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Level Forty-Five

In March, I hit level forty-five. It was the weekend after the state tournament, which was nice. For many years, my birthday was in the midst of the tournament. As much as I love hockey, a birthday during the middle of the tournament is not the most fun. Since we had no hockey games, I could celebrate it as I wished.

For my birthday, some friends, the Mayor, and I went to a puppy yoga class. It was heavenly. The puppies, mini-doodles, and shitzus were precious and so sweet. The combination of two of my favorite things—yoga and puppies—along with some of my favorite people, was the perfect way to spend my birthday. It was a calming and happy experience. I love it.

After puppy yoga, we grabbed lunch at Yard House in Mizner. Yard House is such a great spot. I love their appetizers, food, and drinks. Yard House prices its food and drinks quite reasonably, considering it’s in the middle of Boca Raton. After lunch, we headed to Total Wine and Target to pick up a few things for the evening. We finished the night with pizza with the Kennedys and the Minnesota State High School boys hockey championships. It was an amazing birthday.

In the lead up to forty-five, influencers and friends flooded my social media feeds with perimenopause reels, posts, and memes. Honestly, I found it not only to be a calamity of sorts, but also insulting. Why would I care about perimenopause if I’m not even middle-aged?! Oh, the sad realization that as a woman in my forties, I’m there hit me like a ton of bricks. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep that drove it home or the emotions that were all over the place. Whatever it is, I’m not here for it. More on the perimenopause in a later post.

2025 Goal Tracker:

  • Run a 5K: in training
  • Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
  • No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations): I made it into February and haven’t buckled!
  • Top performer at work: on it!
  • Travel: working on it
  • Eat to lower inflammation: in progress
  • Read daily: in progress. I’m reading Henry V, The Astonishing Triumphs of England’s Greatest Warrior King, by Dan Jones
  • Get out of debt: in progress
  • Financial independence: in progress

What is your favorite holiday? Why is it your favorite?

I love Christmas. We host our way, which means we’re not scattered all over the place. Or at least, we’re not usually scattered all over the place. I host a delicious brunch for family and friends. In years past, we played paintball after brunch. Now we nap and maybe head to Christmas dinner. I love Christmas!

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Fabulous

I had a fabulous weekend with the family. It was, however, a bit short. Oh, and there was the fact the Mayor’s Dexcom died and so did the replacement. We had to go bare Saturday night. It was a nightmare. I don’t think I slept at all. The Dexcom gives us security. We know if his sugar is off, the Dexcom will alert us. With no Dexcom to alert us, we were back to waking up in the middle of the night to make sure he was okay.

Our change of insurance precipitated the issue with his Dexcom. While my weekend was fabulous, I think we all know health insurance in the US is far from fabulous. BCBS will not approve the Dexcom prescription without prior authorization, despite the fact that he has an insulin pump with a noted type 1 diagnosis on file. It makes me wonder if they’d rather have us manage his condition at the hospital. Surely that can’t be the more cost-effective way to manage type 1.

We ended up paying cash for one Dexcom 7 sensor to tide us over until the authorization comes through. Unfortunately, our Walgreens didn’t have any on hand. Fortunately, Sean, the pharmacy tech assisting us, called around and found us one nearby immediately. While I’m usually quite tepid in my praise for Walgreens Pharmacy, yesterday they went above and beyond for us. We all breathed a collective sigh of relief once the Mayor was back on his Dexcom 7.

In between the continuous glucose monitor drama, the Hubby and I took the puppies for walks on Saturday and Sunday. The weather was perfect for it and the dogs were thrilled to go on an adventure. Saturday is an active rest day for me, so a nice leisurely walk with the dogs was on brand. Hopefully, it’s a habit we can maintain as the spring continues. It’s great for the dogs and it’s great for us.

2025 Goal Tracker:

  • Run a 5K: in training
  • Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
  • No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations): I made it into February and haven’t buckled!
  • Top performer at work: on it!
  • Travel: working on it
  • Eat to lower inflammation: in progress
  • Read daily: in progress. I’m reading She Wolves by Helen Castor.
  • Get out of debt: in progress
  • Financial independence: in progress

What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months?

In the next six months, our youngest will be graduating high school and concluding his youth hockey career. It’s odd to think about hanging up the hockey mom life after twenty-plus years of mayhem. Anyway, it will be a big adjustment for both me and my hubby.

