What's that called?

What's that called when you hear someone in your class has lice and all of a sudden any time your head itches you are convinced you have lice?

Or when someone in your class has strep (or someone in your child's class has strep) and now you swear that your throat is killing you?


What's that called?

I'm an All or Nothing Sort of Girl...

When I decide to do something I sort of go all out. For me - it's all or nothing.





So, when I challenged myself to not eat any Halloween candy starting Nov. 1st I knew it had to be all or nothing. No letting myself have a bite of one of the boy's pieces, no choosing just certain ones I can eat. I will eat none of it.

But then today I realized someting. Even after having Mike take an entire bag of chocolate candies to work - If I don't eat any of this candy it will take FOREVER to get it out of the house.

So...

I decided: Each time I "crave" a piece of candy or each time I think about eating one - I will go choose a piece and put it in another bag - to either donate or send to Mike's work. (Any ideas of where I could donate this candy would be awesome. As of tonight there are 6 pieces in there. I'm sure the bag will be ready by the end of the month.)

Skinny is Not My Goal

A few days ago Jillian Michaels was asking her facebook followers for ideas for work-out t-shirt slogans. I, of course, couldn't think of one on the spot. But now, a few days later - I've got it.

I'd love to work out in a shirt that said:

My goal is not skinny.

My goal is strength.

I didn't always weigh what I weigh now. Maybe that's why I keep hearing people tell me, "You're so skinny." When really - I'm not. Yes - I weigh less. Yes - I'm wearing a smaller size than when most of these people met me. Yes - I'm working out. yes - I eat healthy foods. But skinny hasn't been my goal since high school (at which point I could never achieve the elusive "skinny"). My goal now, if you can call it that, is to put food into my body that will give me fuel to be stronger. To do more. I eat when I'm hungry - which some days feels like all the time. I rejoice in being able to do a few push-ups on my toes instead of my knees or to hold a plank for over a minute. More importantly, I rejoice in being able to run next to Quinn or Liam as the ride their bikes down the sidewalk. Or to be able to play an all-out game of soccer with them without huffing and puffing too much. My goal is not to be skinny. My goal is to be strong.

I love Mondays...

Ahhh - Mondays:

One of my two "break" days from working out and/or running.

Big Bang Theory is on.

I usually pack myself a pretty good lunch for work.

And today is especially wonderful, because tomorrow - LOST starts.

Always Thinking...

So, of course... I'm still thinking about next year. I've sort of made up my mind of what I'd like to see happen, but really have no control. There are so many things up in the air right now - things I have no control over. It seems I may have to wait until March or possibly April or maybe even August to know what I'll be doing next school year.

There's so many other things I have to think about in my own life that this "mess at work" doesn't seem so bad. Quinn's revisit with his foot doctor is at the end of February. My mom is having a biopsy done on a mass found on her thyroid next week.

And then, there's so many things happening in other families that I know, that all of the above doesn't seem bad at all.

I truly am blessed with what I have. And I truly believe that whatever happens next year will work out just as it is supposed to work out. I just wish it would be settled sooner.

I must say that through all of this mess - the thing I look forward to the most is a good run. Outside. In the cold. Who am I?

Eat less McDonald's

Mike and I recently watched Supersize Me. Haven't heard of it? Basically I guy goes from eating fairly healthy and exercising regularly - to eating a diet consisting of nothing except for McDonald's and no longer exercising. In fact, he starts taking more cabs, because he wants to keep the amount of steps he takes in a day at the national average.

Anyway, I was really hoping this movie would totally gross me out.

But it didn't. I was hoping it would make me think, "Man, I'm never going to want to eat at McDonald's again." Instead, I thought, "Hmmm, I could go for a Big Mac. I love my Big Macs."

Of course eating nothing but McDonald's for a month is not a good idea. Especially, if you insist on getting a meal every time - french fries twice a day and soda. Woah.

But what he did discover, which I totally believe is this - McDonald's food is addictive.

I could go weeks without a Big Mac or a Cheeseburger Happy Meal (with apples), but then once I treat myself and the kids - I want it again - right away.

