I have the morning off - happy, happy Friday to me! In celebration I had a bowl of chips for breakfast. Yep, chips. Cool Ranch Doritos. Because this girl knows how to celebrate.
I've got something scheduled for work later tonight so I don't have the whole day off. But I sent the husband to work and the kids to school and it's enough time alone to make me really, really happy.
I should probably address the laundry that needs to be put away. I swear, the mountain of clothes just grows out of nowhere. I had all my laundry done and put away Wednesday night and then last night there were more clothes. But it was my run night so it was either put the clothes away or get on the treadmill and I picked treadmill. The clothes kinda make a nice accessory, anyway. It gives the living room character.
But I'm not doing laundry. I have a couple of errands to run and then I think I might do a little bit of shopping. I probably really need to. I've recently been horrified to discover that I have quadroboob. This is bad. Really bad.
In case you don't know, quadroboob is when the top part of your boob spills out of your bra and makes it appear that you have four oddly shaped boobs. It's very unattractive and rates up there with muffin top. I'm really confused how this has happened - I guess I gained just enough weight to overflow but not enough weight to make them actually look bigger. Because they don't. What a bummer.
Normally buying a bigger bra would be a good thing, now it's just a little sad. When I first noticed I was a little excited because I thought I could wear some of my old ones. I got rid of most of them when I lost weight last year, because the boobs are the first to go. But I kept a few of my favorites...they were too cute to toss out. But no, none of them fit. Apparently, I only lost weight in my boobs and the weight I have gained has forgotten about that part of my body.
I've got to have a serious talk with my body and remind her not to forget our favorite friends, who have done so much for us - help a sister and fill the girls out!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
It's Okay To Say No
I had a recent conversation that has got me thinking about state of life we live in - about the values of our society and what has become the "norm". We've been experience a pretty scary time economically. The experts pop up in the news and explain why things are crashing down around us...they talk a lot but I don't really hear them say anything.
It's amazing to see the number of homes that have been foreclosed on in the last few years. Our neighbor lost his home a few months ago. It's sad and depressing. A few of our rental properties were repossessions or bought at tax sales. The home we're in now belonged to a family that lost it to the bank. I always, always, think about the families that were forced to move. The families that lost their homes. It's tough.
But I also think it says something about the American lifestyle when you look down the street and see so many empty homes. While there are always different circumstances, a large number of those homes are empty for the simple fact that the owners couldn't afford them. And I don't mean they lost their jobs or divorced or had a spouse pass away. For many, it's just a simple case of living beyond their means - trying so hard to live the "American Dream" that it became a nightmare.
Somewhere along the line the message has been skewed.
The other day someone was telling me about something they had planned for their family. They went on to share that some things had come up and that now this activity had become a financial burden. They legitimately didn't know how they were going to afford it but they were continuing with the plans because they didn't want to disappoint their kids.
And as a parent, I totally get that. Who wants to disappoint their kid? As a parent you want to do everything for your kids, you want to do special things and make their life magical.
When I was growing up we didn't have money. I lived in a rich community where the kids at my school wore expensive clothes, drove fancy cars, and spent Spring Break on the beach or skiing on the mountains. It was hard to not have money. There were a lot of things my parents couldn't afford. I got told no a lot. I got disappointed a lot.
I think it was one of the best things that could have happened to me. I understood from a very early age that I wasn't going to get everything I wanted, that life could be disappointing, that being responsible sometimes meant making difficult choices. And I was happy. Even without all the stuff - I was happy.
A friend of mine once said her kid would want for nothing. But shouldn't he want for something? Shouldn't he know that in the real world you can't really have whatever you want?
We're not equipping our children for reality when we let them grow up believing that there are no parameters in life. We do them a disservice when we teach them that a person's value is defined by their financial status.
Maybe we should focus less on the things we buy our children and more on the lessons we teach them...
It's amazing to see the number of homes that have been foreclosed on in the last few years. Our neighbor lost his home a few months ago. It's sad and depressing. A few of our rental properties were repossessions or bought at tax sales. The home we're in now belonged to a family that lost it to the bank. I always, always, think about the families that were forced to move. The families that lost their homes. It's tough.
But I also think it says something about the American lifestyle when you look down the street and see so many empty homes. While there are always different circumstances, a large number of those homes are empty for the simple fact that the owners couldn't afford them. And I don't mean they lost their jobs or divorced or had a spouse pass away. For many, it's just a simple case of living beyond their means - trying so hard to live the "American Dream" that it became a nightmare.
Somewhere along the line the message has been skewed.
The other day someone was telling me about something they had planned for their family. They went on to share that some things had come up and that now this activity had become a financial burden. They legitimately didn't know how they were going to afford it but they were continuing with the plans because they didn't want to disappoint their kids.
And as a parent, I totally get that. Who wants to disappoint their kid? As a parent you want to do everything for your kids, you want to do special things and make their life magical.
