I really, REALLY want a Peloton bike

I'm NOT a fan of cardio.  Oh, I enjoy a nice walk outside when the weather is nice,  and sometimes a kickboxing workout is a really nice thing to do when I want to punch someone.  But give me a choice, I'll pick lifting weights any day.

But, I had an old JohnnyG spin bike.  Bought it several years ago.  I used it a few times, but the dvd workouts that came with it were, well, boring.  Or they were after a few uses.  So I didn't use the bike for more than a few months.  Oh, I used it a few times as a warm up for lifting, or as a cardio burst in between lifting sets.  But not for real spinning

Enter the Peloton app.   I signed up for it very early in Jan.  Then I didn't use it for a couple weeks cause well, winter blues and all.  And a few stupid snow storms and just well, lazy.

Then I used it.  OMG!  I really enjoy the workouts.  There are SO many to pick.  And they have beginner workouts that are short.  So even me, with my craptastic cardio capacity, can manage a good cardio workout, without feeling like I need CPR.

But now, I want the bike.

I mean look at this.  One of the doctors at the hospital where I work has one, and we were talking last night.  He was saying how much better it is getting the feedback right then and there using the screen. And it would be nice to be able to really follow the cadence they say, and all that.  My bike, I just guess cause I don't have all that feedback like that.

I will get a bike.  I will.

I've been going through a little of my makeup and stuff, and putting some listings on Poshmark.  Here's a link to my closet, if anyone wants to check out what I have for sale.  Some shoes, and makeup right now.  But as I go through my closet in the next few weeks, I will be posting more stuff for sale.  Might be some decent stuff for sale.

My Poshmark Closet

That's about it for now.  Time to maybe take a short nap.  Worked last night and didn't sleep enough. Then put some makeup on, and go film a video or two,

Low Sugar February What have I done?

So, I need to lower my processed sugar intake, again.  I do this a couple times a year,  get my processed sugar intake way down, maintain for a while, then get right back to eating shit again.  Repeat in a few months.  UGH!  Time to repeat again.  So in a day or so I'm sure I'm gonna be a little bitchy.  Pretty sure me not feeling the best was due to my reduction in sugar intake.  But I need to continue and press on, cause every time I do this, I do lose a little weight.   And cause I've been CHEATING big time in late Jan. my weight loss has stalled.  So low sugar it is.  I'll give myself treats a couple times a week.  That will allow for the movie candy I want when we go see movies once or twice a month.

I've done a couple Peloton spinning workouts this last month and I really enjoyed them. Ok, so I can only manage the 20 min beginner workout, but hey, better than being on my couch.  I need to get back to lifting weights, but its been SOOOOO cold which means its cold in my gym. It a converted garage bay so there is no insulation really, and the garage door isn't the best at keeping out cold.  But its warmer now, so its warmer and I will be going out there tomorrow, before work, and getting a  workout in.  I always feel better when I lift weights at least a couple times a week.

I did a video for my fitness  channel about creatine. Its a very interesting supplement I've taken off and on throughout the years.  Back on it after I did all my reading about it.  Here is it if you are interested.
All about Creatine

 Got to go back to work tomorrow.  I don't want to.  I never like Mondays cause well, that's when the ortho patients get knees replaced and I just don't like taking care of ortho patients.  Ortho surgery is NOT what I'm interested in at all.  But working in a small hospital, I don't get a choice.  Pretty much every kind of patient is for us to take care of.  Knee replacement, heart attack, flu, belly surgery, whatever.  We care for it all.   But I still hate caring for the ortho patients lol.

We've had warm weather in Iowa this weekend. To bad it was dreary, very very foggy and muddy AF.  So while I didn't freeze to death outside, I still didn't want to go outside.  Not like I could see anything cause it was so foggy.  Hubby and I had planned on going to Des Moines to get stuff at Costco, Aldis, Petco, etc up  there, but when we could barely see the neighbors house, we stayed home.  We'll try again on Wed.  Less people will be in the stores cause of course, they will be more people working.  He's retired, and I've got the day off.

I'm doing something on my Instagram this month.  A Makeup of the Day shot.  Here's a link to my Instagram if you are interested in seeing my Makeup of the Day.  Sometimes, it will be a bare face cause somedays, I just don't feel like wearing makeup.
Barbells and Beauty Instagram

That's about it for me today.  Not much else to say I guess.  Hope your week goes well.