So, I'm going to try to go to McDonald's less this year. I'd really like to say I'm not going to go at all, but that's just not realistic.

Also - I'm going to try to cook. Once a month I'm going to make something that seems difficult or fancy to me. I've always said, "I can't cook healthy foods." The only things I know how to make are loaded with carbs or come from a box or both. So, I'm going to try to cook from the meat and produce aisle. Once a month. Also, crock pot recipes do not count.

*Oh - and another surprising thing from the movie - he showed some school up in Wisconsin serving amazing school lunches - organic/fresh vegetables and the lunch ladies were actually putting together lasagna for the students. It looked amazingly delicious.

Read less blogs

This year for Christmas Mike and I gave his grandma a subscription to Time Magazine. I have to thank my aunt who told me, "Uncle Fred's mother still reads Time Magazine and she's 94, but likes to know what's going in." I knew Mike's grandma would enjoy the same thing - she is always aware of current events.

Me?

Not so much.

Sadly, I can tell you what's going on in people's lives I don't even know. I know who likes to complain about work and people they work with all the time. I know of three children who died this year, whom I never met. I know who is on a diet. Who got a new camera for Christmas. What kind of lens so and so likes to use. Who got a Snuggie for Christmas. What some people think about just about anything.

I know a lot of useless stuff.

That's not to say that reading blogs hasn't been a good thing for me. I've learned of other's compasion. I've learned of other's struggles. I've gotten strength from reading of other's strengths. I've been inspired by others.

So, my resolution to read less blogs?

There were some blogs in my google reader that I would skip over if I was in a hurry. The ones where the author rambled on and on (sort of like this), or the ones where the author complains almost every post, or the ones that, yes, they are funny, but I really didn't feel a connection to them.

So I deleted them.

I kept the blogs with good writing.

With the people I feel connected to.

With those that are more positive than negative.

Chances are - if you're reading this - I still read your blog.

And I'm not just saying that.

Oh, right. So anyway - I decided to try to stay current on current events. To read something other than blogs. I'm trying out different news magazines to see which style I like the best, before getting a subscription. So far, I've read Newsweek, Reason, and The Week.

Do you read a news magazine? Which one?

My Resolultions - More or Less

Read more news magazines and books.
Read less blogs.


Eat less McDonald's.
Try cooking more often.

Run more.
Find less excuses.

Buy less stuff.
Donate more of what we have, but no longer really need.

Soup of the Day

I like soup.

Potato

Tomato

Cheddar Broccoli

Chicken Rice

Chicken Noodle

Vegetable

Pumpkin Bisque

Lobster Bisque

I like soup.

With Ritz

With Saletines

With Goldfish

With bread

I like soup.

When I'm sick

When I'm cold

When I'm happy

When I'm sad

I like soup.

Rules for Black Friday

A few years ago I started doing all my Christmas shopping on the infamous Black Friday.

Here are a few of my own personal rules:

1. Do not go to: Walmart, KMart, or Best Buy. Those stores are all well and good on any other day of the year. But I refuse to wait in a line that stretches around and around or worse, I refuse to be a part of a stampede. Those three stores always seem to have some sort of crazy door buster, that will literally, cause people to bust the doors down to get at 'em. No thank you.
2. Do not stand outside waiting for the doors of a store to open. Sit in your car. Drink your coffee. Eat your power bar. Whatever. Listen to some Christmas tunes. Unless you live in a warmer part of this country - do not stand outside in the cold waiting.
3. Be nice: The past few years I've learned something - if you're nice to the people working - they'll be nice to you. If their computer system is not working quick enough, it is NOT the fault of the person at the register trying his/her best to get through the morning. Being grumpy will do you no good. Take some deep breathes, relax, and think about how crazy it is that you and all these other people are out in the madness - that should make you smile - and if it doesn't - go home and go back to bed.
4. Do not fight over the last whateveritis: I don't care how good the deal is - it is not worth fighting over. Try the "nice" approach - even if you have it in your hands first - if you see someone who wants it - offer it to them. Last year I had the last king size bedding set at Carsons - I heard two people talking and trying to find a king size of what I had. I offered mine up. Yes, it was a good deal, but really, we didn't need a need bedding set. It was hard for me to convince them to take mine, but eventually they took it and thanked me.
5. Smile at other shoppers. Offer them extra coupons that you won't be using. Tell them about good deals you saw at other stores. This is my favorite part about Black Friday.
6. Last, but not least, go with a list and a plan. Tomorrow I'll be going to Carsons, Target, the Mall, Costco, and breaking my first rule, I will try to go to Best Buy to see if they happen to have any receivers left - if they do - great, if not, oh well, and then Kohl's. (Note - if getting into Best Buy is crazy later in the morning I will just skip it. Nothing is worth that stress. Nothing.)

