Thursday, January 01, 2009

The Party's Over

I'm taking it slow, settling into the new year, after enjoying one of the most fulfilling Christmases EVER! We scaled Christmas back a bit this year and enjoyed it even more...who'da thunk it?

L totally surprised me with a Wii Fit! I really wanted one to help with my back problems, but I refused to pay scalper's prices of $129 and up. L actually found a Wii Fit for $10 over list price.

My Mii is now slightly pudgier, and I've discovered that I'm 8% "unbalanced". My Wii Fit age is only 3 years older than my actual age, so I guess I'm not doing too bad for an old broad. I've only been working with yoga, balance, and aerobics. I'll leave strength training for when I re-gain my "balance". I've already noticed an improvement in my back muscles, so I'd say my Wii Fit experience is a huge success!

Does anybody else have a hard time discerning the panda heads from the soccer balls in the Soccer Heading game? I'm also a total klutz at the Basic Step game. I just can't feel the rythm and must watch the other Mii's feet rather than the diagram. I'm always half a step behind. On the bright side, I'm great at the Hula Hoop and Ski-Jump games!

Z is totally thrilled with his Rock Band game for the Wii! What really amazed me is how much Z has gotten into Wii Fit! At first, Z sneered at the thought of a video game as a fitness aid. Now, he actually complains about sore muscles after he has a Strength Training workout, AND Z has a new-found respect for Yoga! Z's participation in the Wii Fit keeps both of us motivated...we simply MUST beat each other's high scores. Now if we can only get L to enroll in Wii Fit...

L has been happily saving the world with Lara Croft, and his spiffy new controller, in his new Tomb Raider game.

My parents' favorite gift was the 4-20 oz packages of arrowroot I ordered online for them. Arrowroot is a carb-free thickening agent that is highly recommended for diabetics. Nobody in our town sells arrowroot, so my Dad had eliminated meals that require thickening from his diet. In the past week, my parents have made both gravy and chow mein with the arrowroot...they're thrilled with the results!

Last night we pigged out with an amazing dinner of munchies...spinach dip, shrimp cocktail(Shrimp was on sale for $3.33/14 oz bag!), bacon-wrapped smokies, cheese, summer sausage, crackers and chips. L and I were asleep by 10:00, while Z brought in the New Year with his online buddies.

Today, L and I are enjoying our final day off until Memorial Day. We're ignoring chores while enjoying the afterglow of the holidays. We'll make up for our laziness this weekend, when we clear the roofs AGAIN! According to Wednesday's paper, this December has been the 3rd snowiest, and 9th coldest on record. Uffda!

15 Comments:

At 1/01/2009 11:51 AM, Blogger Jeannie said...

Happy New Year! I wish I'd been in bed early. Up way too late but still wandering at 3 and up up by 8

I need a nap already

 
At 1/01/2009 11:59 AM, Blogger Squirl said...

Happy New Year to you all!

The Wii Fit sounds really cool. Maybe I'll have to break down and buy one. I got to try Rock Band just before Christmas. That was a lot of fun, too.

I didn't make it quite until midnight either. Of course, it didn't help that I was starting a full blown cold. :-)

It's wonderful that you had such a great Christmas without much extra money. Makes me smile from my heart.

Enjoy your day today!

 
At 1/01/2009 12:46 PM, Blogger Wandering Coyote said...

Happy New year! That sounds like quite the feast. I had chips and crab dip, but it was enough! The Wii Fit sounds like so much fun. Now I kinda want one!

 
At 1/01/2009 2:36 PM, Blogger Sonja said...

Happy 2009! My Wii envy is growing... maybe we'll get one for Noah's first birthday (HAHAHA! Any excuse will do, I guess?!) (Also: totally kidding!).
I'm glad to hear your Holidays were so peaceful and happy. Our Christmas was complete mayhem... I will never NEVER never host the whole family again for Christmas, especially when it rains and everybody and their mother (almost literally) has to cram into our little house!

 
At 1/02/2009 4:10 AM, Blogger tweetey30 said...

Hiya there... I spent New Year working.. Yuckie.. It wasnt that bad though. busy but not as bad as they said it was going to be..

 
At 1/02/2009 10:52 AM, Blogger maeve said...

Sounds like you had a great holdiday! My friends just got the Wii and love it!! Tonight is my night for the goodies champagne!

Hope you back feels better, I can surly empthize, I have had surgery
and try to be goo to the poor ole thing!
maeve

 
At 1/02/2009 12:09 PM, Blogger Gardenia said...

Hey - I'm envious of your WII fit - - my daughter took their WII with them when she got married - Wii's are really incredible inventions!!!! Most of my back strengthening consists of the elliptical and now I can also walk, because most of the time my back is so much better.

Oh, I hear winter has been really rough all over - its even windier and a bit colder than usual down here - but I know you won't cry for me....:) My friend told me they were having a "category 3" equivalent in Cheyenne yesterday.

My winter stuff is waiting as well - I need to trim all the dead stuff back, trees, bushes, plants.

New job is cleaning "H's" plow so to speak - he is a walking zombie non-working hours. The snow birds (northerners who winter down here) are arriving and coupled with the holidays they've been working hard at the store - plus his shifts are nuts - one day he works 1 to 10, next morning is expected at work at 6 a.m.

I think everyone is working on being more fit this year - its always a challenge! Have fun with your Wii!

Christmas was scaled back here too this year - and it was nice, maybe nicer! Your snacks sounded good!

 
At 1/02/2009 1:36 PM, Blogger Gledwood said...

Hi I just dropped in via a mutual acquaintance...
I was slightly surprised they launched a product over here whose name also means "pee-pee" in colloquial language... those WII things are amazing though, aren't they. I want one!
Have a happy 2009 ;->...

