TeamW

A little of this and that . . . SPN, music, pets, funny stuff, baseball & more.

[jlwatts99]

Day 7 

We made it to Friday!  This has been the longest, most exhausting week of doing ‘nothing’. I wasn’t really prepared for the emotional energy that went into this week.   I think because there is no resolution and things keep changing/getting more restricted. The inability to truly work has been weighing on me a lot too. 

I don’t really care if people know my Crohn’s diagnosis or that the…

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Cole's drone footage of Blue River, CO

Cole's drone footage of Blue River, CO Cole flies his DJI Phantom 3 above Blue River, CO.

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Currently loving – rolling out on Spring Break 69/365 #cy365 #mustangsally #popupcamper #teamwatts365 #teamwatts Currently loving - rolling out on Spring Break 69/365 #cy365 #mustangsally #popupcamper #teamwatts365 #teamwatts via Instagram

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With you in spirit, @womensmarch! Sending love and a huge Thank You to everyone hitting the streets! (Cole stole my hat and I’m not even mad about it!) 21/365 #womensmarch #lovetrumpshate #cy365 #teamwatts365 #offprompt #teamwatts With you in spirit, @womensmarch! Sending love and a huge Thank You to everyone hitting the streets! (Cole stole my hat and I'm not even mad about it!) 21/365 #womensmarch #lovetrumpshate #cy365 #teamwatts365 #offprompt #teamwatts via Instagram

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My personal chefs made me brunch! #chefcolio #yum #chickenandwaffles #brunch #teamwatts #fromscratch My personal chefs made me brunch! #chefcolio #yum #chickenandwaffles #brunch #teamwatts #fromscratch via Instagram

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Get in the picture — Sunday night movie night with my boys 8/365 #cy365 #movienight #rogueone #teamwatts Get in the picture -- Sunday night movie night with my boys 8/365 #cy365 #movienight #rogueone #teamwatts via Instagram

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My One Word for 2017

Coming into 2017, I fell into the typical “New Year, New Me!” trap of attempting to come up with resolutions.  But like every year, I wasn’t invested and knew that in a month, or less, those resolutions would be forgotten.  Nevertheless, I wanted to do something to signify the beginning of a new year. So I started a Capture your 365 (CY365) photo project, I got my bullet journal back out and…

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Overlooked – we sit in front of this hutch every day and don’t see the history it holds. 4/365 #cy365 #teamwatts365 #familyhistory #hutch #overlooked #teamwatts Overlooked - we sit in front of this hutch every day and don't see the history it holds. 4/365 #cy365 #teamwatts365 #familyhistory #hutch #overlooked #teamwatts via Instagram

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For all it’s craziness, 2016 gave us some great times – ready to see what 2017 holds! #2016bestnine #readyfor2017 #teamwatts For all it's craziness, 2016 gave us some great times - ready to see what 2017 holds! #2016bestnine #readyfor2017 #teamwatts via Instagram

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Happy New Year from the Watts! #teamwatts #happynewyear #readyfor2017 Happy New Year from the Watts! #teamwatts #happynewyear #readyfor2017 via Instagram

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For Christmas 2016, we continued our new tradition of taking a trip.  This year, we opted for a location where we could incorporate our new hobby Scuba.  We are keeping our Christmas trips stateside, so The Florida Keys won.  There are other places to scuba in the US, but I preferred someplace warm, with w  arm water, for my first real scuba experience.   Our base of operations would be Key Largo, with the entire Keys at our disposal.  Bring on the sun, salt, and sand!!

(Grandparents knocked the gifts out of the park so they weren’t lacking in gifts😀)

Day 1:

Our travel day started bright and early at 5:00am.  We were half way to Love when we got our first delay notice. By the time we got to the airport, winter storms in Ohio had delayed our flight a good 3 hours.  While annoying and boring, we didn’t have anything scheduled that first day, so we were able to wait it out with minimal stress.  Others on our flight were not so lucky.  There were multiple families in danger of missing cruise ships.  I was very grateful to not be dealing with that scenario!  (As far as we know, most were able to make their cruises on time! Whew!)

We made it to Fort Lauderdale in time to stop at Divers Direct to get some needed dive gear, most importantly:  wet-suits.  Trying on wet-suits is a bit of a workout.  They are also not the most flattering garment, so I wasn’t terribly excited about them.  however: since I won’t even get in our swimming pool when the water is below 80°, the wet-suits were a must.  I soldiered on and found one that looked decent and would provide me with some extra warmth.  Score!

We made it to our hotel and discovered that we were just in time for a local Boat Parade.  People deck their boats out with Christmas lights and music and line up in the bay for a parade.  It was pretty neat, some were really impressive.  I was bummed that my pictures didn’t turn out very well, but you get the idea.

