The random thoughts, occurrences, events, and updates in the Jacobson family life, as documented mostly by the wife and mother, Geneen, and maybe sporadically by the father and husband, Doug.
Many of you don't know this about me, but it's time I confess. I have an obsession with Legos. These little plastic bricks have been a part of my life for as long as I have possessed enough common sense to not put them in my mouth. Every Christmas (even the ones on my mission) for as long as I have remembered have included at least one Lego set as a gift.
Becoming an adult has been the best thing that has ever happened to me, Legoly speaking. I have been able to feed my obsession and have accumulated a rather impressive collection of Lego sets. I have also designed my own sets using Lego's computer design program. I have designed a huge model of the Manti Temple, where Geneen and I were married. If not for the outrageous amount Lego would like to charge me for it (684+ dollars) I would own it in a minute. (It's that awesome.):
Recently I completed the biggest Lego set that I have ever owned, and that Lego has ever made. You might say it's the Taj Mahal of lego sets:
Most of my Lego collection is comprised of Lego city fire sets. On of my favorite Lego sets as a child was given to me the day I had surgery on my leg. Unfortunately the pieces to this Lego set are long gone but it was well loved. Up until recently, I owned all of the Lego city Fire sets. (Lego just introduced four new sets. Any donations to my cause would be appreciated.) Here is my collection thus far:
One of my other favorite Lego sets was one I received a couple years ago for Christmas it is a model of the 787 Boeing Dreamliner. My dad has worked for Boeing for most of my life and even I had a summer job there. This picture is the model without stickers, due to the fact that once the stickers are on the set cannot be taken apart.
Believe it or not I have many more sets. Donations to my collection are always appreciated, and, seeing as how it's almost my birthday......
We have a ward cooking group that gets together almost every month, and this month was focused on healthy eating and living. I was asked to put together some information about calorie counting, since that is how I lost all my weight. I thought it was really good information, so I'm posting it here for all you to see. I'm not an official expert on this, but after having researched it and applied it for 3 years, I know a little bit and I would be happy to try and answer any questions you have. Enjoy the information, and good luck on becoming a healthier, happier you!
Body Mass Index (BMI)
The body mass index (BMI) is a quick and easy way to see if your weight is within the normal or average range for your height. It might sound complicated, but your BMI is just a calculation using the ratio of your weight to your height to determine how much body fat you have.
The higher your BMI, the higher your risk of developing such conditions as heart disease, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and type 2 diabetes.
While it is generally accurate, the BMI can read too high for athletes or others with large, heavy muscles. Likewise, it can exaggerate low readings for frail older people who have lost muscle mass.
Google “BMI” to find a calculator.
If your BMI is less than 18.5, you are underweight.
If your BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9, you are normal weight.
If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, you are overweight.
If your BMI is between 30 and 39.9, you are obese (more overweight).
If your BMI is 40 or over, you are dangerously obese.
Body Fat Calculator • Use a cloth measuring tape.
• Be sure to measure your height with your shoes off.
• Measure the circumference of the neck from below the larynx with the tape sloping slightly down to the front.
• Women should measure their hips around the widest point.
• Finally, the NIH recommends that the best way to measure your waist size is to stand, then exhale completely, and place the tape measure around your middle, just above the hips.
Female
Age
Underweight
Healthy Range
Overweight
Obese
20-40 yrs
Under 21%
21-33%
33-39%
Over 39%
41-60 yrs
Under 23%
23-35%
35-40%
Over 40%
61-79 yrs
Under 24%
24-36%
36-42%
Over 42%
Ideal Weight
If you want to find out what your ideal weight is, just type in “ideal weight” into google and check out several results. "Ideal weight" does not mean having an ideal body -- almost everyone has physical features they would like to change. Rather, ideal weight is a medical term that refers to how much you should weigh, based on your height, gender, and age. Doctors use a few different methods to determine whether you are overweight. The main approaches are measurements of your body mass index (BMI), your waist circumference, and your waist-to-hip ratio.
