Yesterday afternoon Angelfish took... A nap. I should have known that something was wrong. Two hours later, she emerged and the first words out if her mouth were, "Mommy, my eyes hurt." The only time my eyes have ever hurt are when I've had a high fever. Sure enough: 102.6 burning up. She also complained of her stomach hurting really bad and her throat was sore. Last year Angelfish had strep twice, and she has two grandfather's prone to getting strep, one of who had scarlet fever from it. Yet, I was hopeful. I told myself that maybe she'd be ok by morning.
So I set my alarm for 6:30 am and said I would check on her and if ok, I'd head to the color run, do the race then come straight home. At 4:30 am a little voice said out loud what my mind had told me would happen, "Mommy, I feel horrible." 103 temp,a raspy voice, a thick cough, sore throat, fast heart beat & fast breathing. So I gave her more Advil and looked up the time that the minute clinic and urgent cares would open. Wet wash cloth & snuggles.
No race, but definitely was where I needed to be. Turns out its a virus of some sort. And about 1/2 an hour after we got back from the minute clinic, Ladybug looked at me and said, "Mommy, my eyes hurt..." Her fever is not quite as high as Amanda's and she doesn't have the cough... Yet.
So I am upping my vitamin c, trying a cinnamon & honey home remedy and hoping that I'll stay well. My couch to Goofy training starts tomorrow...
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Morning Revelations
1. My jeans are tight since the holidays, but I am making much better food choices and getting better at preventing stress/emotional eating and decided to delay gratification for bad stuff I might want to eat and finding that one I put it out of my mind that I don't miss not eating eat!
2. This one isn't too new. But based on the weight training I did on Wednesday, which by Thursday afternoon made it so it was hard to stand up, my abs are still relatively ok and so are my arms but my thighs need some reconditioning.
3. I am not ready for a real race... I woke up worrying about how bad my time might be at the Color Run tomorrow. Then I remembered that they don't even time the run, and it's all for fun. At every 1k they douse you with a cornstarch based paint powder... I'll be sure to wear a hat and sunglasses for protection. And enjoy the after color party with the kids and Mr. Darcy who are all going to wear white shirts to get colored up!
4. It is really important to me to have Mr. Darcy and the little ladies at my races. They are being brave and going tomorrow to the race. The girls have informed me that I am amazing for going to run a 5k. : )
5. Pancakes made with oats, cottage cheese, egg whites, cinnamon are really good! Ladybug (our resident self described foodie) finished her pancakes and announced, "Life is really too good!" Enron Mr. Darcy liked them...
6. I feel better when I don't eat things with gluten in it. Attempting to go gluten free... We'll see how it goes. They stick that stuff in everything.
7. Laying in bed, I realized that I no longer believe in "not being able to do" anything. If I want to, I will do it. I think that is what all those triathlons were about - proving to myself I could do anything and that somehow I could survive anything.
8. #7 made me think... I've Been skydiving, parasailing, done a 1/2 Mary, a 1/2ironman. But the thing that always made me say that person is crazy? The Goofy Challenge: a 1/2 Marathon on Saturday followed by a marathon on Sunday. A number of people I know have done the Goofy and some are doing the Disney 1/2 or the marathon this weekend.
9. I decided... I am doing it. Come this time January 2014, I will be doing the Goofy Challenge. It is a done deal. I even looked up training schedules already. And at the route map for this year, and at some spectator info for the family.
10. Don't think #9 scares the poo out of me. It does, and I know it. The whole "what if i train and fail?" But that' the best reason to conquer it. Plus as I said to the FB pals racing this weekend... They've already won just by showing up. Unfortunately, I know my brain, which does not work in partial victories. But that is something I too am working on.
Anyone want to join me for Goofy Challenge 2014? I have my workouts figured out for the entire year leading up to the Goofy Challenge (provided it is correct that the dates will be Jan 11-12, 2014), thanks to the Jeff Galloway website which has everything from 5k to Goofy challenge training schedules. I am doing the 5k training (with a couple weeks removed to make it work) then the 10k training and then the goofy challenge training and it leads exactly to the 2014 goofy challenge. Starts this week!
2. This one isn't too new. But based on the weight training I did on Wednesday, which by Thursday afternoon made it so it was hard to stand up, my abs are still relatively ok and so are my arms but my thighs need some reconditioning.
3. I am not ready for a real race... I woke up worrying about how bad my time might be at the Color Run tomorrow. Then I remembered that they don't even time the run, and it's all for fun. At every 1k they douse you with a cornstarch based paint powder... I'll be sure to wear a hat and sunglasses for protection. And enjoy the after color party with the kids and Mr. Darcy who are all going to wear white shirts to get colored up!
4. It is really important to me to have Mr. Darcy and the little ladies at my races. They are being brave and going tomorrow to the race. The girls have informed me that I am amazing for going to run a 5k. : )
5. Pancakes made with oats, cottage cheese, egg whites, cinnamon are really good! Ladybug (our resident self described foodie) finished her pancakes and announced, "Life is really too good!" Enron Mr. Darcy liked them...
6. I feel better when I don't eat things with gluten in it. Attempting to go gluten free... We'll see how it goes. They stick that stuff in everything.