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Say it Ain’t So

Say it ain’t so! My muscles are getting achy and my nose is getting stuffy. Does cold and flu season know I’ve got no time for this nonsense? I substituted my morning electrolytes (Nuun) with Emergen-C after spin. I did manage to complete both workouts, but it was hard. As a rule, I’ll work out as long as my symptoms are from the neck up. Once it hits the chest or stomach, it’s time to rest. Anyway, say it ain’t so.

Outside of the impending doom of incoming illness, I’ve spent my day recruiting participants and team captains for PurpleStride. I’m so excited that I’ll be able to attend the event this year, so I will be actively building a team while stewarding the other captains. Honestly, it’s extremely important to me that this event is successful as it’s a way for me to honor Debbie’s legacy, Today’s efforts have already born fruit, which is super exciting!!!

One thing I am so excited about is the Puppy Yoga place that opened in Delray. I don’t normally love the merchant ads on Instagram, but I was thrilled to see this one. The Mayor and I are going to take a puppy yoga class on my birthday, which I’m pumped for. I think my friend Alex is also going to join us, which will make it extra fun. The Hubby might even attend, if only to block the mayor and me from bringing a new puppy home.

2025 Goal Tracker:

  • Run a 5K: in training
  • Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
  • No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations): I made it into February and haven’t buckled!
  • Top performer at work: on it!
  • Travel: working on it
  • Eat to lower inflammation: in progress
  • Read daily: in progress. I’m reading She Wolves by Helen Castor.
  • Get out of debt: in progress
  • Financial independence: in progress

Are there any activities or hobbies you’ve outgrown or lost interest in over time?

I used to play the piano quite a bit, but I haven’t done so since I got married. I miss playing marimba and piano, but there’s not enough time in the day.

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Hump Day

It’s hump day! Today has been good so far. This morning I did a spin class as soon as I woke up. It’s a great way to get me fired up for the day. I’m not sure I ride as hard in the morning as I would in the evening, but getting the work in is still important. I will say drinking Nuun right after brushing my teeth does make my mouth pucker. I fell asleep on the couch after walking the dogs post-spin. Apparently, I needed an early morning nap.

For the first time this week, the phones have been good to me. I needed a solid production day, so I’m pleased. Also had a PPC meeting this morning, which is always great. I love my crew. I put together a more formal document to keep our business straight. It’s nothing fancy, but it will help us become more efficient. Hopefully, the phones will be kind to me for the rest of the day.

Last week I finished Kayla Itsine’s Beginner HIIT workout on the Sweat App. It’s eight weeks of workouts that gradually build in intensity and difficulty. This week I started week one of Kayla Itsine’s HIIT program (OG BBG workout.). It’s so tough, but it’s so good. The combination of strength and plyometrics is exactly what my body needs. Truly, it complements the cardio and yoga work I was already doing. Happy Hump Day!

2025 Goal Tracker:

  • Run a 5K: in training
  • Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
  • No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations): I made it into February and haven’t buckled!
  • Top performer at work: on it!
  • Travel: working on it
  • Eat to lower inflammation: in progress
  • Read daily: in progress. I’m reading  The Eagle and The Hart by Helen Castor.
  • Get out of debt: in progress
  • Financial independence: in progress

If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why?

Where does one even start with this one? I think we have a lot of ridiculous laws on the books. However, the one law I would change or create would be to institute term limits for Congress. Happy Hump Day!

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Check In

We’re finishing the first full week of February, so I thought I’d check in with my New Year’s resolutions. As I thought about them during my workout, I thought about how resolutions can quickly become meaningless. For me, this year’s resolutions were about committing to making myself and my life better. I do, however, miss those afternoon lattes.

My strength work today was brutal, so I had to give myself pep talks to get through it. I had to remind myself that the hard I’m doing is to make me better. Learning to persevere through the hard, brutal stuff like burpees with pushups, helps us persevere in other areas of life. I also felt immensely proud and satisfied when I finished the workout, giving it my best. In my formative years, I remember my parents being committed (they still are) to their daily walk. Seeing their commitment to their fitness and wellbeing has stuck with me.

2024 was rough, but 2025 is all about becoming a juggernaut. And by juggernaut, I mean the best version of myself. The schedule change has helped. I love getting up working out and then starting work. By the time my lunch hour is done, I’ve completed my workouts for the day. Once I’ve finished working for the day, I’ve completed all the items on my to-do list except for reading. I read every night, so that’s an easy checkmark on my to-do list.

Do you need a break? From what?