To measure your waist circumference: Wrap a tape measure around your middle at the level of your belly button. The risk of heart disease and diabetes increases if your waist circumference is more than 35 inches (88 cm) for a woman and more than 40 inches (102 cm) for a man. You should strive for a waist size less than 31.5 inches if you are a woman and less than 37 inches if you are a man.
To measure your waist-to-hip ratio: Measure your hip circumference at the level of the two bony prominences felt in the front of your hips. Then, divide your waist circumference by your hip circumference. Your waist-to-hip ratio should be below 0.8 for a woman and below 1.0 for a man.
Basal Metabolic Rate
Knowing your BMR can help you create a more effective strategy for weight loss, allowing you to better keep your calorie count on track and better understand the effect exercise will have on your waistline.
You BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is an estimate of how many calories you'd burn if you were to do nothing but rest for 24 hours. It represents the minimum amount of energy needed to keep your body functioning, including breathing and keeping your heart beating.
Your BMR does not include the calories you burn from normal daily activities or exercise.
Height—5 ft 10 in
Weight—155 lbs
Age—25 yrs
Daily Recommended Calories:
Activity level: very active
To lose about 1 lb. per week: 1,844
To maintain your weight: 2,344
If you rarely exercise—sedentary
If you exercise on 1 to 3 days per week—light active
If you exercise on 3 to 5 days per week—moderate active
If you exercise 6 to 7 days per week—very active
If you exercise every day and have a physical job or if you often exercise twice a day—extra active
Applying Your BMR Calculation to Weight Loss Once you know your BMR and the number of calories you burn for your activity level, you can improve your weight-loss efforts by setting a lower daily calorie-intake limit and crafting a plan for increasing your physical activity:
Set your daily calorie limit. To lose weight, you need to reduce your caloric intake below your total daily calorie requirement indicated by your BMR + activity level. Putting yourself in a 500-calorie deficit every day should result in the loss of one pound per week (since there are 3,500 calories in a pound).
Adjust your exercise output. Our BMR calculator asks you for your level of physical activity for a very good reason. You can influence your BMR through exercise, spurring your body to burn more calories even after you’ve finished and are just lounging about.
• Aerobic exercise provides a temporary boost to your BMR, an effect sometimes referred to as after-burn or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, says Noelle Lusardi, a certified personal fitness trainer who also works at the Step Ahead Weight Loss Center in Bedminster, N.J. Your BMR will return back to its normal level anywhere between 15 minutes and 48 hours.
• Strength training provides a more-lasting boost to BMR by altering your body's composition. Muscle at rest burns more calories than fat at rest. That's why men enjoy a naturally higher BMR than women, as they tend to have more muscle mass.
• If you cut calories and increase your BMR by exercising, you’ll see results even faster. Increase the amount of calories you burn by 250 each day, and you’ll lose a half-pound more on top of the calorie cuts made in your diet. You could exercise longer or you could increase the intensity of your workouts to burn more calories — either way will increase the calorie deficit.
The advantage of knowing your BMR is that you can learn the number of calories you need to consume and expend to meet your personal goal for weight loss.
Exercise that burns calories
30 minutes of _______ will burn ______ amount of calories for a 155 lb person.
I also use the free online exercise videos at www.exercisetv.tv. They are a wonderful supplement to my workouts and they have lots of them to keep things varied and exciting.
Geneen’s Fitness Tips
§Find a cardio that you love and stick to it! You need cardio at least 3 times a week to see the most effective results for your weight loss and overall health. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it increases your heart rate for 30 minutes or more!
§Know that it’s going to be hard at first, but it WILL get easier. I promise!
§Get a partner. If you are able to make this journey with one person or with many people, it makes it easier. Consider getting a partner or joining a fitness blog. People giving you constant encouragement makes all the difference.
§If you fall off the wagon, get right back on. We all have bad days. They are normal and expected. Don’t get discouraged, just get right back on the wagon the next day and move on. Punishing yourself or feeling bad will not help. The only thing that works is persistence.