 
At 1/02/2009 4:15 PM, Blogger tshsmom said...

Jeannie, I hope you got your nap! ;)

Squirl, I haven't tried Rock Band yet. Z is spending tonight at a friend's house, so maybe...
Take care of that cold!

WC, we had plenty of leftovers that we munched on yesterday too.

Sonja, LOL, we celebrate Christmas 300 miles from L's family. They always have WAY too much drama at Christmas for me. :(

Tweets, I worked Wednesday, but we had yesterday off.

Maeve, it seems that more and more of us have back problems. The doctor says that I could have surgery, but I'd lose some mobility. I'll suffer through it...for now. :(

Gardenia, I think the Wii is the best toy we've ever bought! It appeals to all ages and really brings the family together.

The rest of our snowbirds took off right after Christmas. Now we have even fewer customers. I wish they'd stay here and support our feeble economy. :(

Gled, maybe they meant to name it that way? I know I've almost wet my pants laughing when we play Wii. ;)

 
At 1/03/2009 5:53 PM, Blogger VV said...

Happy New Year! Glad you're having fun with Wii Fit. My son got the World Tour for Christmas and everyone's been playing with that. I've also been ignoring as much work as possible and taking it easy before going "back to work" seriously on Monday. Good luck with your back!

 
At 1/04/2009 1:32 AM, Blogger Cherie said...

Our universes continue to be parallel, Tshs, and I'm not surprised. This is our 'relax weekend' too and we're enjoying it! The tree will come down tomorrow and the house will return to normal which sounds heavenly.

I'm so glad to hear you had such a wonderful Christmas! We had a pleasant one as well, one that will continue to keep us lifted up for some time.

Now, about the Wii Fit. I bought one this summer and have lost 25 pounds (the girls have lost weight, too, as has Tom) without even trying. I Body Test balanced at Perfect on Thursday and Saturday. Perfect! I was shocked. I used to lean to the left but the Wii Fit taught me how to find my center and I notice the difference all the time now in my posture, the way I walk, stand, and sit. I am the ski champion and Advanced Step champ. I find the panda heads to be VERY annoying!! Grrr. But, I've actually received a perfect score on the beginning level of the soccer balls. The advanced still gives me fits. The ski jump is a blast and I am the BOMB at snowboard - no one can get anywhere near my scores. It's hilarious because here I am this fat, middle-aged mom and I snowboard like a kid - on the Wii. Yoga has calmed and stretched and relieved my pain so many times it isn't even funny! Very good for my moods, my reach, my spine, back, legs, arms, and everything.

Be encouraged to know that I regularly body test at at least 10 and often 15 or 22 years younger than my real age. If I get my normal age now I am depressed. Ha! You'll be surprised how fast you improve and how much better you feel.

Don't be afraid of the strength training. The one where you twist or do those arm extensions are wonderful and easy. They stretch you out and make you feel fantastic if you do them regularly.

I could go and on - oh wait, I am going on and on.

I'll stop. But know that I am excited that you have joined in the Wii Fit fun!! I look forward to sharing our experiences. (If we keep this up we may never need to be cut loose on that floe!)

[Side note: Cassie and Caroline have Lara Croft, too. Fun!! And please tell Z that my sons both enjoy the Wii fit, even the yoga, and so does Tom. He stretches out on it after work to keep his back limber and relieve the stress there. Our Wii board got quite a workout over the holidays - always some one doing some training on it. Almost needed a sign-up sheet! But the company's gone home so we are back to our regular routine. Boy this is a long comment.}

 
At 1/04/2009 8:25 AM, Blogger tshsmom said...

VV, we worked 4 days this week, but tomorrow it's back to the grind until Memorial Day. :(

Z won't let me sing on Rock Band...and they have Bon Jovi's Wanted Dead or Alive!! Hmph! ;)

Cherie, congratulations on the improved fitness at your house!! I hope that I can have similar results by this summer. The guys are actually working at increasing their BMIs...skinny buggers! *mutter, mutter*

My back has already taught me how important my center of balance is. I knew that I leaned right, as a result of favoring my left foot with the stupid wart on the ball of it! BUT, I had no idea that I was leaning slightly backwards too. Now that I've corrected this, I've noticed a huge difference in my back!

So far, the best score I've got on beginning soccer balls is 60. Z's a natural at this one, so I'll really have to work at beating him. I AM the champ of ski-jumping, hula-hoop, and tightrope walking though. I haven't opened the snowboard game yet, so I'd better keep working so I can play that one too. I bow to your prowess on advanced step! I don't think I'll EVER beat you at that one! Isn't it exhilarating when us fat old Moms beat the teenagers?

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

 
At 1/04/2009 1:00 PM, Blogger The Zombieslayer said...

I think the Wii was the best video game concept ever. Video games were making kids fat, and the Wii changed that. I see kids standing up and doing things, especially those Rock Star games and the Wii Fit. I think that's absolutely great.

As for Rock Star, I already play the guitar pretty well, so I like singing in it instead of playing guitar. I don't own it, but go over to friends' houses and play it and it's a blast. Love that game.

Oh, and I've always respected Yoga. I used to do it back when we lived in an area where it was only for rich people (it's like $100 a month here, no exaggeration).

 
At 1/04/2009 6:11 PM, Blogger NotClauswitz said...

Happy '09, so far so good! I went outside and did some guerrilla gardening today, pruning the plum tree.

 
At 1/08/2009 5:02 PM, Blogger Bridget Jones said...

Happy New Year (late though I am) indeed to all of you!!! Wii fit does sound fantastic but that food sounds even BETTER!!! Hope you get more days off with pay than you're expecting!

 

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