34 Minutes and some seconds...

Today wasn't how I imagined it. I imagined blue skies, beautiful leaves on the trees, my family there to see me start and finish, and then spending some time after the race doing some of the fun stuff they would have set up for the kiddos. It wasn't like that.

A cold, dreary, and rainy morning greeted me as I headed to my first 5K. I told Mike if he thought it was too cold and wet to take the boys, that's okay. Only crazy people go out in this weather by choice. And so I went...

I worked hard to get to this point. I did everything I needed to do to be ready. There were two things I couldn't control - the weather and the course.

As I drove to the starting location I actually found myself following the signs for the runners, for me, and noticed there were some hills - not huge hills, but more hills than I'm used to.

After registering, waiting, and checking out people's costumes (I did not dress up) - we were off.

As we finished the first mile - the girl at the water table was reading out times. 9:30something (I couldn't remember exactly). I looked at my brother-in-law, "I do NOT run a 10 minute mile." He told me we could slow down. (If anyone needs someone to run with them for their first race - I would nominate him. He did a great job - stayed by me but I never felt like he was pushing me to go faster.)

I don't remember what time the girl at the second mile water table said, but I remember thinking, "That's like an eleven minute mile. I do NOT run eleven minute miles."

I think it was between the 2nd and 3rd mile when it really started raining. Not a mist - but a rain. A cold, wet, rain. My shoes were wet and I couldn't decide if I should leave my sweatshirt on, zipped, opened, or off. I kept switching - on and zipped, unzipped, and then off and around my waist, back on, zipped up again, and then repeat. Well, only two or three times, but it was getting on my nerves. I've got to find something better to wear for my next one. I've also got to work on my pace. More running outside should help with that - it's easy to keep a nice and steady pace on a treadmill.

That's right. I'm already planning on running a 5K with my brother on Thanksgiving morning - want to join us?

And I may or may not have agreed to run a 10K with my brother-in-law in the very distant future.

Anyway...

As we crossed the finish line I could not believe that the clock said 34 minutes and some seconds (gosh my memory is great!). I have run 3 miles many times at the gym - and never under 36 minutes and usually between 37 and 39 minutes.

So - I grabbed a bagel, thanked my brother-in-law for planting the seed in my head to run a 5K and then for helping me follow through, and drove home.

Mike and the boys made a huge sign for me - "Good Job Mom!" and hung it on the front door - it's still there. Quinn wanted to know who won. How many people were in front of me. And how many people were behind me. Luckily, I can honestly say I wasn't first and I wasn't last. I think I have to wait a few days for them to post the results.

Greedy Me.

Let's forget about this for awhile, shall we? And let's move on to more important things. Such as?
Next week is my birthday! Woohoo.

I don't normally have a list of things I'm wanting, but, boy oh boy, there's a list this year.

An ipod nano (in blue, yellow, green, or purple) of course, I'd settle for a shuffle to replace the one I've had for years. The one that I somehow broke while cleaning the house while using it. Not broke enough to where it doesn't work, but broke enough that when the battery dies I will not be able to charge it. And then I will cry.

A flip camera. I didn't think I wanted one, but then I played with my aunt's. oh boy, do we need this.

A nifty fifty. Apparently it's a must have - the more I look around - the more I want one.

What? You weren't planning on spending that much on me?