    The best part of getting to Florida and our hotel, was the temperature.  As temps were falling at home, we were set at a warm 78°!  Perfection!  I couldn’t resist making sure people at home knew about it too :)

  Adventures in Scuba – The Florida Keys edition

Day 2 started with a lot of nerves.  We had the morning to play but at 12:30 we were getting on a boat to scuba.  The plan was for Cole and I to finish our certification dives and then enjoy whatever time was left to explore.  Things got off track with a phone call around 10am from our dive master.  While the weather was beautiful, the winds on the ocean had swells up to 6 feet.  This information set into motion a roller coaster ride of a morning.   The news of ‘no dive’ was met with mixed emotions from Cole and I.  The rest of our crew, (Jason, Jalyn, and Grandma) didn’t have that issue, they were just majorly disappointed.  The mixed emotions on our part involved disappointment, relief from the anxiety of having to do the certification dives, and uncertainty on what this meant for the rest of our trip.

Jason is not one to be deterred from a goal, so he set off to verify the information, find alternatives, and/or talk our dive master into another location, etc.  A look at dive site weather info and a talk with the dive center in the hotel confirmed that the waves were indeed too high to safely go out.  Disappointment set it, along with questions regarding when we could try again, when were we going to get to Key West, and when would we do our certification dives.

A few phone calls between Jason and the dive master later, we had a new plan.  While the ocean was off-limits, there was a lagoon available for us to use for the certification dives.  Jason, Jalyn, and Grandma would also be able to get in and dive around a bit too.  This new information sent Cole and I on a new spin on the emotion roller coaster.  Dive anxiety started to climb.

We had most of our gear still out, waiting for us, so it didn’t take long to get ready to go.  We met Dorsey at the dive shop, filled out some paperwork, took a review quiz, tried on gear, and were on our way to the lagoon.

Once there, we filled out more paperwork and began the process of ‘kitting up’, or getting our gear together and on.  Once we had our gear on, air checked, and were ready to go – we got in the water.  Even with the wet-suits, the first step in was a chilly one. Thankfully, between the wet-suits doing their job, and all our attention being on the tasks at hand, I didn’t think about water temperature again.

The lagoon checked the box for a place to dive, but it wasn’t ideal.  With the ocean being off-limits, there were a lot of people trying to work in dives in this little lagoon.  That made the water very murky.  There were times when I couldn’t see Cole even when he was right in front of me.  The limited visibility added another layer to our diving anxiety. We were also going at a pretty quick rate to ensure we got as much done as possible before the lagoon closed for the day.  All of these factors made equalizing my ears trickier than usual.  It also lead to a couple of nose bleeds.  While I didn’t notice them, Cole said they were pretty gross.

While Cole and I completed our open water certification dives, the rest of the gang spent the time exploring the lagoon.  Being new divers, they also found the murky water hard to navigate but gained experience and problem solving skills.

All in all, even though it wasn’t the best experience; we were all able to dive, Cole and I got the majority of our certification dive tasks done, and gained some experience in dealing with weird conditions.  Not too shabby.

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That night we went to The Fish House for dinner.  As pretty big “Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives” fans, one way we choose restaurants is by seeing if Guy Fieri had been there.  The Fish House came recommended by both Guy Fieri and Bobby Flay so we knew that was our spot.  The fish was just okay but the Coconut Shrimp and the Key Lime Pie were to die for.  So good!

Road Trip to Key West

Day 3 had us road-tripping to Key West.  There is quite a bit to do on a drive through the Keys.  We started early and after breakfast we hit the road.

We had a plan of stops to make, but ended up driving past most of them :(  Everything is done by mile marker but we weren’t very good at paying attention to them.  Oops!

Our favorite was at Mile Maker 77.5 – Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada.

This stop was recommended by almost every one and it did not disappoint.  We got there before most of the kiosks and shops had opened but that was okay since the one thing we wanted to do, was open.  To feed the tarpons, you buy buckets of bait.  Being unfamiliar with big fish, i had envisioned a bucket of worms or maybe even minnows, nope – there were decent sized fish in that bucket.  The guy selling the bait also gave us a long fishing net/pole to shoo off the pelicans.  We had so much fun!  The boys loved it.  Definitely a ‘must do’ if you are in the area.

We also stopped at Big Pine Key to try to get a glimpse of the endangered Key Deer.   It ended up a bit of a wild goose chase, driving down back roads, residential areas, and searching for the No Name Pub, but we eventually saw 2 deer resting in the shade of a house.  We also found the No Name Pub, but they weren’t open yet.   On the way back to the hotel that night, we saw another tiny deer from the road.