When I was growing up we didn't have money. I lived in a rich community where the kids at my school wore expensive clothes, drove fancy cars, and spent Spring Break on the beach or skiing on the mountains. It was hard to not have money. There were a lot of things my parents couldn't afford. I got told no a lot. I got disappointed a lot.
I think it was one of the best things that could have happened to me. I understood from a very early age that I wasn't going to get everything I wanted, that life could be disappointing, that being responsible sometimes meant making difficult choices. And I was happy. Even without all the stuff - I was happy.
A friend of mine once said her kid would want for nothing. But shouldn't he want for something? Shouldn't he know that in the real world you can't really have whatever you want?
We're not equipping our children for reality when we let them grow up believing that there are no parameters in life. We do them a disservice when we teach them that a person's value is defined by their financial status.
Maybe we should focus less on the things we buy our children and more on the lessons we teach them...
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Take A Load Off
Yesterday morning I was corralling the girls to go downstairs to finish getting ready. And like I do every morning, I scooped up M2 to carry her down.
Our two story house was never meant to be a two story house. It was meant to be a one story house with an attic. Somewhere in the past 100 years someone renovated it and changed it into living space. Well, it was technically living space but I’m not sure how anyone lived up there because the renovation was not done very well – there were four teeny tiny bedrooms (barely room for a bed) and no central heat or air. To be fair, there wasn’t central heat or air in the house at all but since it wasn’t insulated for living space it got sweltering up there – like unbelievably hot.
Although the very first thing we did when we bought the house was put in central heat & air, it took us a while to actually finish getting that space ready. And we’re still not done. We’ve changed four bedrooms into two and added a bathroom (that’s the part that is yet to be done). So we just lived in the downstairs and never went upstairs. Until about a year ago when we got the bedrooms done and we moved upstairs.
I never had to deal with having a toddler and a house with stairs. Especially stairs like ours. It’s an old house and these are attic stairs – very narrow and very steep. We’ve redone them so they aren’t as steep as the originals but still...
So I always carry M2 up the stairs and down. Or at least I did until yesterday morning. I swung her up on my hip like I always do, took a step down the stairs and absolutely froze in pain. I couldn’t hardly make it down and had to call for help – it hurt so bad! I think it was just the way I moved when I picked her up. Or the fact that she’s 31 pounds.
Either way, I’ve done something and it doesn’t feel good. It hurt yesterday but it really hurts today. I am especially concerned because I’ve gotten off track with my training and I pulled a new training schedule yesterday and I will have exactly enough time to be ready for the relay marathon. If I start today.
In the back of my mind I know I probably shouldn’t but I think I’m going to try to run anyway. I feel like I need to. I do not want to get out there and embarrass myself. Or disappoint myself. And I psyched myself up about it yesterday; I was reenergized and ready to go.
So I’m gonna try it…I may not be able to move afterwards but at least I would have gotten my run in, right?
Monday, March 12, 2012
Pat On The Back
I'm sitting here eating a cookie. But it's not a oh-my-gosh-so-stressed-must-get-food cookie. It's just a need-something-sweet-after-dinner cookie. So it's okay. As okay as it can be when stuffing your face with cookies this late at night.
And don't ask me why I have cookies. I honestly don't know. This is not something I buy. Well, I mean, I guess I kinda did or I wouldn't have them, would I? But it's not something I normally buy. Although you can't tell it from my tummy. Or from my rear.
But when we do have cookies I buy the dough, because M loves to help me in the kitchen. I kinda feel bad that we don't make them very often...it makes her so happy. Tonight this cookie was not made by M but by Nabisco. A legitimate impulse buy.
I've had so much to say the last week. So much that I couldn't actually say any of it - I thought about it a couple of times but it was a lot to process and when I sat down to write nothing came out. And that isn't meant to sound dramatic - I just didn't know where to start.
But don't get me wrong - I totally have a flair for the dramatic. I'm just gifted in that way. Which is why I was chosen in mid-high as the lead character in a skit performed in front of the entire school. It was based off a Saturday Night Live sketch featuring the androgynous character Pat. And I got to play the lead.
Now that I'm thinking about it though...I may have been chosen more for my ambiguous sexuality than for my acting abilities.
And much like the gender of Pat, we shall never know...