Silly me.

Here's a list just for you -

My favorite socks.

My favorite water bottle - I already have a green, pink, and purple one.

Also - gift cards, of course!, are always welcome. Starbucks, Ann Taylor Loft, Target, Kohls - all acceptable.

Ha. That was fun. =)

What I Did and Didn't Do This Summer

So, it's official. With today's weather calling for a high of 83 and high humidity - summer is over.

For me anyway.

Tomorrow begins yet another school year. For some reason I'm really looking forward to this year - not sure why, maybe because I totally re-organized my kitchen play area and am hoping this helps with the clean-up efforts in there. Ah, the kitchen play area - always my least favorite area of my classroom...

Now the block area, oh those blocks, I could play there all day - and cleaning up in there? I love it.

Anyway, as my summer comes to a crashing halt I've been thinking about all those things in May I promised myself I'd get to in the summer.

See, as a teacher, every May I find myself putting things off "until summer". Cleaning the floors, washing windows, organzing pictures, etc. etc. Some things are things I would normally do during the school year, but in May my life is crazy enough with work stuff I feel justified putting things off for a few weeks.

Of course the normal stuff got done - the floors were cleaned, windows washed, etc. But the big projects I had hopes of finishing, or at least starting... well, that's another story.

I didn't organize my pictures, I didn't catch up on my scrapbooks, I didn't get the basement looking good, I didn't redo our bedroom window treatments (though I did my some drapes), I didn't organize our bathroom shelves, I didn't figure out a good system for keeping junk off the kitchen table, and I didn't clear all the junk out of the attic.

That being said, we did accomplish a lot this summer. (as a side note, why is it for the stuff that didn't get done I say "I didn't" and yet for the stuff that did get done, I'm planning on using "we". interesting. Of course, Mike helped with most of this...)

We did have a garage sale and then donated everything that didn't sell. That felt good.

We went green. We got ourselves a compost bin, clothesline dryer, and a new air conditioner to replace our 30+ year old one. Of course, that last one, we had no option - our old one broke.

I relaxed. Naps were late or missed. Bedtimes were almost always later than usual. Lunches and dinners were served outside.

I took the kids to the pool. A lot. Even if just for an hour - we'd go.

I napped. Almost every day.

I found a good summer workout schedule that I'm totally going to miss.

I hurt my neck and found a chiropractor I can trust.

We saw friends.

We saw family.

We vacationed.

We grilled. A lot.

We ate hotdogs over the fire. A lot.

All in all - I'd say it was a pretty good summer. Sure, maybe I didn't get all the productive stuff done, but I can honestly say for the first time in a long time, we really did enjoy our summer.

I Can Run

a mile.

I can run a mile.

I can run a mile without stopping or walking.

I can run a mile without feeling like I'm going to die.


I've done it five times. So I know I can do it again and again.

Then, I'll add another mile and then another mile.


I promised my brother-in-law I'd run a 5K with him.


This is totally doable.

When the kids are sick...

When the kids are sick they get to watch way more tv than normal. Curious George, SuperWhy, Wipe Out, and Sesame Street seem to be constantly running on TiVo lately. And I'm okay with this.

When Liam is sick he rarely naps more than 45 minutes. I've found myself sitting on the couch watching Nemo or WallE as he cuddles up next to me drinking his juicy water. And I'm more than okay with this.

When Quinn is sick he makes me laugh. After every meal and every nap he'll proudly announce, "Well, that worked! I'm better now." Of course, I'm okay with this.

When the kids are sick I make their juicy water with a little bit more juice - in hopes of giving them a few extra vitamins, but mostly because I want them to drink more liquids. It works and so, I'm okay with the extra sugar they might be getting from the juice.

***********

When I'm sick, I treat myself to my favorite ice cream every night. And I don't feel guilty about it at all.

When I'm sick, the house gets just a little messy. Nobody vacuums, laundry piles up, the bathroom counter gets cluttered, and the dishwasher doesn't get emptied first thing in the morning. And I don't feel guilty about it at all.