Another week, another snow storm. UGH

This is getting very tiring.  More snow, more scooping, more piles of the white crap everywhere.  I really hate winter.  I hate snow. I hate driving in it.  I hate it when it melts and everything is a slushy mess for weeks.  I just hate it.

I started a new workout program. Its based on powerlifting, so there is a lot of deadlifts, squats and bench press, my favorites.  Now I'm soooooo sore today.  A little was scooping snow last night so we wouldn't have a 3 foot drift blocking our door.    But my legs, that's from the workout.  UGH!  The longer the day goes the worse its getting.  OMG!  I can't walk lol.

I have the BEST hubby ever.  It was my weekend to work this past weekend.  And of course, it snowed.  Yes, we've had two snow storms in the matter of days.  Well, hubby snowblowed for 3 hours so I could leave my driveway and get to work.  Then he woke up at 4 am on Sat so he could snowblow again so I could get back up our driveway and in the garage.  Is that just not the best thing EVER!!!  I have the best hubby ever, I think.

I've watched a couple of the Marie Kondo shows on Netflix, and its got me thinking about needing/wanting to declutter things.   I got this book of hers,

Plus ordered this one. Its been so popular its been on backorder for a while so I had to wait a little bit to get it.

Its going to take me a while. Mainly cause I want to read the books, feel like I understand the process, and then go slow.    And watch a few more episodes.  It took me a couple to get into the show and her personality, but its not bad now.   Maybe tomorrow I'll do just a little decluttering in my dressing room. That's where I have all my clothes, shoes, makeup  and purses.  I could stand to let a couple purses go.

I'll keep you all updated on how I'm doing with my progress.

Is it spring yet

I don't do well in the winter. Oh, I get use to the cold, I hate driving in snow but I drive slow and put it in 4wheel drive and get there ok.  Its the lack of sunshine.   I just get to feeling more down, more blah, more ugh.    In about a month, I'll be feeling a little better, but today, very blah
We had a snow storm yesterday and that's got me feeling UGH.  I think we got about 8 inches.  And now they are saying another might hit next weekend. Of course.  Its my weekend to work. Great.  I just "LOVE" driving in shitty weather.  So I hope they are wrong.  Cause I hate snow.  I really do.  I hate driving it in, I hate it clogging up the roads, sidewalks, the piles of it. And I hate when it starts melting and its a muddy sloppy mess for weeks.  I hate snow.

I've been sitting here today daydreaming of being able to cut back to part-time work.  That would be so nice. Have more time at home with Ron and the pets.  And then later this summer have more time with my grandbaby!  Ah,how wonderful that will be.

Odin is good.

I mean, look at this face!  He's a little stinker cause he CHEWS on EVERYTHING!  Except his toys, of course lol.  I will be very happy when he gets out of this phase.  I'm going to get him some chewy bones tomorrow,

Hitting Des Moines tomorrow.  Might get another new pair of Danskos, might get some clothes, might get some makeup(big shock right)  But I know I'll get healthy for me food.  I NEED to get back on track or I'm going to gain back the 5lbs I lost.  And I want to lose 35more not gain.    So I'm going to hit up Costco, HyVee and Aldi's tomorrow and maybe Whole Foods.    Time to start back making my smoothies with lots of veggies, eating my salads with supper, generally eating a little healthier.  And time to clean out the fridge.  Need room for all this healthy food.

I really should clean out my closets.  I am kind of running out of room for a lot of new clothes.  But I keep thinking I'll get around to losing 10lbs and maybe getting into smaller stuff I keep stuff.  UGH.

Odin finally fell asleep, after chasing him around several times getting emery boards, a cord for my phone, a bottle to help nail polish dry faster, and a couple other things out of his mouth. So I'm off to take a hot bath, and put a sheet mask on my face, and relax.  Maybe I'll even have a glass of wine.  Been a while since I indulged  in a nice glass of wine.

Some goals for 2019

Ok, I've been sitting here thinking about goals I want to reach in 2019.  Figured I might as well get them out here for everyone who reads my blog to know.

I'd like to blog more constantly. At least 3 times a month.  Once a week would be better, but sometimes I just don't know what to write lol.

I want to hit 400 subs on my YouTube channel.  I'm just under 350 so I think I could hit 400.  Maybe more, but I'd be happy with 400 subs.   Here's a link, in case you are interested. 
Barbells and Beauty

I want to lost 15lbs. Minimum. 25lbs would be better, but realistically, I'd be happy with 15lbs. 