Friday, March 2, 2012
Bah Humbug
I've had a heck of a week and I haven't been in the happiest of spirits...so it's only appropriate that my Friday list reflect this attitude. So today here's a list of things I dislike:
1. Peas
2. Immaturity
3. Socks with flip flops
4. My baggy jeans are no longer baggy
5. Beans (but I like bean dip - because that makes sense, right?)
6. Being woken up. This doesn't apply to my girls becaues they aren't old enough to realize how dangerous it really is.
7. Staying up to finish a stupid movie just because I feel like I need to see the end
8. That I'm a blue
9. Pouring all the ingredients in only to realize my milk has expired
10. Hectic mornings. And every morning is hectic with little ones
11. My inability to stay on a workout routine
12. Chaos
13. Being touched by people I don't really know
14. All the embarrassing stuff I ever said to the guys in my past
15. That I don't really read much anymore. I love to read and I miss it
16. Cleaning the bathroom
17. Ultra competitive people that use every opportunity to strategize. Really, it's not that big of a deal
18. Wearing underwear that doesn't match my clothes. If I change my outfit, I change them to match
19. When every radio station has talking and not music
20. Adults in crocs
1. Peas
2. Immaturity
3. Socks with flip flops
4. My baggy jeans are no longer baggy
5. Beans (but I like bean dip - because that makes sense, right?)
6. Being woken up. This doesn't apply to my girls becaues they aren't old enough to realize how dangerous it really is.
7. Staying up to finish a stupid movie just because I feel like I need to see the end
8. That I'm a blue
9. Pouring all the ingredients in only to realize my milk has expired
10. Hectic mornings. And every morning is hectic with little ones
11. My inability to stay on a workout routine
12. Chaos
13. Being touched by people I don't really know
14. All the embarrassing stuff I ever said to the guys in my past
15. That I don't really read much anymore. I love to read and I miss it
16. Cleaning the bathroom
17. Ultra competitive people that use every opportunity to strategize. Really, it's not that big of a deal
18. Wearing underwear that doesn't match my clothes. If I change my outfit, I change them to match
19. When every radio station has talking and not music
20. Adults in crocs
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
What A Day
There are just some days that test your patience, push you to your limit, and are absolutely without a doubt infuriating.
I had one of those days today.
The majority of my day was spent fuming, reeling, and processing about things that should have never happened. And saying to myself, over and over again, "Oh my God. Did that really just happen?" and other variations of that. Some with strong adult language.
The good thing about having a day like that (you didn't really think I was going to ignore that there's a positive side, did you?) is that those are the kind of days that reveal your character, provide clarity, and help you grow.
So even though I would have preferred to avoid all the nonsense that I was presented with today - in the end I can say that it was a good opportunity for me to step outside my comfort zone. And I'm honestly a little surprised by how natural it was for me to handle it the way that I did. All the greens in my life would be proud.
As a reward for my day I decided to do something nice for myself. What I ended up with is a bunch of gooey stuff smeared all over my face. If you ever need an alternative form of birth control, try a clay facial mask. There isn't a man out there that will find you attractive after seeing you covered in that mess.
If you don't believe me, check it out for yourself...
So my mask has dried to the point that it's almost impossible for me to move my face...so now I've got dried gooey stuff all over my face. Time to scrub the mug and call it a night!
I had one of those days today.
The majority of my day was spent fuming, reeling, and processing about things that should have never happened. And saying to myself, over and over again, "Oh my God. Did that really just happen?" and other variations of that. Some with strong adult language.
The good thing about having a day like that (you didn't really think I was going to ignore that there's a positive side, did you?) is that those are the kind of days that reveal your character, provide clarity, and help you grow.
So even though I would have preferred to avoid all the nonsense that I was presented with today - in the end I can say that it was a good opportunity for me to step outside my comfort zone. And I'm honestly a little surprised by how natural it was for me to handle it the way that I did. All the greens in my life would be proud.
As a reward for my day I decided to do something nice for myself. What I ended up with is a bunch of gooey stuff smeared all over my face. If you ever need an alternative form of birth control, try a clay facial mask. There isn't a man out there that will find you attractive after seeing you covered in that mess.
If you don't believe me, check it out for yourself...
 |
| And I wonder why he doesn't think I'm hot! |
So my mask has dried to the point that it's almost impossible for me to move my face...so now I've got dried gooey stuff all over my face. Time to scrub the mug and call it a night!
SO Over It
I am frustrated beyond measure. Just SO aggravated!
I don't mean to rant but Geez! How hard is it to act like a grown, mature adult? I just don't get it. I never imagined that I would be dealing with the stuff I've been dealing with. I'm not naive, I know sometimes things get messy. But this, this is past ridiculous!
I'm ranting about people who have maturity issues, people who apparently don't take me seriously when I tell them to knock it off. I don't understand what's so hard about taking the high road. It is really that difficult? DO THE RIGHT THING!!! Even when it's the harder thing to do - especially when it's the harder thing to do - do the right thing!
I am done. Just so done!
I don't mean to rant but Geez! How hard is it to act like a grown, mature adult? I just don't get it. I never imagined that I would be dealing with the stuff I've been dealing with. I'm not naive, I know sometimes things get messy. But this, this is past ridiculous!
I'm ranting about people who have maturity issues, people who apparently don't take me seriously when I tell them to knock it off. I don't understand what's so hard about taking the high road. It is really that difficult? DO THE RIGHT THING!!! Even when it's the harder thing to do - especially when it's the harder thing to do - do the right thing!
I am done. Just so done!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)