7. Laying in bed, I realized that I no longer believe in "not being able to do" anything. If I want to, I will do it. I think that is what all those triathlons were about - proving to myself I could do anything and that somehow I could survive anything.
8. #7 made me think... I've Been skydiving, parasailing, done a 1/2 Mary, a 1/2ironman. But the thing that always made me say that person is crazy? The Goofy Challenge: a 1/2 Marathon on Saturday followed by a marathon on Sunday. A number of people I know have done the Goofy and some are doing the Disney 1/2 or the marathon this weekend.
9. I decided... I am doing it. Come this time January 2014, I will be doing the Goofy Challenge. It is a done deal. I even looked up training schedules already. And at the route map for this year, and at some spectator info for the family.
10. Don't think #9 scares the poo out of me. It does, and I know it. The whole "what if i train and fail?" But that' the best reason to conquer it. Plus as I said to the FB pals racing this weekend... They've already won just by showing up. Unfortunately, I know my brain, which does not work in partial victories. But that is something I too am working on.
Anyone want to join me for Goofy Challenge 2014? I have my workouts figured out for the entire year leading up to the Goofy Challenge (provided it is correct that the dates will be Jan 11-12, 2014), thanks to the Jeff Galloway website which has everything from 5k to Goofy challenge training schedules. I am doing the 5k training (with a couple weeks removed to make it work) then the 10k training and then the goofy challenge training and it leads exactly to the 2014 goofy challenge. Starts this week!
Monday, January 7, 2013
Back to School, Irony of a 4 Mile walk & a 5K
Ladybug and Angelfish are back to school and I am back to healthy eating and workouts. I cannot say i hit every day of December of working out. I did walk Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas, another day in there too, And New Year's eve. then it was january. I took the girls to the beach one day last week and we not only walked more than a mile but also did some speed training (aka "I'll race you!"), and did an hour of yoga Thursday, and I am pretty sure that our day at the science museum was about a mile of walking, although I am not sure that counts. (Ladybug was mad that I wouldn't stop as soon as she got up so I explained to her the importance of exercise while finishing and then sent her off to draw a picture.
With New Year's just passing I am sure there are a lot of resolutions floating around. I personally hate resolutions. You make a list of things that you are going to stop or start and put all this pressure on yourself and go back to your old ways by March if not before.
So this year, I sat down with myself and was honest. I am seeking something in my life. I know I want to help others in a meaningful, life impacting way and I know I am passionate about some things that I think all people are by nature of their humanity have a right to: food, shelter, and health. I've decided to keep looking for the opportunity to work in this arena, preferably in a paid position, but I will continue volunteering and my Boards while that may arise. I am contemplating getting a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Rollins as well to help make it clear that I understand how my transferable skills from practicing law work work favorably in the nonprofit sector. I have accepted too the fact that food, while always there, is not a friend to rely on other than to make my waistline expand (as it unfortunately has from stress eating followed by holiday eating - entitlement to cookies, candies & cake because I want it, I realize is some inner child of mine who needs to be tamed... I have to say after denying myself of sweets and bread for so long and so strictly, it was a ticking time bomb of overeating ready to explode. I am now tweaking...). So I am working on a new attitude towards food. I am seeking God more closely too. I won't talk much about that on the blog as I find that to be more personal and not something I necessarily want to put here, but what I will say is that my choice to leave the law and go to the nonprofit sector and things I want differently in my life feel in my heart to be something that God has been calling me to for years, and somehow over the past year I finally started really listening & not trying to talk myself out of doing. So I am traveling that road.
Do I see these as New Year's Resolutions? No. I see them as an extension of last year and the journey of my life as a work in progress, striving to go the distance to be the person I am meant to be...even if I am not sure exactly what that means.
Which leads me to my 4 mile walk this morning. Despite the house needing a nice cleaning, groceries to do, laundry, job searching, and oversleeping (shocking to think that going to be at midnight makes it difficult to get up a 5:30, right?), not to mention the car needing fixing a/c went out as my Xmas present from the car plus it needs regular maintenance & an oil change), I decided to put myself first and get my much needed 4 mile Monday walk in. So I dropped the ladies off at school, came home, grabbed the cellphone and hit the road. It is cold here by Florida standards - 56! In my running shorts and t-shirt, the 1st 3/4 mile was rather chilly and I told myself if I was still cold by the 1.5 mile turn I'd call it a day. Well, for walking I was booking it today! I was nice and warm & sweating by 1.5 miles and declared I was headed for the full 4. And the little competitor in my head made a reappearance as I turned the corner to start mile 3... There was a guy in a sweatsuit walking a good bit of the way up the road. Probably around 1/2 mile up.I decided to pass him. My legs were a movin', I was sweating and all I could do is pay attention to how I was gaining on him. Yup, I passed him at about the 3/4 mile point. And when I got home (the loops I do end in my driveway), I had walked 4 miles in right under 52 minutes... Which is about a 13 minute mile pace. The irony? That is slightly faster than what was once my RUNNING pace. And I was tempted to keep going another mile, until I saw the dog through the window (whose hip popped out of socket when Ladybug accidentally dropped her on the 30th, almost one year to the day of her being hit by a car and having the same injury) was so excited I was home that she was bouncing up & down. Tomorrow will either be a 1 mile walk and 1 hour of yoga or 2 miles and weight training.
