Friday! I am happy, are you? I was ready for the gym after having a protein drink.
| Exercise | Set/rep/weight | Muscle worked |
| Barbell Squat | 3 sets of 12 at 55# | Lower Body |
| Wide Grip Lat Pull Down | 3 sets of 15 at 45# | Back |
| Lying Chest Fly | 3 sets of 15 with 10# DBs | Chest |
| Reverse Crunch | 3 sets of 15 | Core |
| Standing single-leg calf raise | 3 sets of 10 each leg with 35# bar | Calves and balance |
| Bent lateral raise | 3 sets of 12 with 12# DBs (24# total) | Shoulders |
| Good Mornings | 3 sets of 12 at 55# | Low back and hammies |
| Alternating side lunges | 3 sets of 10 (each leg) with 15# DBs (30# total) | Lower body |
You know, my abs were still sore from the incline situps I did on Wednesday! That is an awesome move. Or I need to work my core harder. Not sure which.
Zipped home for breakfast. Last year I was riding to the gym in the morning because it was just warm enough. Not this year! Still in the teens overnight. Booo…
Breakfast was so yummy. I had some Wheatena that I added some egg whites to. Topped with a banana sauteed in a tsp of butter and cinnamon and some of that yummy coconut butter. With a side of cafe au lait.
This was tres delicious!
For those curious, this bowl has 385 calories in it.
I then got to work – at home! I am returning home to work. But not for the new company. I thought I had 2 options: Work for new company at home or work with old employee at the office. Since I was in the office, I spoke quite a bit with the owner this week.
A little background here: There are 250 transcriptionists employed by my company, so it is not a huge company in terms of the MT world, but big enough so the owner usually doesn’t talk to the individual MTs (we go through managers). No MTs work in the office, all are at home. The owner is incredibly nice and she wanted to make sure I was happy working in the office before making me an official employee rather than a contractor. She put me on more accounts so I had work, which was the only reason I was leaving the company (other than more pay being offered to me) As you know, I was very conflicted about this and talked to her.
Well, lo and behold, she offered that I could go back home, but with a big raise so that I wouldn’t leave her company. Of course I leapt at that opportunity! I am going to be making more money than the new job would have offered, plus I can keep my schedule flexibility instead of working from 2 to 10 with a weekend day like I would have. Funny – all I had to do was go to the top to get this figured out. It never hurts to ask. I am over the moon now and this company has my complete loyalty for a long time to come (at least until I start my donut/bagel shop haha!). 
Working at home meant no lunch packing and no eating out of containers today. I brought tuna back for another go ’round this week. 🙄 I did lemon pepper.
On side side is my new favorite evening snack (yes, I realize it is lunchtime). I mix canned pumpkin with cinnamon and topped with toasted pecans and tablespoon of cream.
This tastes so good! My tongue is very used to nonsweetened stuff now and I can taste the natural sweetness of the pumpkin. Libby’s brand must have some special pumpkin they grow because it tastes different than other brands. (I can’t believe I am a canned pumpkin connoisseur, but there you go).
Afternoon break and I had something I haven’t had for 3 days!
See the happy lady? I keep waiting for something weird to happen and I will be unemployed come Monday. That’s because we tend to have some unfortunate luck.
Dinner time! I had some BBQ chicken with sauteed brussel sprouts.
Those strawberries are standing at attention! They were so good. I need more…
To celebrate the homecoming, John and I are out for coffee (decaf)!
We might even go over to the mall before it closes. Gotta live it up!
Oh, and we passed our permit inspections, so work will progress on the half bath this weekend!
Question: What is your favorite way to eat pumpkin?
Congrats on the approval to continue with your bathroom AND for the raise! It’s always nice when decisions make themselves. 🙂
As for pumpkin, the only way I like it is in beer, haha.
Have a great weekend Lori!
I like pumpkin beer, too! I love pumpkin anything 😀
Here’s hoping for warmer weather soon, right?
Congratulations on the job! That is an awesome deal.
Wow congratulations! Im so happy for you and this GREAT new job opportunity. Looks like this employer knew it would be a mistake to let you go. I wish you the best!!!! 😀
What a great day! Congrats, Lori!!!
Well YAY!!! How wonderful that this worked out so well for you!!! Good thing to remember…sometimes you just have to go to the big boss. Very nice about the raise, too…those cupcakes aren’t free! 😉
Also, congrats on passing the permit inspections – things really have gone well in Casa Radiance this week – much deserved, too!