Once we arrived in Key West, our first destination was food.  Instead of finding one place to an entire meal, we opted to do a sort of pub crawl, dipping into different restaurants/pubs for appetizers and beverages.  This way were able to experience more of what Key West had to offer.

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As we worked our way down Duval Street toward the Southernmost Point, we shopped, looked for chickens, and ate/drank.  After taking our picture as close to Cuba as we could get, we started our way back up to Mallory Square.

We stopped at the Key West Lighthouse and Keepers Quarters Museum.  The views from the top of the lighthouse were amazing!

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Our time in Key West ended with a beautiful sunset.

    Scuba and Snorkeling

Day 4 was set to be another day of scuba.  Our boat was to go out early and weather looked good.  Things were looking up!  The mood of this dive day was excitement all around.  Cole and I only had a couple of things left to check off for certification, so the majority of the dives would be free of that stress.  It was also Jason’s birthday, so that added a festive mood to the day.

We got to the dive center at 7:45 and were on the water by 8:30!  The ride out to our first dive site,  Benwood wreck, went by so fast.  We spent the time putting on our wetsuits and getting dive gear ready.  Once there, we shuffled our way to the edge, took our giant stride, and began our adventure.

Unfortunately, Benwood was shy and did not want us to see her that day.  Once again, even in the ocean, we were struck with poor visibility.  We couldn’t see more than 5 feet in front of us.  Not good when you are trying to look at fish and wrecks.  We spent enough time under water to finish off our certification and be able to log the dive, but otherwise, it was a bust.  This damped our excitement a bit, but we had high hopes for our 2nd location.

We arrived at Molasses Reef ready to see some fish!  As soon as we got in the water and were able to look around, we knew this dive would be better.  You could see!!

We followed our dive master around as he took us on a tour of the area.  We saw fish, a lobster, barracuda, and more.  This was the experience we had been hoping for.

Alas, our dive ended way too soon, as Jason started to run low on air.

For our two short dives, we had each used 1 tank so we were thinking we had another dive ahead of us, but it wasn’t meant to be.  Our 2 dive charter, was for 2 dives – no matter the length or quality of the dives, or how much air we had left.   This left us pretty bummed.

Luckily, Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park was just up the road.  While we couldn’t scuba again, we could snorkel!  And snorkel we did.

Because we were in the water longer, we were able to see so much more than during our scuba dives.  We saw so many different fish, a sea turtle, and Cole even saw a shark!

While the scuba wasn’t what we had expected, we learned a few very valuable lessons regarding our skill level, what to look for in a dive master, and things to clarify before the dive.  Our inexperience left us feeling a little taken advantage of and now we know how to ensure that doesn’t happen again.  Plus we did get to breathe underwater for a while, so I’ll call it a win!

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  Happy Birthday Jason!

  Miami

Our last day was spent eating some amazing muffins at Harriette’s Restaurant and then hitting the road back to the airport.  We stopped in Miami to eat some Cuban food and set foot on Miami Beach.  It was a low-key travel day, my favorite kind.

I wasn’t kidding about the muffins.  We had the Key Lime, the Chocolate Key Lime, and the Double Chocolate Chip.  Heaven. The Key Lime muffin might have been the best thing we ate.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Finally, we closed out our Christmas trip 2016 by putting our toes in the sand one last time.   It was a beautiful day to end a wonderful trip.

  2016 was a pretty great year for Watts travel – can’t wait to see where 2017 takes us!

Watts Take the Keys For Christmas 2016, we continued our new tradition of taking a trip.  This year, we opted for a location where we could incorporate our new hobby Scuba. 

[jlwatts99]

Squeezed in a family photo before Operation Christmas Take Down commenced! #byechristmas #teamwatts Squeezed in a family photo before Operation Christmas Take Down commenced! #byechristmas #teamwatts via Instagram

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We are the Watts and we need a Clean Intervention

We are the Watts and we need a Clean Intervention

For a long time, we employed the services of a housekeeper.   It was beautiful.  The house was clean, we had that time back, and a quick pick up would get us back to good.  Then, on a dark and cold day, we decided to stop services.  We were making budget cuts and cleaning the house was something we thought we could stay on top of ourselves. Now, we aren’t the most spotless of people.   We have…

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Night swim #fallintexas #saturdaynight #teamwatts Night swim #fallintexas #saturdaynight #teamwatts via Instagram

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Parenting Hacks (that really work)

Parenting Hacks (that really work)

As we all know, parenting is no walk in the park.  Thankfully I have learned a few things, or hacks, as the boys have gotten older.  Things that make my life easier and simultaneously help them get ready for adulthood.  Win Win!  (the boys aren’t quite so sure of their win, but they will be!)  While most of them were learned the hard way, some we learned from other parents, and others were eureka…

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I’m at the end of the 21 day challenge and thought I’d update everyone on how it went.  This challenge was good for me in that it was simple to follow, not too restrictive, and had workouts included.   It also got me off the couch and paying more attention to the things I was eating/drinking.  It wasn’t so great for me in that there was meal prep involved and because willpower isn’t my strongest muscle.   It fatigues really quickly and has a hard time bouncing back.