Oh and my 5K. I haven't mentioned it because I am not really looking at it as a race because 1) I am not sure how much of it I will actually run; 2) I haven't "trained" for it like I used to train for a race; and 3) saying it out loud (or in blog land) holds me accountable, and only now (under 1 week away from race day) was I ready for that.
So January 13th, I will be doing the Color Run here in Orlando. First race of any sort since my last triathlon, and I haven't decided whether I will run, walk or do a mix of the two. I am definitely in a different fitness level since the last one, despite knowing that the best thing for you is to never get out of shape in the first place. Yet with the schedule I used to keep, I probably would have imploded if I squeezed in exercise too ....I should have kept it as a priority, but life shifts and we learn, right?
I don't know that I'll do a race report, but who knows! The thing I do know is I am trying to be gentle with myself about the whole experience because I tend to have high expectations sometimes even in spite of reality.
Hope your year is starting off right!
With New Year's just passing I am sure there are a lot of resolutions floating around. I personally hate resolutions. You make a list of things that you are going to stop or start and put all this pressure on yourself and go back to your old ways by March if not before.
So this year, I sat down with myself and was honest. I am seeking something in my life. I know I want to help others in a meaningful, life impacting way and I know I am passionate about some things that I think all people are by nature of their humanity have a right to: food, shelter, and health. I've decided to keep looking for the opportunity to work in this arena, preferably in a paid position, but I will continue volunteering and my Boards while that may arise. I am contemplating getting a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Rollins as well to help make it clear that I understand how my transferable skills from practicing law work work favorably in the nonprofit sector. I have accepted too the fact that food, while always there, is not a friend to rely on other than to make my waistline expand (as it unfortunately has from stress eating followed by holiday eating - entitlement to cookies, candies & cake because I want it, I realize is some inner child of mine who needs to be tamed... I have to say after denying myself of sweets and bread for so long and so strictly, it was a ticking time bomb of overeating ready to explode. I am now tweaking...). So I am working on a new attitude towards food. I am seeking God more closely too. I won't talk much about that on the blog as I find that to be more personal and not something I necessarily want to put here, but what I will say is that my choice to leave the law and go to the nonprofit sector and things I want differently in my life feel in my heart to be something that God has been calling me to for years, and somehow over the past year I finally started really listening & not trying to talk myself out of doing. So I am traveling that road.
Do I see these as New Year's Resolutions? No. I see them as an extension of last year and the journey of my life as a work in progress, striving to go the distance to be the person I am meant to be...even if I am not sure exactly what that means.
Which leads me to my 4 mile walk this morning. Despite the house needing a nice cleaning, groceries to do, laundry, job searching, and oversleeping (shocking to think that going to be at midnight makes it difficult to get up a 5:30, right?), not to mention the car needing fixing a/c went out as my Xmas present from the car plus it needs regular maintenance & an oil change), I decided to put myself first and get my much needed 4 mile Monday walk in. So I dropped the ladies off at school, came home, grabbed the cellphone and hit the road. It is cold here by Florida standards - 56! In my running shorts and t-shirt, the 1st 3/4 mile was rather chilly and I told myself if I was still cold by the 1.5 mile turn I'd call it a day. Well, for walking I was booking it today! I was nice and warm & sweating by 1.5 miles and declared I was headed for the full 4. And the little competitor in my head made a reappearance as I turned the corner to start mile 3... There was a guy in a sweatsuit walking a good bit of the way up the road. Probably around 1/2 mile up.I decided to pass him. My legs were a movin', I was sweating and all I could do is pay attention to how I was gaining on him. Yup, I passed him at about the 3/4 mile point. And when I got home (the loops I do end in my driveway), I had walked 4 miles in right under 52 minutes... Which is about a 13 minute mile pace. The irony? That is slightly faster than what was once my RUNNING pace. And I was tempted to keep going another mile, until I saw the dog through the window (whose hip popped out of socket when Ladybug accidentally dropped her on the 30th, almost one year to the day of her being hit by a car and having the same injury) was so excited I was home that she was bouncing up & down. Tomorrow will either be a 1 mile walk and 1 hour of yoga or 2 miles and weight training.
Oh and my 5K. I haven't mentioned it because I am not really looking at it as a race because 1) I am not sure how much of it I will actually run; 2) I haven't "trained" for it like I used to train for a race; and 3) saying it out loud (or in blog land) holds me accountable, and only now (under 1 week away from race day) was I ready for that.
So January 13th, I will be doing the Color Run here in Orlando. First race of any sort since my last triathlon, and I haven't decided whether I will run, walk or do a mix of the two. I am definitely in a different fitness level since the last one, despite knowing that the best thing for you is to never get out of shape in the first place. Yet with the schedule I used to keep, I probably would have imploded if I squeezed in exercise too ....I should have kept it as a priority, but life shifts and we learn, right?
I don't know that I'll do a race report, but who knows! The thing I do know is I am trying to be gentle with myself about the whole experience because I tend to have high expectations sometimes even in spite of reality.
Hope your year is starting off right!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
ACK, Ag, and other things....