I absolutely need a break from 2025. In fact, I’m quite confident that I’m not alone in this feeling. The world is a scary place right now and life is tough. I think we’d all like to take a collective deep breath before rejoining 2025.

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Busy

It’s been a busy week. My schedule has been altered a bit due to appointments. Consequently, I took a few days off from the blog and my workouts. Fortunately, the appointments went well, but they were lengthy. One of the safety measures our endocrinologist office has instituted is rigorous education for new diabetes patients. Given that the Mayor is only 18, the Hubby and I have an active role in it.

Tuesday we met with the dietician and lead diabetes educator at the Mayor’s Endocrinologist office. It was a long appointment, but we learned a lot. We covered many topics revolving around nutrition, but also navigating life with the insulin pump and Dexcom. There was a lot of information, but it was super helpful. We have a good idea of what to expect next week when he gets the pump and a list of what to bring to said appointment. The new patient education culminates with a day-long symposium.

Due to the appointments, yesterday I had a Telehealth over lunch, I took my rest days this week on Tuesday and Wednesday. Today I would normally spin over lunch, but instead, I did a full body workout in the Sweat App. This also means I’ll have some workouts to log while I’m in Nashville this weekend. The Mayor and I will be packing tonight. He must bring synthetic insulins (long-acting and short-term) on this trip. By the time we go on our next trip, he’ll just be using one.

2025 Goal Tracker:

  • Run a 5K: in training
  • Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
  • No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations): 16 days in and I haven’t buckled!
  • Top performer at work: on it!
  • Travel: working on it
  • Eat to lower inflammation: in progress
  • Read daily: in progress. I’m currently reading Armadale by Wilkie Collins– so good.
  • Get out of debt: in progress
  • Financial independence: in progress

Where can you reduce clutter in your life?

The better question would be where can’t I reduce clutter in my life. That is to say, I think I can reduce clutter in every space of my life.

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Back To It

I’m back to it after a quick Sunday off. Man, oh man, are those one-day weekends short? This morning was pretty productive, but the afternoon, so far, has been forgettable. In fact, the afternoon has been the opposite of productive. Apparently, there is no payment method on Monday. I keep reminding myself that it’s a numbers game. So regardless of how great the afternoon has been this far, I will persist.

I worked Saturday afternoon. It was slow, but not too bad. The weather was a bit dreary Saturday, so working all day wasn’t terrible. Fortunately, Sunday’s weather was pristine. It was a little cool in the morning, but there was nary a cloud in the sky. Sunday’s weather was perfect. In contrast, up in Tally, Jake and Melly found their grass and roofs covered with a light dusting of snow.

We spent Sunday watching football and baking bread. Well, I started the sourdough bread. They’re currently finishing their second rise. Hopefully, they’ll be ready to pop in the oven as soon as I’m off work. They bake for forty minutes and will make a nice addition to our dinner tonight. I’ll be sharing the recipe on the blog tomorrow. It’s so simple and tasty. And now I’m back to it!

2025 Goal Tracker:

  • Run a 5K: in training
  • Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
  • No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations): 13 days in and I haven’t buckled!
  • Top performer at work: on it
  • Travel: working on it
  • Eat to lower inflammation: in progress
  • Read daily: in progress. I’m currently reading Armadale by Wilkie Collins– so good.
  • Get out of debt: in progress
  • Financial independence: in progress

Think back on your most memorable road trip.

I’ve been on some memorable road trips. Two that stand out are: our road trip through Norway and the road trip through the Mighty Five. Both road trips came with some of the most spectacular scenery I have ever seen. The company was pretty awesome on both trips as well. It was special to share the Norway trip with my parents, brothers’ families, my grandma, and my aunt’s family. The trip through Utah’s spectacular parks was something Jake and I will always share. I hope my kids look back on these adventures with Mom fondly.

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Winter

Well, winter made its appearance here these past two days. It was in the mid-forties when I walked the dogs yesterday. Inspired by the cool weather, I decided to channel a little Minnesota for dinner. Consequently, I baked a hot tator-tot dish. It’s as Minnesotan as pickle rollups and just as good. The Mayor was not buying it and made himself pizza instead. His loss!

Today started cold, but it’s warmed into the 70s. Thank God! I had to wear to sweatshirts when I took the dogs out this morning. When I took them out at lunch, no sweatshirt was needed. It’s perfect outside. This is the weather people move to Florida to enjoy. It’s amazing. Today’s weather is the perfect prescription for the winter blues.