As I said in I’ll Miss You Couch : my hope was: if I’m paying for it, there is someone holding me accountable, and I have Jason in my corner, I can make it through these 21 days and come out on the other side healthier, fitter, and more confident in a bathing suit.

A challenge is called a challenge for a reason, so I started strong and did really well on both the food and exercise portions for the first 7 days.  I even forego all the yummy baked goods Cole and Mimi made.  Then life started to creep in.  The meal prep was the first thing that got me.  I was not good at cooking my protein the weekend before or even the night before.  I did great with all the things I could grab out of the fridge and throw in – like the Greek yogurt, almonds, protein shake, and even broccoli or spinach.

That protein got me every time though and by not having the protein ready to go, I made one of 2 choices.  1. I just skipped the protein and made do with the rest.  2. I ate something not ‘diet approved’.   Neither one of those choices was the best.  If I made choice #1, I ended the day fatigued, crabby, and with lots of cravings.  If I made choice #2, I spend the rest of the day frustrated with myself, knowing I wouldn’t get the results if I didn’t follow the plan.

Exercise went well until I forgot that I’m getting old and tweaked my back.  Not wanting to truly injure it, I took things easier and forewent the strength training, focusing on light cardio instead.  I knew I wouldn’t be able to get the toning and definition I wanted, but I was able to continue to limit my time on the couch.

Even with my missteps, I still managed to lose a few pounds and inches by the end of week 2.   Week 3 started with making an effort to do better.  Unfortunately, my effort fell a tad short.  I finally figured out a way to stick to plan for breakfast, snack, and lunch.  The afternoon snack and dinner, not so much.  I’m not a creative cook (or eater for that matter), so boredom started to become an issue.  With boredom, came the cravings for my favorites:  pizza and Taco Casa.  Then came the need for that glass of wine at the end of the day.  (Summer bored kids don’t help with that either).

Oh my, I’ve become a meme:

  The final straw came with a much-needed lake trip.  My willpower was nowhere to be found.   So while I fell of the wagon pretty hard, I did walk away from this challenge with some positives.

I lost some weight and even better – inches.

I’m making more deliberate food choices.  (that typically guide me away from the junk)

I’m making more deliberate activity choices. (that typically guide me away from the couch)

Finding clothes that fit right (without fretting about size) makes me feel like I’ve lost 10 pounds.

I learned that I’m really good at finding loopholes to excuse myself from keeping up a good habit.  I realize that’s not actually a positive, but if it helps me spot those loopholes, I’ll be better able to reject them.  (Check out Gretchen Rubin for more on loopholes)

My biggest take away from this challenge has been that I’m actually good with my body/shape (well 90% good,  there will be days when I bemoan my body) – even in a bathing suit – the way it is right now.   This may be the first time in my life that I’ve felt that way.

So, in conclusion:

I did not make it the 21 days and I’m OK with that.  I’ve learned some new exercises, have new ways to think about and make better choices regarding food, and I have a new appreciation for me – just the way I am. PS:  There are a few realizations that helped get me to that mindset.

I have an amazing husband who loves my curves and makes it a point to tell me that as often as he can.

I have wonderful friends/family that are supportive and quick to share tips and tricks.  They are also the same friends/family that will bring the Girl Scout Cookies and wine when needed.

Jared’s AKF campaigns remind me to “Love Yourself First” and most recently that “I am Enough“.

I am #WaywardAF

Here are some pics from our weekend trip.  Special thanks to our hosts, The Henley’s.  I’m sure you’ll understand why the wagon left me in the dust.  :)

My 16 1/2 Day Challenge I'm at the end of the 21 day challenge and thought I'd update everyone on how it went. 

[jlwatts99]

Father's Day Watts Words 

Father's Day Watts Words

Happy Father’s Day! Happy Father’s Day to all the dad’s out there! While Mother’s Day is all about me finding some peace and quiet, getting waited on hand and foot, and doing as little as possible (and let’s face it, pretending to not be a Mom for a bit)  – Jason takes a different approach to Father’s Day. Father’s Day for him involves doing as much as possible with the boys.  Past FDs include:…

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