§Getting healthy is a life-long journey. Once you reach your goal, the next goal is to maintain it, which is harder than reaching it in many ways. Changing your life is harder than dieting, but it can be done. Stick with it!
§Remember the Lord in all your endeavors. He will help you to start, and to preserver until the end. Getting healthy is a righteous goal and you have the right to ask for help!
Stir-fry's are a big hit in our house, or at least they are with Doug and myself, and hopefully they will grow on the girls. I know that that many veggies all at once can be daunting for a kid, but both girls seem to do fairly well so far. Doug's favorite stir-fry dish is beef with broccoli. He always orders that when we go out to Chinese food, or at least he makes sure some one else does so he can have some. I don't mind since it is one of my favorites too. I found a new recipe online yesterday for dinner and made it, with a few alterations, and it was the best beef with broccoli recipe I've ever made, so I thought I would share. Also for a heads up, the nutrition stats for this meal (not including rice) is at the bottom. Enjoy!
Beef with Broccoli
Beef: --2 Tbsp soy sauce --1/2 tsp sugar --1 lb boneless sirloin, cut into 1/4 in. thick, or 1 lb stir-fry cut packaged meat
Sauce --1 Tbsp cornstarch --1 Tbsp soy sauce --1 Tbsp cooking sherry (in a pinch apple cider vinegar will do) --1/2 cup beef broth --1 tsp sugar --a few drops (1/8 tsp or less) of sesame seed oil (VERY potent so don't go over board!)
Stir-fry --3 Tbsp oil --1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, grated/minced (I keep mine frozen in the freezer, so I use a fine grater on it, works great) --1Tbsp minced garlic --1/2 tsp. dried hot red pepper flakes (more or less dependiing on the level of spiciness that you like) --1 lb broccoli flowerets chopped to bite size pieces --1/2 large onion, sliced thinly --1-2 carrots, julienne sliced
Slice beef and mix with soy sauce and sugar, set aside and let marinate for at least 20 minutes. Make sauce while beef is marinating. Dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce and add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Heat oil in wok or large frying pan. Add ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes, sautee until garlic browns slightly. Add onions, sautee until soft (about 2-5 min). add beef, cook until almost cooked through. Add carrots and broccoli, sautee 2 minutes. Add sauce and cover until sauce thickens and broccoli is crisp tender (about 3 minutes). Serve over hot rice. Serves 4 very generously.
1 serving NOT including rice (add about 200 calories for 1 cup cooked white rice) Calories: 288 Fat: 8 Carbs: 14 Fiber: 3 Sugar: 6 Protein: 40
Christmas this year was spent with the Jacobson family in our home here in Provo. Even though Grandma Sue, Papa, and Kristen only got to be here for 4 1/2 days, we packed a LOT into that time frame. This year, for me at least, was the year of showing off the amazing recipes I've learned and enjoying fantastic food with family. Here's a play by play of what we accomplished Dec 23rd through Dec 27th. I wish I had pictures if everything, but with two little kids to keep track of, even if I bring my camera I often forget to use it.
The in-laws flew in on the evening of the 23rd and we picked them up and headed into Salt Lake to have dinner at the restaurant called Vienna Bistro which served Austrian/German food. It was very good, though my favorite was the tomato and fresh mozzarella salad. I also had pork with a cream and mushroom sauce, which was excellent. The pickled red cabbage was not so great, but it had a VERY strong flavoring of nutmeg, which is not my favorite flavor. The appetizer we got had a selection of cold cuts and cheese and a pickle. Normally I do not like pickles. My aversion ranges from a "this tastes nasty" expression to a gag reflex. When Doug bit into this particular pickle, he said "Wow, that's a REALLY good pickle" and urged me to try it. I did, and to my surprise, I liked it! In fact, I've wanted another one for some time now. The only pickle I've ever liked, and it's only made in house at this restaurant. Doug's dad served his mission in Germany and so this restaurant was chosen mainly to give him a taste of the past, but although he claimed it to be good food, he's had much better in Germany. No surprise there I guess. It was a good thing we had so many people to help out with the girls because not only did we not start eating our food until almost 7:00, but we stayed up until past 10:00 with all our activities, which included a jaunt over to temple square to see the lights. They were awesome, even better than last year. The cedar of Lebanon was all done up in red LED lights and it was stunning, the best tree on the premises in my opinion. We didn't stay too long because Evelynn started to ask if we could please please please go to the car so she could go to sleep, and also because it was stinking cold! The poor Washingtonians were miserable to be sure. :)
This is in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Evelynn just got done telling me how badly she wanted to go to the car and go to sleep. Poor little kid.