I want to get to a 300lbs deadlift.  I got to 225lbs last summer, but slacked off.  I want to get strong and a 300lb deadlift will show I'm strong.

I want to cut back to part-time at work this summer. If things work out like hubby and I think they are going to, I'll easily be able to cut back to part-time in the summer.

I want  to be a kick-ass grandma!  I'm going to be a grandma this summer, and I want to be the best Grandma that I can be!  I had great grandmas, my sister is a great grandma, and I want to follow in their footsteps.

I want to play with more colorful eye looks.  Like this one I did today.

Kind of almost freaky, but doing it made me happy.  I'd never wear it to work, but I had fun doing it, and isn't that kind of the point of makeup?  Making whoever wears it happier? So I'm going to play around with more colorful looks, esp for my YouTube channel.



I want to buy a Peloton bike for my birthday.  This will happen, unless I decide spinning sucks and I hate it lol.  I signed up for Peloton streaming, and got my old Johnny G spin bike out.  I'll start next week.  If I enjoy spinning which I think I will with a streaming service, I'll reward myself with a new bike.

I want to pan at least 6 makeup products this year.  I've got one Project Pan I'm doing now, and another one I'll start with a group on YouTube in Feb, so maybe I'll reach my goals with these Project Pans I'm doing. 

These are just a few goals I've got.  But these are the big ones that I want to work on for now.  As I reach these goals, I'll make new goals and reach for them.

Well that sucked

So, I worked 4 12hr night shifts in a row, ok, I managed.  My last night was Christmas eve into Christmas morning.  I didn't sleep as much as I wanted cause most of the family was over, and I wanted to spend a little time with them. Of course I was tired, and a little grumpy cause being more of an introvert, I need alone time to recharge.
The day after Christmas, I was put on call,  which was amazing! One night off after 4 in a row is NOT enough.  Then sadly, I got called into work 1 hours later. UGH!  I was a little grumpy when I first got there.  We had just sat down to watch Bird Box, and 15 mins into the movie, the phone rings, and I have to go to work. UGH!

And I found out, that a nurse I liked working with, a very good nurse, quit.  There were problems with schedules, kids, but management didn't really do as much as they could have to help her out, so she got a different job, and left.  They lost a really good nurse.   I will miss her. 

Then there is Odin lol

  

He looks so sweet in this pic,

But he's really a little stinkier lol.  Housebreaking isn't going quite as well as I wish.  Its not horrid, but the weather has been rainy and crappy and no one wants to go outside to go potty.

But I think I'll keep him cause well look at that face!!!

Giving myself a few days to rest up and relax.  I'm thinking of the goals I'm gonna make for 2019.  I've got a couple, and I'll let you all know what I decide with my next blog.

Been in a funk lately.

And I mean a FUNK.  I've not wanted to do much of anything.   I've not blogged for a long time, I've even cut back on my YouTube videos.  I just don't know why.  I know some of it is winter is here and I hate winter, and I hate the lack of sunshine.  But some of it is other things.  I'm not feeling as satisfied at work thanks to management. We have had a HUGE turnover in the last  several months so what does that tell you?

And speaking of YouTube, my viewership is down. That freaking SUCKS ass.  I just don't know what to do to get my viewership up.  It makes me sad.  I want my channel to have at least a little success, and I'm doing backwards.  I just don't know.  I'm feeling a little discouraged with it.  I'd be ok if my videos were getting the same amount of views there were, but I'm getting 10 fewer views or even less, than I was back earlier this summer.   You can see how that would discourage a person. 

I guess my other big news is my new puppy.  Odin, a beagle puppy.  Here's a picture I saw at the breaders that helped me decide to get him.
 

I have a YouTube video introducing him.  Here it is.
Meet Odin
Hope you enjoy it. 

I've also manged to lose5lbs here in the last couple weeks.  Considering I went up 6lbs, I'm happy to get rid of 5.  I'm feeling ok about it.  I'm starting to see the scale going down, and my bras are feeling better, so that's a very nice thing.  Esp this time of year when everyone brings cookies, candies, etc to the nurses station. Really people can you maybe bring some fruit or something?

I think in the new year, I'm going to get back to bullet journaling.  I did it a little bit last year, but slacked way off.   I think it really did help me track fitness, mood,  eating all that stuff.  I'm going to check out bullet journal videos and figure out what  I want to track.

Guess that's all for now.  Maybe I'll be blogging more since my funk is some better.