2025 Goal Tracker:

  • Run a 5K: in training
  • Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
  • No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations):10 days in and I haven’t buckled!
  • Top performer at work: it’s been ten days, but so far so good
  • Travel: working on it
  • Eat to lower inflammation: in progress
  • Read daily: in progress. I’m currently reading Armadale by Wilkie Collins– so good.
  • Get out of debt: in progress
  • Financial independence: in progress

Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a youth. What became of it?

When I was born, my great-grandmother made me a quilt. It was my most prized possession when I was a child. It’s an item that if it were destroyed, there would be compensation adequate for its value. It’s priceless. As of right now, the quilt is upstairs in the closet. It will be handed down to the first granddaughter we have, so it will probably be in that closet for a while yet.

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Friday!

Yay for Friday! It’s the first Friday of the year and I’m here for it. I’ve only been back at work since yesterday, but two days is enough. Honestly, I can’t complain too much as the last two days have been chill and productive. Yesterday was a lot better, but today has been a bit slow. It does, however, feel good to get back into a routine.

Speaking of routine, I’m dipping my toes into the shallow end of the pool in the exercise space. I have a long and dramatic history of doing too much too soon with poor results. Consequently, I didn’t do the spin and strength double header I had planned for today. The doubleheaders can wait for next week. Fortunately, the full body Sweat workout was fire! It definitely got my heart pumping.

A little late, but still funny and accurate

After a break for holiday baking, I’m back on the sourdough train. I’ve stopped buying bread since I can pump out several loaves a week. I love bread, but there’s so much garbage in store-bought bread. For folks like myself and the Mayor, the garbage can increase inflammation and make managing our autoimmune disorders more difficult. This, however, doesn’t stop me from eating a Reese’s peanut butter cup. But I guess that’s what we call balance. Happy Friday!

2025 Goal Tracker:

  • Run a 5K: in training
  • Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
  • No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations): compliant so far
  • Top performer at work: it’s been one day, but so far so good
  • Travel: working on it
  • Eat to lower inflammation: in progress
  • Read daily: in progress
  • Get out of debt: in progress
  • Financial independence: in progress

What colleges have you attended?

I attended the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities campus for my undergraduate degrees. Where I earned a BA in Political Science and a BA in History. After I attended Purdue Global (aka Kaplan University) for my MBA because it was free and required for promotion. While I enjoyed the online delivery of my MBA, I can’t say that it had the same academic rigor as my undergraduate experience. Honestly, it was a bit of a quagmire. I don’t regret pursuing my MBA, but I feel I would have gotten more out of an in-person MBA program.

Our song of the day is Fame

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Blah

Blah, is there a better word to describe your first day back in the office after two weeks off? I mean maybe, but Meta would probably take down my post if I used it. I’ve been back at work since 8:00 am this morning with the picturesque view of my two monitors, laptop, and flat-screen television. Fortunately, the call volume and quality have been decent today, so I can’t complain too loudly. I am, however, exhausted.

Today is day two of no afternoon latte and what a terrible New Year’s resolution. I could go for a nice, hot latte right now. To be clear, my afternoon homemade coffee is still in play. I’ve almost finished it. Yet, here I am at the peak of exhaustion. I had hoped the lunchtime spin class would give me a boost, but nope. I guess being tired is just a constant state of being as an adult. Somehow I must have missed the warning on the lameness of adulting.

I had high aspirations for my time off, but I accomplished very little. At first, I was a bit annoyed with myself, but after the year we’ve had I decided to give myself grace. More than anything, I needed to rest, relax and reset. The to-do list, which is never-ending, could wait for the start of the new year and our return to routine. That’s not to say I did nothing as I still managed to knock some meaningful items off my to-do list.

So my blah day back to work also means the return to routine, which I crave. At this point in my life, I need routine. It keeps me disciplined and working on my goals. The Mayor’s all set for school, so no longer chasing labs, endos, or medical records is a big weight off my shoulders. The remainder of my to-do list is quite manageable. And with that, I’ll get back to it.

2025 Goal Tracker:

  • Run a 5K: in training
  • Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress
  • No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations): compliant so far
  • Top performer at work: it’s been one day, but so far so good
  • Travel: working on it
  • Eat to lower inflammation: in progress
  • Read daily: in progress
  • Get out of debt: in progress
  • Financial independence: in progress

Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?

I play with my puppies everyday. It’s just goofing around in the house or on our walks. We have a lot of fun.