great adventures!!!

Adventure with Mirielle, and Aaron...we went to the deep woods of Ithaca, on a 4 and a half mile hike. It didn't sound too bad at first...

Then I saw stairs. Lots of them. Mirielle told me Don't Worry Mom, You Will Feel So Good When You Finish This Hike.

Mirielle said these were probably the last of them. Ha. At the top, they turned and there were MORE!

I was huffing. Couldn't talk much as we ascended. Hills and stairs. The gorgeous scenery wasn't lost on me though as I tried to keep my suffering to myself mostly, so Mirielle and Aaron wouldn't totally regret bringing MOM.

With Mirielle...

Lovely Mirielle.

I won't lie, going up those hills and stairs was...shall we say challenging? My heart was hammering. My legs were a little quivery. I was not thrilled. I had thought myself in better shape than that. Two old ladies breezed by, stopping to ask us which trail we took. Oh, they said, that one is hard. I said, "You mean there's an easier one?" Ha ha, they laughed. Only I wasn't kidding.

My despair was shortlived. I realized somewhere along the line that a few years ago I wouldn't have been able to even consider this hike.

This bridge marked the half-way point of our hike. 2 and 1/4 miles down, 2 and 1/4 miles to go. Straight ahead, across the bridge was a scenic lookout, up some stairs. Ugh. I thought about the miles I just hiked, and opted out. Mirielle and Aaron went, and I sat on a big rock in the woods looking at the falls...

.

The rock was cold, and I was in the shade. I soon put my jacket back on. I thought about how hard it was to just sit and do nothing. I consciously relaxed. I looked around and took some deep breaths. I had to go pee, and wondered if I could possible manage to go before anyone else came down the trail, but chickened out.

Mirielle and Aaron came back, and off we went...toward the car. Dang, it was a long way back. But I had changed my tune. I realized that I had made it halfway, and I would make it back. Thankfulness kicked in. Thankfulness that my knees were doing fine, that my legs were holding up, and the day was joyously beautiful. Thankful that my older kids included me. We plodded on, me looking forward to the bathroom since I had had a large coffee on the way (pumpkin spice coffee from Wegman's...)AND lots of water from my water bottle. Aaron talked about what we were going to have for lunch. My lunchtime is normally noon. I had a handful of sunflower seeds and a pear at noon. Not enough. We finally walked off the trail and found the restroom at 2:45. Almost three hours in the woods. Phew.

We had a snack in the car, a few seeds, some fruit, a bite or two of peanutbutter-on-rice cakes...

Then...into the city, and to Moe's. We had never been to Moe's. Aaron said it is like Chipotle, which I have never been to either. I got a salad with chicken and rice and salsa and olives and cukes...a basked of tortilla chips comes with each entree, and there is a salsa bar. I usually don't eat carbs like that, but hey, I felt like I could yesterday. I was ravenous.

Wegman's for bananas and pears and bread and milk and yogurt and: this Wegmans, being near Cornell perhaps? had a much bigger health food section. I got some coconut flour, finally! They were all out of almond flour though.

Home...ahh, nice to be home. I made sloppy joes for dinner, some fresh cauliflower, mixed veggies, green beans...then pumpkin ice cream for dessert. I had a small bit, just a scoop. I had to almost slap myself silly not to get up and get more. It was too good.

Well. There is a Dome event tonight, Paul and I were both signed up to work. So I decided to let Sonja, Jonathan, Charlotte Claire, and Camille skip school today, and have a sleepover in the little girls' room last night. I went in there and helped set up the beds...I snuggled on the floor between Jon and Char, and told stories...

Today they are here with me. They are snuggled on the couch, still chilled from their little escapade out on the deck...it started hailing like crazy, so they got winter coats on and went out and tried to collect bowls of it. Suri went too, so she is snuggled with them. I know, I know, no dogs allowed on the couch.

They have been busy today. Sonja K. was playing Wii Fit, Camille had a pile of dollies and was in her own little world, while Char and Jonny went around with the measuring tape, measuring everything.

We are going to make cookies today. I have confidence that I can keep my paws off them because I am going to try out a Paleo recipe, now that I have my coconut flour. Yay!!! It is a perfect day to bake, so cold and overcast and windy.

Paul and were supposed to work...but, enough people signed up that we don't have to!!! We like working at the Dome, but we also like being home. He texted me and said we are having a party tonight, he is bringing stuff for root beer floats.

My dear dear kids are now watching, "Jacob Two-Two". They are all relaxed and getting warm. I think it is time to bake cookies. We plan to play, "Just Dance 2" later...I will sneak my weights out here and dance and lift a little, get my work out in...

Because, I have decided to keep on keeping on. I loved my hike yesterday. I loved loved loved it. It is a suffering to exercise,to fit it in, and to keep going when there is other stuff going on around here, and to stay out of the junk food, and to limit my portions, to say NO to ice cream...but the benefits far outweigh those sufferings.

We are going to put the kettle on now for tea and cocoa, and decide what kind of cookies to make...Sonja votes for chocolate chip cookies with no chocolate chips, Jon wants oatmeal chocolate chip, Char wants pumpkin cut-outs, and Camille votes for oatmeal...I am also going to make my pumpkin cookies...yum!