The ACK
This weekend did not go as planned on the exercise front. I think I mentioned I had been working on the girls playroom. I needed to buy some wood in Friday for the seat cushion and the new window treatment I was making. Luckily, I got my 4 mile walk in that morning because the brilliant guy who cut the wood for me put a large and heavy piece of wood standing up on the cart. I pushed it a bit through the store and then thought to myself that I didn't think it was very safe and as I went to stand next to the wood to reposition it, it did exactly what I feared.... Slipped off and smashed my toe. I was impressed with myself for not cursing (out loud) as Ladybug and Angelfish were right there. By the end of Friday evening, it was swollen and it was difficult to bend. Saturday it was black and blue but only in one line, the swelling had gone down a little but it still hurt to high heaven. So I skipped my Saturday walk, especially since I had to get that foot into heels that evening for my friend Christi's wedding.
By Saturday evening, it was better although still a bit bruised. The wedding was wonderful - I even cried a little. The best part of every wedding for me is the look of the groom's face when he sees how absolutely beautiful his soon to be wife looks. I was not disappointed! But by the end of the wedding, I needed to get out of those shoes. Luckily, it was a sit down dinner so I took my shoes off under the table. And a little wine helped the throbbing in my toe.
Sunday I went to church early and let the family sleep in... But they were up and rearing to go by the time I got home, and we ended up taking the kids to do their Christmas shopping for each other. My toe felt perfectly fine, but I decided I should make sure my toe was good for Monday.
Ag
Monday, I got up early and took my toe for a spin. 2 miles later and it was fine and it has been good ever since. After taking the girls to school, I headed to a stakeholder meeting with the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Health, Department of Family Services, and multiple nonprofits and community funders to discuss healthy food access - where the need is, what existing programs can be expanded to help with the need, and potential for what else should be done. It was great and just what I had hoped for really. We didn't get a ton done but what everyone agreed upon as parameters and definitions is a wonderful start to actually doing something (even if it takes awhile) about healthy food access. I was a bit shocked when one of the players said to me that when we were introduced he did not realize that I was "THE 'TriMommy'" who was responsible for getting the state agencies to actually come to the table on the issue, and then proceeded to thank me for what I have been doing and continue to do. It was a little odd because I don't even think of it that way. I think of it in terms of justice, I guess. It makes no sense to me that Florida is the state that feeds the country for most of every year yet we have 1 in 5 children (and in some parts of the state 1 in 4) who do not know when they will eat again and when they do eat it's junk because that's what is available to them outside of free/reduced lunch programs. I don't know how not to push to fix that. It's not something I feel like I can just walk away from as though it is not my problem. His comments felt good, yet weird because I didn't feel right about taking praise for something that it should be obvious for us as people to do.
Other Things
Tuesday was catch up from the all day meeting around the house, a bit of shopping as Mr. Darcy's Mom has reinjured a nerve in her leg somehow and is in excruciating pain. So I did their shopping for Ladybug and Angelfish's Christmas presents, and a few little errands for the house. Then to my Junior League Council meeting where we talked about the various committees and their progress, needs, etc. it is wonderful to work with a group of ladies who believe in the community programs we are running, and who do their best. It makes my VP of Community position much easier. : ). Plus I really enjoy all of them, so we always have a nice social part after the meeting too. Oh, and I got my walk in - 2 miles - taking the kids to school.
Yesterday, Mr. Darcy through a wrench in my plans. He set the alarm (when I was already asleep) for 6:30 am instead of 5:30 am, and I must have been tired because I didn't hear it going off until about 7 am. So I fully intended to find a way to get at least 2 miles in if not more. But I had a big to do list... Christmas is officially completed other than grocery shopping and cooking. Wrapped and all. Toilets, tubs, counters are sparkling. I had a wonderful lunch with a friend, and misread my watch causing me to arrive at the girls school about 7 minutes after school ended but thanks to the long pick up line (and my prayers to let me get there for the girls with no problems) disaster was averted, and we had fun at the park afterwards. Then we did some homework and made magical bath sea salts and peppermint sugar scrubs for family presents. The girls then entered into World War III over nothing, and argued the entire rest of the evening. Santa registered his dismay by calling me about it so I could relay the message to cool it to the girls, which has worked pretty well for now. The walk however never happened.
This morning I had an entire conversation in my head, which evidently took 9 minutes as that is the time between alarm and snooze sounding, about whether to stay in bed because it might be "cold" outside and to do yoga or to get up and walk. Well, the walk won. 5:30 am I was out the door and hustled a nice 4 mile walk - the winning argument being that if it was super cold, I'd just go as far as I could take it but since I missed the day before and had toe issues this weekend I really couldn't justify staying in bed AND I knew full well that I wouldn't have time to do yoga if I slept in.
The walk was awesome, actually. I saw a family of 5 "reindeer" traipsing through the neighborhood, as well as the rabbit I keep seeing (who I refer to as the Easter Bunny to the girls and who usually has another rabbit with him, but not today), a neighbor I met when waiting the 2 1/2 hours to vote I the presidential election, a wild boar (who luckily stayed in the underbrush while grunting angrily), a bird who must have been confused because it was singing next to a street light while it was still pitch black out, and then ended with the 5 deer all together instead of spread out throughout the neighborhood. Pretty cool walk and fun to talk about with the ladies who decided that the bird was signaling the reindeer that I was coming so their return to Santa's sleigh to fly back to the North Pole would not cause any magical incidents with me seeing "too much" and that the Easter bunny was simply helping Santa out with the last minute check ins. I love having such imaginative kiddos!
