I'm getting serious about it

I've been making big pots of vegetable soup and eating it throughout the week. It adds to my meal and therefore I eat less of the heartier, more fattening parts of the meal - kind of like having a salad before your entree. I would really love to lose the weight that I have gained back since stopping the phentermine diet pills a year and a half ago. I got back down to my Bangkok weight after I stopped breastfeeding Aidan and was able to take those diet pills. They work very well and I love them - which is precisely the reason I should do this without them, phentermine can become addictive if you're not careful.

I regained about 15 of those pounds within 6 months of getting off the pills and they've been stubbornly clinging to my ass and thighs ever since (about a year). I'm tired of it!!! Now Golf and I and Aidan are planning to go back to Thailand for a visit in November and I desperately want to be back at my weight, or less, by that time.

I powerwalk with Aidan, sort of. I walk briskly with him every day, him in his stroller. He just likes to stop and look at things and touch them quite often, so my exercise does not get the intensity and consistency I need to get into shape. I miss feeling toned and am tired of feeling sluggish, so in addition to vamping up my eating habits, I am vamping up my workout routine.

Today I went jogging while Golf put Aidan down for his nap and I was able to keep it up most of the route, which is about three miles. To give my body a challenge and feel myself winded felt so fantastic. I love the feeling of pushing my body and the sense of fatigue after a great workout. I ordered a 20 pound weighted vest to add to my powerwalks from Amazon this morning and am very much looking forward to wearing it when I take Aidan out in the stroller and when I go on my jogs. You add the little weights into the pockets of the vest to get the desired amount, up to 20 pounds. I will do my first walk with 10 extra pounds and see how that feels and take it from there.

When I was conditioning myself to trek the Annapurna Circuit 7 years ago, I put bags of rice into my small backpack and hiked up and down the hills of San Francisco. While it was a good workout it made my back and shoulders ache because the backpack was more of a book bag style backpack, not a hiking backpack with a hip and chest belt or a frame. This vest distributes the weight and that's one of the main reasons I wanted to get it. I'm so excited about getting it! Will keep you updated on my fitness progress.

Happy Birthday Baby

My baby turned 3 years old today. Well, yesterday if you consider that Bangkok time is 14 hours ahead of us, but to keep things simple, we're calculating his birth by the time zone we currently occupy. ;)

We actually celebrated Aidan's birthday on Mother's Day, 11 days earlier, over at Mom and Dad's house since that was the time we were going to be there, we thought we'd have his party then. So instead of confusing the poor guy making him think that he gets two birthday's this month, we're not really doing anything today. So here are some pictures from his celebrated birthday about a week and a half ago.






I bought him that little flute the previous day at a craft fair in town. It was only $1, but it was one of his favorite things! I felt a little guilty only spending a buck on my own son, but in the end, I was so happy with the enjoyment he got out of his flute. That was what I wanted for him anyway.



He got cupcakes this year and I splurged on cake and frosting mix from the natural foods section of the grocery store. They cost nearly 4 times what a Duncan Hines cake mix and frosting cost, but that brand tastes sooooo terribly sweet and almost chemically. This mix was very delicious and best of all, the ingredient list didn't take up half the box.



Aidan's grandparents got him:

• Cars feeding set (plate, spoon, fork, bowl and 2 cups)


• Swimming trunks


• Sandals


• Tee shirt

His Auntie Anne gave him a Target gift card and Golf got him that Totoro doll a few weeks ago. Aidan's always my little baby, but he's turning into a little boy!

Happy 4 Year Anniversary!

Golf and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary on Wednesday, April 30th. We went out to a Chinese seafood restaurant and the food was delicious. It was our first time to leave Aidan with someone other than my parents. He stayed with my friend of nearly 15 years, Carolyn. Thank you, Carolyn! Golf and I really enjoyed our date. Here's to many more years together, honey. Kiss kiss!!!