Month: August 2009

Day 5……looking Up

Alright, so I blaaaaaaahhhed all of yesterday’s blah right outta me, and today has been a better day.

We ARE going away early next week for a 2 nighter in Whistler. It should be a ton of fun. Neither Jon nor I have been to Whistler recently and the kids have never been up there. So, we should have a blast up there with the family. Do you have any suggestions of things that we “should for sure do” while we are there? I’d appreciate hearing about what your favorite summer activities at Whistler are.

Today went a little differently than I planned or rather it went differently than I had thought it would, but it was still good.

My brother came over this morning to work a bit more on the trim . We have those HORRID rounded walls that were SO POPULAR about…..oh…..15 years ago (the age of our home) and so we had to order special rounded trim pieces to finish off the trim after we had the flooring put in. They finally came into the shop and today he brought them over. It’s so nice to spend time with family, even if they are working.

After he left, we popped over to this little coffee and tea shop in the Fort. It is such a cute place AND…..best of all, my cousin works there, and was able to take a quick break so we visited. So much fun.

After that we hit two stores to try and find me a pair of Birkenstocks. I’ve bought them a few times in the past and wear them until they fall apart. I end up feeling so great from wearing them (I’ve had massive issues with my feet) and I’ve really noticed that recently my feet have been hurting and then that means that my knees are hurting and then my hips hurt and my back hurts and then I get a headache……yah! All because of my feet. So, I’m on the search for another pair of Birkenstocks, but I’m looking for something pretty. We’ll see. I’ll show ya what I got, when I actually get a pair.

We didn’t find exactly what I was looking for, but we can still look in a few other places.

We headed home after that and I’m feeling more settled now. We are managing to work though some of the boxes and to get the garage cleared out some and to put more and more things away and I’m feeling like it possible that we might get “sorta” settled before this vacation is over and definitely before school starts.

One HUGE weight off my shoulders are the kids school supplies. I found out that the school orders packages of the school supplies from Smartpacks and I am ordering the kids supplies tonight. We got ahold of the company today and the kids supplies will be delivered directly to the school and it’s for a decent price, but the biggest thing…..I don’t have to go anywhere and search out “the best” deals or fight with all the other crazy parents….I’m just sitting here on my butt clicking away and feeling so happy and smug. Yah me!

Tomorrow we’ll probably attack a few more boxes and maybe try to do something fun with the kids….we’ll see.

But, I’m feeling WAY more relaxed about everything today. And that’s a good thing, right?

ps. for anyone who cares – I’ve exercised 10 outta the last 13 days, and am feeling good about myself. I’ll weigh in tomorrow morning to see how that’s all going.

Day 4

Today is Day 4 of “The 2009 Cruddy Vacation”.

That sounds promising and fabulously positive, doesn’t it?

The kids have been unbelievably pissy the last few days….weeks…..heck since we started talking about moving in the summer.

And I think I’ve caught that whatever they are feeling….

This is kind of a crappy vacation, if I do say so myself. And I just did!

Jon worked (HELLO – VACATION….where we DO NOT work) on Monday and then finished off our taxes (What was that? oh yah, those were supposed to be done a LOOOOOONNNNGGGG time ago – don’t even get me started on that) on Tuesday and then on Wednesday we had some running around to do and then here we are today where Jon paid some bills and is now doing a dump run….doesn’t this sound like a vacation that you’d like to be on? I did manage to wash and edge in a few walls with paint yesterday, but I still have to paint the rest of the wall and well, it all looks ugly…..and unfinished and BLERGH! GAKH! GRUMPH!

We are tired, and trying to do everything with the kids around SUCKS (cause all they’re doing is whining and moaning and making more mess and needing to be fed – seriously – and wanting to go “fun places and spend oodles of money and…..), and then it’s hot and nothing is finished and we’ve not got any solid plans and I do REALLY well with “plans” and (wonder where my kids get that from, eh?)…and ……AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!

I am hoping that we’ll get away for even an overnighter, but I’m not even sure of that at this point.

So, now that I’ve moaned and complained for far too long, how about some sorta, somewhat, kinda positive news.

Okay!

First, some not so positive news. I gained a freak load of weight. Awesome, I know! I made it all the way back up to 200 pounds. Brutal, Brutal, BRUTAL!

I made the decision at the beginning of August that I would try to hold steady. Meaning, I would not gain any more weight, but I wasn’t full on into losing wight yet, either. I figured that come September, I’d really give ‘er. At least, that was my plan….and it was going pretty well. I managed to stop stuffing my face with whatever was in front of me and to have SOME amount of self-control. I didn’t gain any more, but I didn’t lose, but I was okay with that.

2 Sunday’s ago, my sister (Debbie) asked if I wanted to go to a free exercise class – and my head exploded cause I was laughing so hard. No, I didn’t not WANT to exercise, but REALLY, I just should AND IT WAS FREE. SO I DID! and then….. I went back the next day….missed the next one and then went the next 4 days in a row…..YAH ME! I have now gone 8 out of 11 days. I’m sore, but no so much that I can’t function. I’ll be hitting the 8pm class today as well.

I would love to report some major weight loss, seeing as I’ve done more work in the last 2 weeks than I have in the last year put together, but I’ll be content with the 3 pounds that I have lost. Even more exciting is that my pants that have been feeling a little “Sausage-y” (it’s a word, just go with it) now are fitting looser. As in, I can put them on and not “gish” out all over the top with that lovely “muffin top” look that so many are sporting these days. It’s such a HAWT look, no?

So, this is Day 4. And I’m sure that tomorrow will be………… Day 5….ha ha ha I bet you thought I’d say tomorrow would be better….It might. I’m hoping.