Once I got them off to school, I headed to Sanford for the Seminole County Legislative Delegation Meeting so we could voice our need for support for the initiatives as they arise for healthy food access and to keep them abreast of the fact that we are working with state agencies on the issue, which was much more positively received this year than it was last year. Progress, even if small, is progress! I got out of that earlier than I expected so I ran to get some random sale items - candles and gift bags (70% off sale). Then lunch with Mr. Darcy and on to the girls' winter holiday party at school, where they built snow scenes out of marshmellows and such and then were allowed to devour them. To say the least I let them play at the park for an hour afterward. They needed to burn off some calories!
Tomorrow I have a big list of chores and errands, and I plan to get either a 3 or 4 mile walk in as well. Goal is to be able to enjoy the weekend leading up to the holidays, prepare for reading at church on Christmas, and be rested to cook the Polish Wiglia dinner after evening service on Christmas Eve and prepare for Santa's deliveries and the arrival of my parents. I can't wait! I plan to get in my necessary walks too...
What are your holiday plans?
This weekend did not go as planned on the exercise front. I think I mentioned I had been working on the girls playroom. I needed to buy some wood in Friday for the seat cushion and the new window treatment I was making. Luckily, I got my 4 mile walk in that morning because the brilliant guy who cut the wood for me put a large and heavy piece of wood standing up on the cart. I pushed it a bit through the store and then thought to myself that I didn't think it was very safe and as I went to stand next to the wood to reposition it, it did exactly what I feared.... Slipped off and smashed my toe. I was impressed with myself for not cursing (out loud) as Ladybug and Angelfish were right there. By the end of Friday evening, it was swollen and it was difficult to bend. Saturday it was black and blue but only in one line, the swelling had gone down a little but it still hurt to high heaven. So I skipped my Saturday walk, especially since I had to get that foot into heels that evening for my friend Christi's wedding.
By Saturday evening, it was better although still a bit bruised. The wedding was wonderful - I even cried a little. The best part of every wedding for me is the look of the groom's face when he sees how absolutely beautiful his soon to be wife looks. I was not disappointed! But by the end of the wedding, I needed to get out of those shoes. Luckily, it was a sit down dinner so I took my shoes off under the table. And a little wine helped the throbbing in my toe.
Sunday I went to church early and let the family sleep in... But they were up and rearing to go by the time I got home, and we ended up taking the kids to do their Christmas shopping for each other. My toe felt perfectly fine, but I decided I should make sure my toe was good for Monday.
Ag
Monday, I got up early and took my toe for a spin. 2 miles later and it was fine and it has been good ever since. After taking the girls to school, I headed to a stakeholder meeting with the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Health, Department of Family Services, and multiple nonprofits and community funders to discuss healthy food access - where the need is, what existing programs can be expanded to help with the need, and potential for what else should be done. It was great and just what I had hoped for really. We didn't get a ton done but what everyone agreed upon as parameters and definitions is a wonderful start to actually doing something (even if it takes awhile) about healthy food access. I was a bit shocked when one of the players said to me that when we were introduced he did not realize that I was "THE 'TriMommy'" who was responsible for getting the state agencies to actually come to the table on the issue, and then proceeded to thank me for what I have been doing and continue to do. It was a little odd because I don't even think of it that way. I think of it in terms of justice, I guess. It makes no sense to me that Florida is the state that feeds the country for most of every year yet we have 1 in 5 children (and in some parts of the state 1 in 4) who do not know when they will eat again and when they do eat it's junk because that's what is available to them outside of free/reduced lunch programs. I don't know how not to push to fix that. It's not something I feel like I can just walk away from as though it is not my problem. His comments felt good, yet weird because I didn't feel right about taking praise for something that it should be obvious for us as people to do.
Other Things
Tuesday was catch up from the all day meeting around the house, a bit of shopping as Mr. Darcy's Mom has reinjured a nerve in her leg somehow and is in excruciating pain. So I did their shopping for Ladybug and Angelfish's Christmas presents, and a few little errands for the house. Then to my Junior League Council meeting where we talked about the various committees and their progress, needs, etc. it is wonderful to work with a group of ladies who believe in the community programs we are running, and who do their best. It makes my VP of Community position much easier. : ). Plus I really enjoy all of them, so we always have a nice social part after the meeting too. Oh, and I got my walk in - 2 miles - taking the kids to school.
Yesterday, Mr. Darcy through a wrench in my plans. He set the alarm (when I was already asleep) for 6:30 am instead of 5:30 am, and I must have been tired because I didn't hear it going off until about 7 am. So I fully intended to find a way to get at least 2 miles in if not more. But I had a big to do list... Christmas is officially completed other than grocery shopping and cooking. Wrapped and all. Toilets, tubs, counters are sparkling. I had a wonderful lunch with a friend, and misread my watch causing me to arrive at the girls school about 7 minutes after school ended but thanks to the long pick up line (and my prayers to let me get there for the girls with no problems) disaster was averted, and we had fun at the park afterwards. Then we did some homework and made magical bath sea salts and peppermint sugar scrubs for family presents. The girls then entered into World War III over nothing, and argued the entire rest of the evening. Santa registered his dismay by calling me about it so I could relay the message to cool it to the girls, which has worked pretty well for now. The walk however never happened.
