although I would like to, I just can't justify walking from the couch to my bed as a "daily walk"  :(

13 - To be truthfully honest with you, I am having a love hate relationship with this number.  13 is the number of pounds that I have lost.  I love the fact that 13 pounds are no longer attached to my body, but I hate the fact after 2 1/2 months of trying (or at least sorta, kinda, sometimes trying) to lose weight I have only shed 13 pounds.  I want to get into shape and lose weight, I just wish that I could do it from the couch with a bowl of warm gooey deliciousness.

Day 72

I always seem to have difficulty starting a blog post.  I took a writing class in college where my professor (who happened to be not only an excellent prof, but also a great writer) embedded in me the importance of catching  the attention of your audience with an unforgettable opening.
I have attempted to write this blog everyday for the last week and alas, the best I can come up with is "I always seem to have difficulty starting a blog post".
OK, now that that's out of the way, this should get easier....... I think the key word here is "should"

Nope, not getting easier.  At this rate my next blog will be complete sometime around day 893, You and I both know that that is not acceptable so sit back and get ready for a not so great blog post.

Today was day 12 without any soda pop (#9).   Here is what I have learned so far from this challenge;

•  I am one of those lucky people who didn't have the dreaded withdrawal headaches
• There is no acceptable substitute for a cold Diet Coke or Dr. Pepper. 
•  I am a soda pop addict.  I am almost 1/2 way through with this and it is not getting any easier. 
• I am OK with soda pop addictions  

Today is day 11 of taking daily walks  (#5)  Here is what I have learned so far from this challenge;

• I am not one of those lucky people who enjoys or looks forward to exercise.  
• There is no acceptable walk that feels like bumming around the house. 
• I am not an exercise addict, the need to exercise does not overwhelm me... ever. 
• My muscles are OK with me not being an exercise addict.  

I attempted to attempt learn how to play chess (#39)  Here is what I have learned so far from this challenge;

• I don't like chess, I think that I understand how to play, I just don't want to.... ever. 

I did it without trying (day 64)

I was only planning on updating my #5 my walking status  and #9  my soda status today.  As I was scrolling down my list getting ready to edit, I noticed #88 (try 10 new restaurants).

I excitedly blurted out "Ohhh, ohhh, I've done this one".  The rest of the Croom clan all had something to say.  Brent, who was playing a video game, commented with  "MmmHmm".  Ben who was engrossed in Brent's game and anxiously waiting for him to die so that it would be his turn said  "um...what?... anyway".  Micah was my last hope for an acceptable reaction.  He started off strong by jumping up excitedly, but he quickly ran off  to see what was happening on the boob tube without knowing what he was jumping for.  So I am hoping that you, my dear blogging audience, will take a little more interest in my fun find than my immediate family did. 

I love finding new and interesting restaurants.  My favorites are the ones that look like they are nothing more than a hole in the wall and turn out to be an amazing undiscovered gem.  I love atmosphere but more importantly, I LOVE food.  A good restaurant is the kind that makes you look around to see if anyone would notice if you licked your plate.

While my family was in town, we did a lot of eating.  This worked for me :)  We took them to a few  great spots.  One of my favorites is the 'Hangar Cafe'.  It is a tiny eclectic house at the end of Boeing runway.  They have amazing crepes, if you ever want to go out for a not so quick bite to eat then this is the place to go, please invite me to join you.  It is NOT big group friendly, 13 people pretty much fills up their inside eating area.

How is it that my post turned into a restaurant review?

While the family was in town we visited two new to me restaurants.  The first was 'The Crab Pot'.  My boys were excited to go because they had seen it on 'Man vs. Food' (a  TV show).   It was..... an experience. 

We are not much of a seafood family. OK I take that back, Brent, Micah and I are not crazy about seafood, Ben on the other hand, must have gotten a recessive seafood loving gene.  The extended family on both sides really likes the stuff.  I always thought they were a little fishy :)
Anyway, our idea of a seafood restaurant is Skippers or Ivars, which we visit on average less than 3 times a year.  Brent and Micah usually will order chicken which even for me, a non-fishy person, is weird.

Brent and I shared a chicken dish (OK, it seemed like a good idea at the time, there was only REAL fish and sea creatures on the menu) Micah ordered a kids chicken tenders and Ben ordered a cheeseburger but was  invited to share in the... experience.  I know, I know, get to the point already!

The experience that I keep talking about was the large stainless bowl filled to the brim with Nemo, Sebastian, Dory and numerous other adorable Disney characters. The staff begin to bring our orders out. The plates of food are delivered to the hungry recipients, all except for those bowls.  They are dumped out into the middle of the table in a steaming heap.  Now here comes the kicker, they hand out mallets  Yup, my 10 year old, not so coordinated son, was sitting next to my 20 year old amazing, but also not so coordinated sister  Guess who was sitting right next to them.....
An hour later, my dad had a glass of ice water dumped in his lap, my little sister had a sticky substance (I can't remember if it was BBQ sauce, root beer or both) dumped into her purse and I had nothing dumped on me but I had been, hit with a mallet several times, pegged in the face arm and generally my entire left side with, shrimp that still had faces, clam shells, mussel innards & outards, and butter covered crab legs.  It was fantastic! We were all laughing and really enjoying the "experience". 

The second new restaurant was not nearly as memorable, it was a small Asian Pho place.  The boys and I went over to visit family at a wonderful little cabin on Whidbey Island.  The trip was very memorable.  Dad, Paulette, Mikki, Ben, Micah and I (Janae stayed back because she wasn't feeling well) walked down to the beach.  The boys, big and small, had fun attempting to fish,  Mikki fell in the water and I thoroughly enjoyed just watching it all and talking to Paulette. 
When we got back from the walk we went to the 'Basil Cafe'.  It was decent food and great company.  The highlight of the restaurant was the live outdoor chef who does fun things with food and fire. We were not actually able to watch him because he wasn't actually there at the time, but they did have a previously taped video playing on the TV behind my head.