Christmas Eve was spent doing a few last minute shopping excursions and making a fantastic turkey lunch. We had a Jacobson family Christmas activity in Ogden starting at 3:00 pm so we decided to have our turkey dinner early. We brined our turkey like we did for Thanksgiving, and it was amazing, just like last time. We also had baked yams, beans, rolls, the rest of the chipoltle cranberry sauce from thanksgiving (it freezes very well!), and stuffing, and it was just perfect. It made me wonder why I did so much Thanksgiving since this was so much easier, and just the right amount of food. Anyway, after lunch we went up to Ogden and the girls took their naps in the car on the way up (thank goodness! I didn't know if it was going to happen that day) and the party began. Doug's cousin Jesse and Aunt Diana put together a game in the mall just like the game Clue. We were all split up into teams (we were the Colonel Mustard team) with corresponding t-shirts and given clues to led us around the mall and find out who died, who done it, with what, and where. My team didn't win but it turns out that Grandma Jacobson killed Grandpa in the Billiard room with the 8 ball. Now you know. :) We were asked by several people whether we were doing something for the Amazing Race, and were idsappointed that they weren't going to get a chance to appear on TV. After than we went back to Kent and Diana's house and ate dinner and visited, but we had to get back to BJ who was stuck in Provo working that evening (and getting paid double for it, so don't feel too bad for him) and do our Christmas traditions before the girls fell apart completely. We finished the Christmas story (we'd been reading parts of it all month) and sang our carols and then put the girls to bed and set up the Christmas tree and stockings. I tell you what, it's so much fun being a parent with little kids at Christmas. It brings a whole knew aspect to the season that I just love. The next morning Evelynn was up around 7:15 to come out and look at her gifts. We had been keeping the tree in a corner of our living room and all the presents in our room so certain little girls would not be tempted to open them early, so when she saw the tree out in the living room proper with a LOT of gifts spread around it (I had no idea how much loot was actually there until then, and holy cow, way too much stuff!) she was a bit shocked. Please see corresponding video below to see the reaction. The presents took quite a while to get through since Eloise is not the fastest gift opener, but she got the hang of it amazingly fast and enjoyed herself thoroughly. For poor Evelynn though we could not go fast enough. Every present she got she tore into and exclaimed "wow!" or "cool!" or something like that, promptly dropped it and begged for another one to open. We could have let her open every one's gifts and she would have been happy. This year was the year if tutu's, the girls getting 5 total. They were a big hit.:) In case you're wondering what I got for Christmas, I got a hand blender from Doug (which I really did ask for and was so excited to get, so don't think he's a bad/odd husband for getting me it) a necklace that the girls picked out with Daddy's help, a sweater from my mother-in-law, a steam juicer from the in-laws (which I also asked for after seeing how easy it was to make and can juice this summer with the ward bottling activities), and ipod nano and running attachments from my parents, cash for new clothes, some games, music and other stuff. Doug got Legos, more Legos, Great Big Sea CD's, a whole slew of different kinds of root beer for him to try from my sister Lori, and other things I can't remember. After the presents we had overnight cinnamon rolls (which were fantastic) and our Christmas cereals.
The tutu's from Santa.
It was also the year of the Wiggles, thanks mostly in part to my mom, and they were also a huge hit. I now have enough coloring books, art supplies and craft activities to last me through the winter and I am so thankful for that! Thank you so much to both my moms!
Evelynn in her tutu, new shirt, and styling glasses. We were joking that all she needed was a big purse and small dog and she could make the tabloids.
