the HEAT!

So, it is officially HOT here! Of course, I suppose it should be since we are subtropical and all, but MAN! It's been in the 90s now for around a week and Story Time days are really the worst because we are outside around noon. The other days that we are out, it's earlier, so we're usually in by just after noon. We didn't get home today until right around 1pm. Seriously, I've actually gotten a burn in the SHADE! Isn't that crazy!? Ok, so maybe you remember me as having pretty fair skin, so that's the explanation. But I have a friend who is olive skinned (from the middle east) and SHE burned after sitting in umbrella shade for a few hours. So, I'm trying to be really careful about hydrating the girls and myself. It's not always easy to carry enough water, though. *sigh*

My walking time is still drastically cooler than the mid-day, but it, too, has heated up seriously. I try to leave at 7pm because by the time I'm getting home the breezes are REALLY great and it has, until now, been really pretty cool. It was not cool when I got home last night! It wasn't miserably overhot (like today) because the breezes from the ocean are GREAT, but the girls certainly don't need a blanket of any kind anymore, either!

So, thus far this week I've walked twice. Tuesday for 85 minutes and Wednesday for 86 or 87. Recently a friend of mine told me that her trainer informed her that working out for more than 20 minutes has been shown to offer little benefit. And that intervals burn more fat than a constant fast walk. Well, as far as the latter is concerned, I totally believe it. But where a fat girl is concerned, I do NOT believe that I should only exercise for 20 minutes of intervals a day! I know that the long walks I take are benefiting my body AND MORE! 20 minutes of intervals would be a good starting place for someone who is my size and all, but I am certain that doing 30+ minutes of intervals has awesome benefits for one as fat as me! Not only have I actually lost weight while preggie, my temperment has become much MUCH more moderate... I feel calmer, happier, and significantly more peaceful. I believe that these results come from the exercise and faith. The one would help, but the other completes the package (and vice versa). I believe Father wants us to work like it all depends on us and pray like it all depends on him... and when we do the two together, things work out! Thus my life now! ^_^

Jess rides his bike to his morning job, which is only about 5 blocks away. But he also has to ride it home at 2pm. It sure is HOT! But, driving wouldn't really be better because the van would sit in the heat to be nice and steamy for the short ride home. AND it would be rediculous to spend gas $$ on such a trip (unless heavy rains required it). We aren't getting much rain here. Probably we'll have more wildfires before too long... it's just turning into a tinderbox around these parts.

Oh, we are officially a single vehicle family again. Jess sold the car for $200, which is about what he put into it as he was trying to get it functional again. We're also saving more and $130 on insurance. Since I really don't drive much at all, we probably will end up ahead on spending even with Jess driving the van to and from the Club. All in all the car was a wonderful vehicle for us, but it really was time to allow it to give up its ghost. Jess couldn't deal with the water pump repair, which is what he figured was the last problem he encountered. While I would love to have another vehicle for the convenience, I really felt from the moment the car broke this time that it was time to use just one vehicle again. And that's not what I felt every other time we encountered a problem prior to this. So, it's all going to work out just fine, I'm sure.