This morning I had an entire conversation in my head, which evidently took 9 minutes as that is the time between alarm and snooze sounding, about whether to stay in bed because it might be "cold" outside and to do yoga or to get up and walk. Well, the walk won. 5:30 am I was out the door and hustled a nice 4 mile walk - the winning argument being that if it was super cold, I'd just go as far as I could take it but since I missed the day before and had toe issues this weekend I really couldn't justify staying in bed AND I knew full well that I wouldn't have time to do yoga if I slept in.
The walk was awesome, actually. I saw a family of 5 "reindeer" traipsing through the neighborhood, as well as the rabbit I keep seeing (who I refer to as the Easter Bunny to the girls and who usually has another rabbit with him, but not today), a neighbor I met when waiting the 2 1/2 hours to vote I the presidential election, a wild boar (who luckily stayed in the underbrush while grunting angrily), a bird who must have been confused because it was singing next to a street light while it was still pitch black out, and then ended with the 5 deer all together instead of spread out throughout the neighborhood. Pretty cool walk and fun to talk about with the ladies who decided that the bird was signaling the reindeer that I was coming so their return to Santa's sleigh to fly back to the North Pole would not cause any magical incidents with me seeing "too much" and that the Easter bunny was simply helping Santa out with the last minute check ins. I love having such imaginative kiddos!
Once I got them off to school, I headed to Sanford for the Seminole County Legislative Delegation Meeting so we could voice our need for support for the initiatives as they arise for healthy food access and to keep them abreast of the fact that we are working with state agencies on the issue, which was much more positively received this year than it was last year. Progress, even if small, is progress! I got out of that earlier than I expected so I ran to get some random sale items - candles and gift bags (70% off sale). Then lunch with Mr. Darcy and on to the girls' winter holiday party at school, where they built snow scenes out of marshmellows and such and then were allowed to devour them. To say the least I let them play at the park for an hour afterward. They needed to burn off some calories!
Tomorrow I have a big list of chores and errands, and I plan to get either a 3 or 4 mile walk in as well. Goal is to be able to enjoy the weekend leading up to the holidays, prepare for reading at church on Christmas, and be rested to cook the Polish Wiglia dinner after evening service on Christmas Eve and prepare for Santa's deliveries and the arrival of my parents. I can't wait! I plan to get in my necessary walks too...
What are your holiday plans?
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
The best laid plans
Today's had planned a lot of things... A 3 mile fast walk in particular, reading a book and some research I did on CDFI's, a load of laundry, general cleaning, errands, painting. Somehow, I never heard the alarm clock that Mr. Darcy had set 1 hour later than it was supposed to be set for. It is funny how a delay in your start can make you feel off balance. I got in a 1.5 mile fast walk instead since Mr. Darcy had to get to work.
Then I got the ladies ready for school and a breakfast in them, myself showered and then out the door. Upon returning, I was able to dry my hair, out on some makeup and eat some breakfast. Then I ran my errand to get the painting supplies we did not have and then I came home, prepped and taped the wall in the girls' playroom and painted. I painted an accent wall a nice blue color called "high noon." It was the first time I ever painted an entire wall by myself. It was a comedy of errors at first, although I wasn't laughing. I had the rolling brush on a paint roller that turned out to be too small because the rolling brush kept rolling partway off the roller, and to get it back on I had to use my hands which were then completely covered (palm side) with paint. I finally decided that there had to be some roller that worked. sure enough there was... It is amazing how much faster the painting went after that. I finished the wall just in time to get the kids from school. Poof. The day went just like that!
After school pick up it started to drizzle so we couldn't go to the playground (which has been our tradition and really helps the girls get out some energy before going home). Instead we went to IKEA in search of something for the girls' stuffed animals to live in. They vetoed a few ideas because the stuffed animals wouldn't be able to breathe or it wasn't pretty enough or they wouldn't feel loved in that box. I finally told them that we needed to agree on something because the animals were either going to need to be housed or give away because they were just everywhere all of the time. Suddenly they were finding a suitable home for their animals and excited about organizing them - a red bin and a blue bin are now the happy homes of the (stuffed) menagerie. We also purchased a second double bookcase exactly like one we have already because we needed balance in the room. (When I am done I will post some pictures... But not until then.). The thing still needs to be assembled and the box alone weighed 81 pounds. Luckily I have been lifting two kids who collectively weigh 88 pounds. We had a little math problem with that one and the girls correctly subtracted to find that they together weigh 7 pounds more than the box, which according to Ladybug is why "Mama is super strong!" I have to say I was amused by 3 men who were shopping together, slightly older than I am and evidently not a chivalrous bone in their bodies as they stared at me while I told the girls to stop moving the cart and step away from it all while balancing and holding this giant box. Or maybe, I just make it look that easy. : ) either way, as I tell the girls in my best Roz voice (from "Monsters, Inc."), Santa is watching always watching.