So there you go, two new restaurants, The Crab Pot and The Basil Cafe.  So much for just switching my numbers real quick.

Day 63 take two

I discovered that I am one day off.  This means that I get a second chance at making this a productive day.  Here is what I will be working on:

• Brent & I went for a 1 mile walk last night.  This was day 2 for #5 (walk 30 consecutive days rain or shine) We live in an amazing neighborhood for walking.  Brent and I walked to the trail head of Marine view park (.5 miles from our house).  I am looking forward to walking with my honey every night. 
• Reading through the Bible. I am a slow reader but I will get through it and I will learn and grow and live what I learn.  
• I bought a Ball canning book.  It has recipes and step by step directions on how to can.  I am hoping that this will help me with #33, #44 and #45.   
• Today the boys and I will be walking with buckets. We are hoping to find ripe blackberries 
• Come home and read the canning book so I can do something with the blackberries. 

With all of that being said, I think it is time for me to get off the computer and to get going.  I have a busy day ahead of me.  

#2 made me feel like #1 (day 63)

 As I stepped into and began to swim across the dark and murky lake..... (ohhhh it sounds like the intro to a best seller already) one thought kept running through my head:  "WHY?

I had been asked that question just minutes before by a KOMO 1000 news radio interviewer.  My response was "because it's a great cause, and I also wanted to prove to myself that I could do it".   I began to think about and really evaluate my answer.  Why was I doing this?  Of course the obvious was what I had stated, but were there any underlying reasons?  Of course there are, but my 101 blog and shrinking my thunder thighs just didn't sound as altruistic as saving lives.

One of the underlying reasons was pointed out to me by my sweet hubby.  You see, for a very long time I've been known as the girl who was great at starting things, but when it came to finishing....  

Brent knows that I am not that girl anymore, but trying to break an image that others have built up is just about as easy as herding greased cats.  Completing a 2 1/2 mile swim in Lake Washington may help to convince people that I do indeed complete what I start.  I may not do it in the "normal" or "right" way (aka the way they think I should) but I do get it done. 

So, as I was out in the choppy waters of Lake Washington,  I began to wonder why I cared what others thought of me.  The answer is suprisingly simple, I didn't care what anyone thought, but I may have begun to believe that they were correct.  I needed to prove to myself that I could finish this.  

There really wasn't a "right" way to train, I tried to make it swimming at least 3x a week.  A few weeks into my training, my sister (who is a fantastic and seasoned swimmer) happened to be in town.  We went swimming together and she gave me some great pointers that were much needed for this swim (the main one was to broaden my stroke, it helped to keep me stable in the rough water).  

I attended 1 open water swim clinic (see day 35 ~ go big or go home) and I did a couple of practice swims at Angle Lake and Coulon Beach. 

I just realized that my title reminds me of the new pampers 'I poo in blue' commercial.  I in noway meant for that to be the case, it's just that  "The  second item on my 101 blog #2 made me feel like I was hot stuff" just seemed a little too wordy and a little egocentric.  

I am super excited that we raised $42,000,  I am looking forward to doing it again next year.  I wonder what I will think about then? 

The pre-swim safety talk. Nothing they said could have prepared me for what I was about to face.

The waves were "wicked fierce" and this was "the choppiest swim in 13 years with more swimmers than usual requesting to get pulled from the water."

Beth my kayaker and I were both glad to be out of the water. She told me after that it was difficult to spot us because the waves were that big.  

Her kayak stayed upright.  

Several other kayakers were not so lucky. 

   I made it! 

#22 & #29 Completed and blogged ~Day 54

As you may have noticed that I completed #22- Find a home church  and  #29- Petition for a round about.   You may have thought that I was going to try and slip those by without blogging about them, but I fooled you :)

I called the Des Moines city planners office and was transfered to a gentlemen whom I just happened to already know.  Brandon had gone to high school with Brent, and I have known his wife for years.  It is such a small world.  I explained my concerns and I'm hopeful that something will be done before one of my elderly neighbors gets run down while attempting to retrieve their mail (all of the mailboxes are on our side of the street).
I am not sure if we will actually get the round about but I do think that at the very least we may end up with some speed bumps.  Either way, I had a great conversation with Brandon. 

Brent & I are by no means church hoppers, but due to moving and jobs, we have attended a few different churches over the years.  Finding a church is an interesting thing and may sound like an easy task to some, but for me this was one of the more difficult items on my list.  

We have really loved the last few churches that we've attended, but due to life and it's circumstances, we once again found ourselves out on the hunt.  Some days the hunt was a simple scavenger hunt and other days felt like an all out expedition in the African safari.   

I am still getting used to the idea of our new church home.  I am enjoying the fellowship and teaching that we have found at Cornerstone, but still occasionally feel that lump rise in my throat when I think back to my days at Grace.  I am so thankful that God allowed me the opportunity to serve Him at Grace and I know that He has great things planned for them.  I am so happy that things are going well, but I am saddened that I am not a part of it. It is bitter sweet.  I take comfort in knowing that the church is not a "building" but rather a "body".  All believers belong to the same body, of which Jesus is the head.
I am looking forward to what God has in store for the Croom Clan at Cornerstone, I am especially looking forward to getting involved and completing #23.  (Did I mention that they have Awana, youth, children's, and womens ministries that all have areas where I can assist :)

So there you have it, the blog about #22 & #29.   

 *  Update on #2 - Swim across Lake Washington. 

My swim is in 9 days, I am getting little butterflies in my tummy when I think about it.  I have been going out for practice swims and I think that I have a pretty good chance of not drowning :)