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Spanish Banks – Aug 16/09

*I didn’t even realize that I had an “exercise” category. Imagine that!

Hangin’ with ma’ boys…(picture heavy)

Jon took the girls and went into town yesterday. The boys and I stayed home.

We decided to take a walk and hit one of the local Starbucks while we were at it.

We left the house and all was good.

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Although, we hadn’t gone more than a few steps when the baby decided that he really wanted to push the stroller….

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As is typical, he is not scared to really voice his opinion……..LOUDLY!

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When I finally took the stroller away from both the boys, they started to lighten up….

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While Jeremy explored the blackberry bushes along the side of the trail…

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Siah checked out the bridge….

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We finally made it to Starbucks and ordered our drinks. Jeremy waited patiently for his…..

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Siah was less patient, but he was thrilled to get his “Blended Apple Juice”

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When Jeremy got tired of the photo shoot, we packed it all up and headed home.

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We picked a few Blackberries as we slowly walked home but we were too busy cramming them in our mouths to stop for any pictures.

With all the crazy business that we’ve been dealing with, it was nice to have a quiet day with just my boys.

Quitting, Giving Up or Making Choices

So, I have a question for you today.

If your child signed up for a week long day camp and after one day decided that he or she really didn’t want to go back, would you make them?

Jeremy went to the first day of a day camp and after the chaos of day one was finished….he came home and said that he didn’t want to go back. It was too loud and too busy and there was too much of “everything”. He even complained about there being too much sugar in the snacks.

I actually wondered if he was sick!

I talked to him about going back and explained that he needed to make a decision and that he couldn’t just flip flop and go one day and not go the next, but that he needed to make a choice. It would be a fun week at the camp and that if he decided to not go then he couldn’t just go when he heard his sister’s talking about how much fun they were having.

He thought about it for a while and then decided to not go.

I know that I could have forced him to go. I could have manipulated him into thinking that it would be so much fun and talking him into wanting to go, but I let him make the choice. Honestly, I believe that he made a very good choice.

It is a loud noisy situation and he is an extremely sensitive kid and doesn’t do well in chaos. He can feed off the nervous energy and end up making choices that get him into trouble. As much as I would have liked him to go and he could have had fun and made some good memories – it’s possible that he could have gotten into trouble and had a horrible time.

I remember feeling like if I started something that I “HAD” to finish it or else I was quitting or giving up. I don’t want to teach my kids that its okay to just quit everything that might be hard or difficult or that it’s okay to just give up when something is awkward or uncomfortable, BUT….I do want my kids to know that they have choices.

I want them to grow up knowing who they are and how to make good choices that affect them positively. I want them to make choices and consider the consequences. I want them to know that if they make a choice (or find themselves in a situation) and it’s not a good one for them – that they can make another choice that will positively affect them or help them.

Would you consider this quitting or giving up or making choices and what would have you done?

Stolen Moments

I’ve got the dinner cooking and I have about 10 minutes until the potatoes are finished….so I’m popping on for a quick hello.

Today was SIah’s 2nd Birthday and we’ve not really done too much in the way of celebrating.

We’re still trying to unpack and so I’m thinking that we might just put off celebrating until September as things should be more settled then and really he’s 2….he won’t know the difference, will he?

We had to go into work today and I’m counting down the days until the kids go back to school. It’s insane to try and take them into the office with us, but it’s a necessary evil.

As of today I have 5 weeks until they go back to school and only one more office day with the 4 of them tagging along.

Even with the crazy chaos – today was a fabulous day. We are taking vacation the last two weeks on August and eve though we’re not entirely sure of our plans – I don’t have to work and so everything for the Fall Kick off has to be planned now….and today…..TODAY…I managed to plan most of the fall or at least the basic framework for the fall.

The load that I’ve been carrying has had about 85% of it drop off just with the schedule kinda, somewhat, sorta laid out.

PHEW! I feel about 25 pounds lighter….not physically, but mentally and emotionally….and this is a good thing….a VERY GOOD THING!

Just pretend that I’m not abusing the period, ‘mkay?!?

Well, I’m off the check out the dinner and to feed the kidlings and then send the older ones for a ride and to put the younger ones to bed. Then to relax….Oh I’m so looking forward to the relaxing part of this evening…..I can’t wait.

Hot and Puffy

Today was a much cooler day, but it was still warm. When I look at the thermostat in my house and it reads 28 degrees or even higher at 30 something… that’s too hot….for inside……

We’ve still been trying to plow onward and empty more and more boxes and trying to put away more and more stuff and to bag up and throw or give away anything that doesn’t actually have a “spot” to fit into.

So far we’re getting there. It’s slow going, but we’re getting there.

The stairs in my house are slowly killing me. I’m not used to it and it’s annoying to have to run from the top to the bottom only to find out that your forgot to bring something with you and it……just. happens. to. be. onthefreakingtopfloor.

So you pound up the stairs again and then rinse, lather, repeat a hundred times a day.

If I were actually losing some weight as a result of this, I’d not be complaining, but nope. No such luck on that point.

If anything, I’ve gained some weight and judging by the size of my feet tonight…I’ve been on them WAY TOO MUCH TODAY.

They are huge and puffy and they hurt like crazy…

But we are getting there.

It’s my baby’s second birthday tomorrow.

How the crap did that happen?

Where did the last two years go and where did this little boy come from?

We are going to be celebrating his birthday in September. The weather will still be nice enough and hopefully I’ll have my house in a little bit more order…..Am I dreaming on that one?

Well, The baby is being bathed and I gotta do what I can to tidy up the kitchen before Jon is done with him……lets hope I haven’t used up all my time.