Then we battled the rush hour traffic, cooked dinner, and Ladybug and Angelfish did homework and to,d me all about how their teacher loves snow flakes and this was why their holiday party next week is a Winter wonderland theme.
I also folded a load of laundry... But somehow I need more hours in my day to get all my plans done.
Tomorrow I have a conference call and volunteering at a holiday party with some under served elementary school kids. In between that, I plan to get some exercise, straighten and clean, put together the new bookcase, get fabric for the curtains and corkboards. Sure, I can do it all!
Then I got the ladies ready for school and a breakfast in them, myself showered and then out the door. Upon returning, I was able to dry my hair, out on some makeup and eat some breakfast. Then I ran my errand to get the painting supplies we did not have and then I came home, prepped and taped the wall in the girls' playroom and painted. I painted an accent wall a nice blue color called "high noon." It was the first time I ever painted an entire wall by myself. It was a comedy of errors at first, although I wasn't laughing. I had the rolling brush on a paint roller that turned out to be too small because the rolling brush kept rolling partway off the roller, and to get it back on I had to use my hands which were then completely covered (palm side) with paint. I finally decided that there had to be some roller that worked. sure enough there was... It is amazing how much faster the painting went after that. I finished the wall just in time to get the kids from school. Poof. The day went just like that!
After school pick up it started to drizzle so we couldn't go to the playground (which has been our tradition and really helps the girls get out some energy before going home). Instead we went to IKEA in search of something for the girls' stuffed animals to live in. They vetoed a few ideas because the stuffed animals wouldn't be able to breathe or it wasn't pretty enough or they wouldn't feel loved in that box. I finally told them that we needed to agree on something because the animals were either going to need to be housed or give away because they were just everywhere all of the time. Suddenly they were finding a suitable home for their animals and excited about organizing them - a red bin and a blue bin are now the happy homes of the (stuffed) menagerie. We also purchased a second double bookcase exactly like one we have already because we needed balance in the room. (When I am done I will post some pictures... But not until then.). The thing still needs to be assembled and the box alone weighed 81 pounds. Luckily I have been lifting two kids who collectively weigh 88 pounds. We had a little math problem with that one and the girls correctly subtracted to find that they together weigh 7 pounds more than the box, which according to Ladybug is why "Mama is super strong!" I have to say I was amused by 3 men who were shopping together, slightly older than I am and evidently not a chivalrous bone in their bodies as they stared at me while I told the girls to stop moving the cart and step away from it all while balancing and holding this giant box. Or maybe, I just make it look that easy. : ) either way, as I tell the girls in my best Roz voice (from "Monsters, Inc."), Santa is watching always watching.
Then we battled the rush hour traffic, cooked dinner, and Ladybug and Angelfish did homework and to,d me all about how their teacher loves snow flakes and this was why their holiday party next week is a Winter wonderland theme.
I also folded a load of laundry... But somehow I need more hours in my day to get all my plans done.
Tomorrow I have a conference call and volunteering at a holiday party with some under served elementary school kids. In between that, I plan to get some exercise, straighten and clean, put together the new bookcase, get fabric for the curtains and corkboards. Sure, I can do it all!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Catching up...
On so many things really... Just because I haven't blogged doesn't mean I stopped doing my return to fitness challenge. After my hike with the groceries, Wednesday I did a 2 mile walk, Thursday a 3 mile walk (in exactly 45 minutes on the dot), Friday I ran the mile (w 3 walking points) which sadly showed how out if shape sitting behind a desk for 2 years with little exercise can make you, Saturday I slept through my walk after breakfast with Santa and while watching a movie with the kiddies (at least I am honest) and then had a friend's party to go to, Sunday (yesterday) I planned to run my mile but my leg muscles were so incredibly tight even after stretching that I did a fast walk (14 minutes), and today I alternated running and walking 1 mile due to joint pain in my ankles. I plan to do a 3 mile walk tomorrow. I am enjoying getting moving again even if it is only in small increments.
I also decided to do a fruit/veggie juice cleanse this week. I know it may sound odd, but someone about that idea is really calling me as a way to cleanse out all the stress of the past few months and to let me start anew. I am doing the juicer method so I know what is in my juice. I am doing it for all meals except dinner, when I am going to eat some food, although I am considering avoiding the meat for this week. I am starting it today and will finish on Saturday. Depending on how I am feeling I may move up to the smoothie cleanse (basically adding protein powder in) or just return to clean food eating.
In the past week I have realized how completely insane my schedule used to be and why I am having a little bit of a hard time sitting still... My body is trained at this point to constantly have another thing to do and not ever ramp down. I am working on this in particular. Letting myself relax. It sounds funny, but it is really hard. That at being present in every moment. I am trying hard to be still both mentally and physically and working on forgiving someone in particular (no, not Mr. Darcy) while not knowing whether the person even cares if I forgive her.
The girls have been a hoot. They had kids night out at their old daycare and had a blast (full of sugar too) while Mr. Darcy and I had a great time with some wonderfully dear friends - I haven't laughed that hard in awhile! Saturday morning we took the ladies to Junior League's Breakfast with Santa which was a ton of fun. The girls loved on Santa and Mrs. Claus, Angelfish whispered her list in his ear so no one else (probably meaning her sister) would take her ideas. Ladybug told him the same list she had written at home. : )
My favorite thing the girls said this weekend was one if those overheard moments.