There's me taking a much needed snooze and also guarding all the candy so Evelynn didn't gorge herself into a sugar induced coma on Christmas day.
Christmas day we did a Ham dinner with our "famous" ginger snap cookie crust, funeral potatoes, asparagus, rolls, and pumpkin pie. I can't find on my blog if I gave people the ham recipe, so here it is for all those of you who are dying to try the best ham in the entire world, no joke. Amazing Ham Recipe (by Alton Brown--Food Network) 1 Ham Shank (not a butt portion, too hard to carve, and try to find the heaviest one, but it doesn't necessarily have to be the largest one. You want one that's dense and not full of liquid or covered in fat) Spicy mustard Dark brown sugar Ginger snap cookies Tin foil disposable roasting pans (easier clean up, but if you have a real roasting pan, that works too) old dish towel Exacto knife/utility knife
Open ham and use utility knife to score flesh about 1/2-1 in. deep in a diamond pattern over entire ham. This will open up the fat layered on surface of ham so it can be peeled away later in cooking. Place old dish towel in bottom of roasting pan to soak up the fat and put ham on top, bone part sticking in the air. Take tin foil and crimp 3 pieces together along long side. Use this to tent the ham in pan, crimping all sides firmly so it's sealed but leaving a lot of space around the ham and trying not to have foil touch the ham. Bake at 250 degrees for 3-4 hours until the ham reaches the internal temp of 125-130 degrees. Take ham out, discard foil and set oven temp to 350. Peel/slice off all the fat on the surface of the ham that you can without cutting into the flesh of the ham too much. It should come off easily because of the scoring you did earlier. Spread mustard over all the ham generously. Sprinkle on brown sugar to cover mustard entirely. If you want, you can now spray brandy from a spray bottle over ham to increase flavor, but it is not necessary. Next, pulverize the cookies to a fine powder and then very generously cake onto the ham. Return ham to oven for about 1 hour or until ham reaches internal temp of 140 degrees and crust sets. Carve and eat!
Christmas day went by quite casually, and the day after Christmas was also very nice. We went up to Grandma Jacobson's house and swam in her pool and hung out in the hot tub. Then we made Thai food for dinner up there. I'm still trying to figure out how to get my PDF of the recipes on here, but when I do I'll post them. We had coconut curry, Pad Thai, and fresh rolls. Even Doug's aunt Janet, who is notoriously adverse to trying new things admitted that they were all excellent. Sunday we went to church, and Eloise did not go to nursery. We've had too many weeks in a row of her not going because of lack of naps, sickness, or we we're at church so she was having none of it. But that's ok, we'll try again this week.
Christmas dresses
After church we went up to visit Dale and Marrianne and their family who had just returned from their Christmas present trip to Disneyland, lucky stiffs. It was there that we said goodbye to Grandma, Papa, and Kristen since they had a flight out at 8:00 am and spent the night at Grandma Jacobson's house in Lehi so she could take them to the airport. This last picture is of Eloise who fell asleep on the way home that night. It kind of sums up the whole trip right there, just tiring, but oh so much fun. Thank you Jacobson's for a lovely holiday!
Recently I completed the biggest Lego set that I have ever owned, and that Lego has ever made. You might say it's the Taj Mahal of lego sets:
Most of my Lego collection is comprised of Lego city fire sets. On of my favorite Lego sets as a child was given to me the day I had surgery on my leg. Unfortunately the pieces to this Lego set are long gone but it was well loved. Up until recently, I owned all of the Lego city Fire sets. (Lego just introduced four new sets. Any donations to my cause would be appreciated.) Here is my collection thus far:
One of my other favorite Lego sets was one I received a couple years ago for Christmas it is a model of the 787 Boeing Dreamliner. My dad has worked for Boeing for most of my life and even I had a summer job there. This picture is the model without stickers, due to the fact that once the stickers are on the set cannot be taken apart.
Believe it or not I have many more sets. Donations to my collection are always appreciated, and, seeing as how it's almost my birthday......
