on the road again

We're heading to Georgia for 2 weeks. I may or may not post while I'm gone. I will run, even though it's supposed be over 100* almost every day we're there. I'll have to get up in the mornings to do it but I'm really excited about it now. I'm doing a combination of running at a slow pace and then other days I do intervals so I can run at a faster pace. Last night I ran 40 minutes and felt like I could run even longer. Someday I'm gonna run a marathon.

do clothes make a man?

Last night I went out with some fellow bootcampers.  It's really strange seeing people that you're used to seeing in workout attire in normal clothes.  Even stranger when you're used to seeing them all sweaty & nasty & they're cleaned up, with their hair done & makeup on (well the girls anyway).  Where it got me though, was this one guy.  He's a total hottie at boot camp.  Always wears shorts & a sleeveless shirt, and damn if I had energy to waste during that class I'd use it drooling over him.  Yeah, I'm a happily married woman but I'm allowed to look and occasionally drool.  The drooling doesn't happen often, and I've had girlfriends get annoyed with me when they say something like "OMG look at that guy - isn't he hot?" and I'm just like "eh, whatever."  So when I say I'd drool, this guy is hot.    Last night I did not even recognize him.  It had nothing to do with his hair or makeup, it was all about the clothes.  When all that yummy muscular goodness that I can see so clearly at bootcamp is covered up by normal clothes, his head looks freakishly small.  Imagine putting Matthew's head on an adult sized body.  THAT is how this man looked last night.  Freakish.  freakish.  freakish.    No more worries about the drool embarrassing me.

another matthewism

Sorry for my lack of updates lately - I'm really just trying to not sit at the desk so much! When I sit down the computer becomes a huge hole that sucks me in & doesn't let me out. Our trip to Florida was great. I haven't loaded the pictures onto the pc yet - maybe next year I'll be ready to post them. The condo we used was FABULOUS - lots of room, tile floors everywhere except bedrooms so the sand wasn't annoying, plenty of room for everyone, but best of all, once we got downstairs, we walked out of the building onto the pool deck, around the pool, through the gate, and we were on the beach. I love being right on the beach. Could get used to that. ;)

We just decided last night that the kids & I are leaving this weekend for a trip to Georgia. David will join us the following weekend. That means he won't spend Father's Day with the kids, we won't spend our anniversary together, and he won't see Scarlett on her birthday. As my mom often says "we can celebrate any day", and David has said the same to me about this trip. He really stresses that the kids don't know it's Father's Day or their birthday until we tell them, so we're going to kinda lie to them. That's what great parents we are.

I've been running again. It's been years since I've run, and it feels good, really good. I've even been going to the gym before my other classes to run a while before I spend an hour in class. My boot camp instructor has been really helpful in me establishing a routine so I know how to approach this running. I never really knew before, even when I was "training" for races. (and otherKaci, I haven't measured my inches in a while...thanks for reminding me to do that - I'll get on it before I go to Ga!)

Oh, what I started this post about. I give Matthew & Scarlett "alphabet pretzels" when they finish their lunch. Part of our conversation today went:

Matthew: What do those letters on the bag say?
Me: It says pretzels.
Matthew: What about those letters?
Me: That says alphabet letters.
Matthew: No. It says alphabet letters and broken alphabet letters because these aren't letters. They are broke.

While he was right that the pretzels were broken, it didn't really say that on the bag. ;)

Imagination

We just got back from the library.  I wanted to get some books for me and since the library's summer hours don't leave time for me to go alone I took the kiddos.  After I selected my books we played in the children's area for a while (unfortunately we missed the craft time to make octopus in support of the Red Wings) and then I asked Matthew and Scarlett if they wanted to select a book.  Matthew picked out a zebra book - I haven't really looked at it, and Scarlett grabbed a Sandra Boynton book that we don't have.  I've never read the book but as I put my books away, Matthew climbed up on the couch with Scarlett's book and started making up a story to go with the pictures.  Gotta love it!

ramblings

Tomorrow morning we leave for a long weekend in Florida.  It was originally going to be at MIL's house but she rented a condo & now several family members are flying in.  Matthew has been asking me every day for a week if we are going to the beach today.  This morning he surprised me by saying "one more day until we go to the beach."    Memorial Day weekend we weren't very patriotic.  We decided Friday night to go to Canada instead of staying here.  Matthew & Scarlett loved taking the ferry boat and camping.  They enjoy cooking hot dogs over a campfire but prefer their marshmallows straight out of the bag instead of roasted.  We took some nice hikes and enjoyed a quiet weekend away.  It was a much needed and enjoyed break.   We also scored almost last minute tickets to Game 2 of the Stanley Cup this past weekend.  After being frantic about having someone to watch the kiddos, Aunt Bef came through for us yet again...hooking us up with her cousin.  I think she was as nervous about it all as I was, when during the break between periods I said "and this is when I start to wonder how the kids are doing" (just because it's pretty much downtime, so my mind drifts) and she immediately said "I can call him."  Then when he didn't answer, a few minutes later I heard her ask her hubby "should I try him again?"  A marvelous example of why, when she suggested her cousin might be willing & interested, I trusted her word that he would be fine with my kids.  And we had oh so much fun at the game.  Since I'm hoping we'll be back in Georgia later this year, this probably was a once in a lifetime chance for us.  Let's go Wings! I also finished my first sock last week.  Woohoo!  What a nerd I am.  I'm working on its mate and yesterday bought more sock yarn.  I also received a shipment early this week of natural wool yarn that I plan to dye up myself.  I am so excited about this adventure...I used to love chem lab & one of my favorite textile labs was a dye lab.  I just need to choose what dye colors I should order.....   Running....I did make it to the gym last week to run & I was a little disappointed in how slow I am.  I did 3.1 miles (5k) in just under 36min.  NOT a good pace, but I went last night & did 1.5 miles in 15:15, so a good bit better (and that's counting a warm-up walk at the start).  I only ran 1.5 miles because I wanted to go to the step class and I didn't get there early enough to run more & get to class.  I would have gotten back on the treadmill after class if I hadn't wanted to kiss the kids goodnight.  I was really amazed at how great I felt last night.  Plan to run on the beach the next few days.  :)