Angelfish: How do you draw that so good?
Ladybug: oh, you know, YEARS of practice!
Angelfish: I've had the exact same number of years of practice as you have!
The other was when Santa asked Angelfish where she got her freckles and she responded, "God put them there, of course!"
And now I am off to get a few things from the store. Mainly distiller whit vinegar which evidently is natures wonder cleaner. Oh and some paint and stuff because I decided to redo the girls playroom. Same furniture (although I am going to paint some of it), be revamped and reconfigured. I've wanted to do something different for awhile now, and I hope to have it done before Christmas!
I also decided to do a fruit/veggie juice cleanse this week. I know it may sound odd, but someone about that idea is really calling me as a way to cleanse out all the stress of the past few months and to let me start anew. I am doing the juicer method so I know what is in my juice. I am doing it for all meals except dinner, when I am going to eat some food, although I am considering avoiding the meat for this week. I am starting it today and will finish on Saturday. Depending on how I am feeling I may move up to the smoothie cleanse (basically adding protein powder in) or just return to clean food eating.
In the past week I have realized how completely insane my schedule used to be and why I am having a little bit of a hard time sitting still... My body is trained at this point to constantly have another thing to do and not ever ramp down. I am working on this in particular. Letting myself relax. It sounds funny, but it is really hard. That at being present in every moment. I am trying hard to be still both mentally and physically and working on forgiving someone in particular (no, not Mr. Darcy) while not knowing whether the person even cares if I forgive her.
The girls have been a hoot. They had kids night out at their old daycare and had a blast (full of sugar too) while Mr. Darcy and I had a great time with some wonderfully dear friends - I haven't laughed that hard in awhile! Saturday morning we took the ladies to Junior League's Breakfast with Santa which was a ton of fun. The girls loved on Santa and Mrs. Claus, Angelfish whispered her list in his ear so no one else (probably meaning her sister) would take her ideas. Ladybug told him the same list she had written at home. : )
My favorite thing the girls said this weekend was one if those overheard moments.
Angelfish: How do you draw that so good?
Ladybug: oh, you know, YEARS of practice!
Angelfish: I've had the exact same number of years of practice as you have!
The other was when Santa asked Angelfish where she got her freckles and she responded, "God put them there, of course!"
And now I am off to get a few things from the store. Mainly distiller whit vinegar which evidently is natures wonder cleaner. Oh and some paint and stuff because I decided to redo the girls playroom. Same furniture (although I am going to paint some of it), be revamped and reconfigured. I've wanted to do something different for awhile now, and I hope to have it done before Christmas!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Tuesday funnies
I had a brilliant idea this morning. I had the laundry in, the dishwasher going, the house straightened, so I was going to walk the kids to school and then keep walking to the grocery. I was only buying a handful of things... All went well. The girls said it was cold in the shade, so we ran from sun spot to sun spot until Angelfish declared that her ribs were hurting from breathing too hard. Then we walked the rest of the way. As we were waiting a few minutes because we made such good time (12 minutes is not bad when you are lugging two backpacks that weigh 7 pounds or so each) and were early, the ladies overheard that they could go in the school lobby to listen to a band play Christmas carols. Instantly chopped liver, off they went and so did I. At the store, I bought: 5 lbs of sugar, a container of canola oil, a container of coconut oil, Brie, a can of cranberry sauce, 2 cans of pumpkin, creamer, dark sugar, a jar of garlic. I am pretty sure all of that weighed about 10 pounds. The bag boy was nice enough to pack it into my sack, which then broke. But I rigged it so it would still work and hefted the 1.3 miles home. As I did, I realized the difference that 10 pounds make and decided I needed to make sure I keep off the weight I lost over the past year and to make a real effort to get the couple pounds that I've already gained back off.
So with this in my head, I made a pumpkin spice cake with salted caramel sauce for a holiday party/board meeting I have tonight, and vow not to have any especially since I had the left over quiche from last night for breakfast and just some good pork tenderloin left overs for lunch.
I had to laugh though about the groceries because the lack of forethought when purchasing an automatic 5 pound bag of sugar made me laugh at myself. It also made me think of the members of the military doing runs with their rucksacks which weigh much more than the 10 pounds I carried. Hoorah!
Day 4 of mile challenge complete in the form of a 2.6 mile walk (or more if we want to count the walking I did in the grocery but I'm not sure wandering up and down the aisles really counts). I think I might take on 3 miles tomorrow... But without the groceries!
So with this in my head, I made a pumpkin spice cake with salted caramel sauce for a holiday party/board meeting I have tonight, and vow not to have any especially since I had the left over quiche from last night for breakfast and just some good pork tenderloin left overs for lunch.
I had to laugh though about the groceries because the lack of forethought when purchasing an automatic 5 pound bag of sugar made me laugh at myself. It also made me think of the members of the military doing runs with their rucksacks which weigh much more than the 10 pounds I carried. Hoorah!
Day 4 of mile challenge complete in the form of a 2.6 mile walk (or more if we want to count the walking I did in the grocery but I'm not sure wandering up and down the aisles really counts). I think I might take on 3 miles tomorrow... But without the groceries!
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