When I'm sick, my husband takes good care of me. He makes soup, fixes my ice cream, and takes the kids in the basement when he gets home from work. And I don't feel guilty about it at all.

*************

Maybe being sick isn't so bad after all?

What I Forgot

Since I wanted to stay home tonight, because I have a chiro appointment tomorrow, I decided to skip my favorite kickboxing class after dinner and work out this morning before swim lessons. This meant less driving - just one trip to the gym! but it also meant some extra packing, but I figured I could handle it.

This is what I forgot:

• face wash for me
• comb or brush
• regular bra to put on after swim lessons and showers
• swim diaper for Liam
• sunglasses for hanging out at the outdoor pool afterwards
• sunscreen for hanging out at the outdoor pool afterwards
• ipod
• heart rate monitor

I guess that's it. It seemed like way more... of course I'm probably forgetting about something that I forgot.

Barbaric

Just over a week ago I woke up with a horrible pain in my neck. Like nothing I've ever felt before. If you're my friend on facebook, you know, I was desperate. I figured I'd try something new. Well, new to me, anyway.

When I think about modern medicine I can't help but think it's just all so barbaric. The blood draws, blood transfusions, drugs, surgeries, ... not to mention how chemo-therapy works. It just seems crazy. A crazy that has, no doubt, helped so many people with so many issues. But sometimems, I think it's a crazy that's gotten just a little too far out of control.

So, I decided to try a chiropractor for the pain in my neck. I knew a regular doctor would prescribe some sort of muscle relaxer, but I really didn't want that. After spending a few days letting the pain "cycle through," as the doctor put it and then spending a week on vacation, I finally got in to see him this morning.

All went well until he went to adjust my lower back and neck. What? You want to talk about barbaric, here's this guy twisting my body so that it makes these cracking sounds, as if he's breaking me. And my neck? Goodness gracious - the noise coming from there was truly barbaric. And the crazy thing is... I feel a little better. Now, I'm not sure if you're one to believe in chiropractic care, or not. But I happen to believe that it can work - if one is willing to help the process along.

Let me stand on my soap box for just a minute:

what we put into our bodies and how we treat our bodies must have an impact on how our bodies treat us. I don't care how good your chiropractor is, if you're not willing to do the stretches and eat foods that you can pronounce all of the ingredients of, then I have a feeling that the healing process will take much longer.

I'm hoping that since I have been taking good care of my body and getting so much better about what I'm putting into it, this will be a quick process. I suppose I'll find that out eventually.

Anyway... this post wasn't supposed to be about chiropractic care and all it's benefits. I'll save that for when it doesn't hurt to check my blind spot or to kiss my boys.

Right.

Modern medicine.

Barbaric.

So - the chiropractor surprised me, though I don't know why, I've had it done before.

After that I headed on over to my obgyn for my yearly check-up. I complained about still leaking milk almost a year after nursing and you know what he wanted to do? Take some blood. To test my hormone levels. It's not that I can't handle having my blood drawn, especially at my obgyn - they are pros over there - it just seems so barbaric. Does it really matter if my hormone levels are off? The doctor said it was "nothing dangerous", but that he did want to look into it some more.

After I write this post I'm going to have to make an appointment for a pediatric orthopaedic. It's been over three months and now's the time to start talking about surgery.

Surgery on a 4-year olds foot.

That's barbaric, isn't it?

Of course I plan on getting a second opinion. And to research the heck out of whatever it is this is called. (Yeah, I'll have to get the name of the condition written down this time.)

And what happens if we don't "fix" this.

I suppose some would argue that not taking advantage of modern medicine and all it has to offer is barbaric. I would probably even argue that, on some days.

****'kay, so yeah, this post is a little all over the place. Sorry about that. I'm sure you all can deal with it just fine, though... if not - maybe there's a drug to help you focus? Or maybe I should get a drug to help me focus??? What do you think????

Ahhh... The Run

So, this has been something I've been wanting to write about for awhile now. The elusive run.