cuh-razy dream

We went camping last weekend and I keep meaning to blog about our trip but life's getting in the way. Instead today I'm going to retell the crazy dream I had last night.

Started out in a waiting room at a doctor's office. They call me back but instead of the room they took me to being a normal exam room, it was a medium size room with chairs set up all around the walls. There were 2 other girls in there, Mellissa, who I went to school from 5th-12th grades with, and Tonya, who I knew from a student organization at Georgia Tech. Haven't seen or talked to either of them in at least 10 years. I sit down & chat with them, then Doctor B comes in. We chat & it's all good.

Then, in walks Preacher S, who was the preacher at the church I grew up in from the time I was 9 until a few years ago. He now lives just down the dirt road from my family back home and is like a member of the family, but certainly not close enough to be at my gyno's office with me!

More chatting, then he leaves (thank goodness!). Dr. B says if I'm ready for my exam she will leave so I can undress. She leaves but Mellissa & Tonya stay. And don't forget, there's nothing but chairs in the room. There's also no hospital gown or sheet or anything to cover up with. Oh well...I tell the other girls "I hope y'all don't mind seeing my ass today", then I strip and kinda lay in one chair with my knees up over the armrest & my feet in the next chair.

Then I wake up. WTF? Those of you who know me know I'd never put my bare ass in a chair that there's no telling WHO ELSE sat in!

Anyone out there interpret this sort of thing?

don't be negative

This whole weight loss thing isn't working too well.  I think I hit this weight & my body is comfortable.  I've plateaued here before, and pretty much decided I felt comfortable enough *here* to just maintain.  I did a good job of maintaining at this weight, until I moved to Michigan, went off bcps, quit exercising in the winter, got pregnant, got pregnant again, etc.  So here I am, weighing almost exactly what I weighed 5 years ago, and unhappy about it.  But dieting alone isn't working.  Dieting & exercising 2-3 times a week isn't working.  I know it isn't my workouts...I'm burning anywhere from 700-1100 calories per workout (depending on which workout).  That 1100 calories a workout is about what I was supposed to be eating per day on WW.  What's my problem?  Why can't I get past this hump?   I think the only thing I can do reasonably is exercise more.    I hate exercising at night.  I get all wound up and have trouble sleeping.  But I also hate getting up early in the mornings.  So I have to pick.  I'm going to exercise 6 days a week, some days going to the gym in the early evening, other days I'll go for a run after the kids are in bed.  And my Saturday morning favorite...boot camp.  For me to run, I have to have a goal.  I like running, I really do, but I'm competitive and I need something to motivate me.  I've decided I'm going to train for a marathon.    I know, I know...that's a HUGE commitment & it takes a lot of time.  I'm willing.  Yes, the most I've done in the past was a 10k, and I know there's a huge difference in a 10k and a marathon.  20 miles different.  I know.  But I believe in myself & I know I can do it.  The Atlanta Track Club always hands out a "10k to marathon" training program after the Peachtree Road Race.  Surely I can find something like that online.  And I have my training info from the 10k's I've done in the past.  I'm planning to go for a run Thursday to see where I'm at, then I'll set a goal for a 10k.  Because frankly, I don't think I could go out & run a 10k right now.   Maybe a 5k, but not a 10.  Once I set a goal for the 10k, I'll take a look at the calendar and set a goal for a marathon.  I'll do other things in between, but I need to have that final goal set.    Anyway, the point of my post is that tonight I was discussing my plan with my boot camp teacher after my step class.  This guy in the class that I don't even KNOW comes up and is like "have you ever run before?"  "You know that's hard on your body, right?"  "Have you seen marathon runners.  They don't have any extra weight."  I kinda took that last remark as a subtle way of saying "there's no way your fat ass is running a marathon."  Whatever dude.  Didn't your momma teach you if you don't have something nice to say to just keep your fucking mouth shut?!?!  Bite me!   Oh yeah, I've written this post with one contact lens floating around in my eye.  Remind me there's a reason I don't usually shower with them in.  Ouchie.  Ready for David to be home so he can help me fish it out!