Yes, it feels good to have some good things happen!
The happiness is radiating out of this post! And I am happy for you. The pumpkin dish sounds so good. Would you share your ratios of each item in the dish? Have a great weekend Lori!
I use 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin, a bunch of cinnamon (I never measure that, but I always use a lot), 5 toasted pecans crumbled, 1 tablespoon of cream.
You may want to add some stevia or splenda if you want it sweeter. It’s about 150 calories for the bowl and a very satisfying evening snack (or lunch side 😀 )
New reader de-lurking. I like to make pumpkin cookies. The turn out more like little cakes. The kids even like them!
I am SO HAPPY for you. Employers know when they have a reliable hardworking employee and don’t want to lose them. Sometimes the reliable hardworking employees don’t realize their worth. I’m glad too because I was worried about that outside food having a bad influence on you LOL.
That pumpkin snack looks good and EASY too. I am a little afraid I would get carried away with the cream. That is one of my old habits–pouring a BUNCH of it over strawberries… I’ll have to think of a variation on that.
Yes, I have to measure the cream because I would be pour happy!
Yay! Glad you found a solution for the job dilemma.
What is the alternating side lunge?
This is a video for the side lunge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvKv3yuexDI
The thing I do differently is that I use 2 dumbbells and hold them on the top of my thighs.
You really do inspire me. I am in a rut and plan on getting out of it. I have set a few new goals and staring on my blog this Monday. One of them is taking pics of what I eat. I need to try some of your recipes!!:)
It’s surprising how accountable you are when you take pictures of food.
Congratulations! It never hurts to ask, does it? In Dutch they say: “You already have a “no”, you might be able to get a “yes”.”
Congratulations on getting such a happy making job arrangement! I had pumpkin ale with a cinnamon sugar rim at a pub and it was fantastic, but because spring is here, pumpkin isn’t on the top of the list of flavors I’m craving.
Congrats, Happy that you can work at home and make more money!!!!
Congratulations on scoring an even better job opportunity than you thought possible!!!
Glad the inspection went well and that reno work can keep on moving!
Have a fabulous weekend!
Lori, I am sooooooooooooooooooooo happy for you! I bet Pixie is happy too.. well, John too! ;-)Good for you… good things happening to good people!
Curious with the food plan change – will you do a blood test to see how it effects your numbers like cholesterol & stuff like that with the more fat.. just something I am curious about & no insurance here so.. and you will have insurance again, right? 🙂 I always wonder about this.
Well, I am not worried about my cholesterol numbers. Eating cholesterol does not actually make your cholesterol go up, oddly enough. I should talk about this as a blog topic because it is quite interesting.
Lori what a fantastic news! I’m so happy for you! Good thing you’ve asked! Like Amy already said, in Holland we use that saying a lot.
I hardly ever eat pumpkin, it’s not as popular here as it is in the USA.
Awesome results with the job! Basically, you’re having your cake and eating it too! Without all that pesky sugar! 🙂 Well played, Lori!
Libby’s is the only pumpkin I buy, but 3 or 4 cans a year is all I use. Mostly I stir it into yogurt or bake with it. I keep saying I’m going to try the pumpkin oats, but so far I haven’t.
Congrats on the wonderful job offer!
Hip hip hooray about how the job situation worked out. I love pumpkin spice muffins.
Oh I would for sure go with the home option HOORAY!
I would eat pumpkin off a dirty floor if I had to. I love it that much 🙂
Congratulations! It all worked out. I’m so happy for you.
My fav. way to eat pumpkin, as I blush, is pumpkin pie. 🙂
That’s wonderful news, Lori! Congrats! And that means more Pixie and garden pictures for me…tee hee! 🙂
It’s funny what we get by just asking 🙂 I am happy it worked out for you. I tried the one legged dead lifts and I was able to do it on one leg but not the other. The stability on my right leg does not seem as strong as my left so I guess I will be sticking to 2 legged dead lifts. I am usually happy with any exercise involving legs. Enjoy your week working from home. 🙂
How awesome is that? Congratulations!!
Congrats on the job! That’s fabulous.
pumpkin chocolate chip cookies all the way!!
awesome news on the job!
SOOO happy for you that all has fallen into place, Lori.
So glad.