It all seems so simple to me. I'm not in horrible shape - I can hold my own in any kickboxing, step, or dance class. I can spend a good hour on the treadmill - alternating running and walking at a steap incline - keeping my heartrate high, but not too high. I can squat-press almost my entire weight. I can hold a plank for a full minute. I'm not weak.

So why is something that seems so simple, and as Mandie put it, so organic, so frustratingly difficult for me to handle?

Running.

I've been trying it a bit more at the gym, on the treadmill. Instead of my usual run for 2 minutes walk for 2, I forced myself to run through an entire song - of course the songs I pick tend to be well over 5 minutes, but still, I can do it. I feel like I'm going to die at the end of the song, but I can manage. But what I can't imagine, is to continue running. Run for a total of 40 minutes? or even 20? I thought that by now I'd be able to.

After talking with two different friends, each at a different level of running, each saying that I just need to run outside. "Running on a treadmill is different. You can do it outside. You'll see."

So I tried that. I strapped on my heart rate monitor and ipod shuffle and took off.

Liars.

It's not that I want it to be easy. I get that exercise is not easy. It's just that I don't want to feel like I'm going to die. And my heartrate? Shoots way up there - real quick.

I want to enjoy it. It seems so natural - just go for a run... all you need is some shoes and you're set.

While I was running a good song came on the shuffle and you know what I wanted to do? I wanted to dance! Not run. Maybe running just isn't for me....

But I want it to work. I want to be one of those that enjoys a good run.

I used to hate yoga, but I stuck with it and now I enjoy it, I still find it difficult, because I'm not flexible, but I truly enjoy it. Maybe running will be like that?

Maybe.

Time.

I'm still trying to figure out my routine for the summer. I was totally in the groove while working - MW nights at the gym. TuesThursSatSun mornings at the gym. Now - I'm still trying to figure out when to go.

That being said some guilt always creeps up on me when I spend time for myself.

If I spent as much time training the dog as I do at the gym, maybe I'd be able to walk him without having my arm torn out of it's socket. Or maybe he wouldn't get so crazy.

If I spent as much time cleaning the house as I do at the gym, I'd have a clean house!

If I spent as much time working on my scrapbooks as I do at the gym, I'd be all caught up.

So... you'd think that with as much time as I spend at the gym, that number on the scale would have changed after 4 weeks. Not so. But, I am getting stronger. I can feel it and see it in my arms. My endurance is increasing.

But still, I feel guilty. And I know I shouldn't.

The New Gym

So I joined a new gym. A month ago, maybe? or longer? I don't know. Anyway - there's things that I love about that gym. And then there's things that I both love and hate about that gym. And then there's thing I don't quite understand about the gym.

I love....

• the nice locker rooms with "free" lockers


• the amazing child center


• the dim lights in the group fitness rooms, or studios


• the hardwood floors in the studios


• the fact that the sound system in the studios has been working properly ever single time I've been in there. Something that never happened at my old gym


• the lap pools


• the family changing room - it's awesome


• the machines that spin your swim suit for you so that they're not so wet when you bring them home


• the towels that are available


• the drinking fountains have a special spout for filling up water bottles so you don't have to tilt it and try to fill it out of the same spout people drink out of


• the fact that every time I'm there, whether I'm giving myself a cardio workout, strength training, or taking a class, I can look around and easily find someone to inspire me.


• being able to watch personal trainers work with someone else and stealing some of their ideas - especially for strength training, or just being amazed at what those people are doing - again - inspiring me!
  

I love and hate...

• the cafe that's right on your way out. It always tempts me, but at least the choices are healthy, so they say.


• the fact that I can go to the gym and not actually work out - visit the lifespa, whirlpool, sauna, get a message, get a pedicure, eat lunch...

I don't quite understand...

• why guys wear cologne. This doesn't bother me that much, since I usually smell it when I'm strength training and it's just a whiff as the guy walks by, but what makes me sick is...


• ladies who show up to a group fitness class right as it's beginning, doused in perfume, and stand right next to me - it makes me want to puke


• why so many people there don't use reusable water bottles. You don't even have to fill it up at home, because they've got those fancy shmancy drinking fountains