Huh? Where did January go?

Somehow it seems like the holidays were just yesterday. How could we be on the cusp of the longest (despite being the shortest) month of the year? I guess I am getting old because more and more it seems like I think about how fast time is moving. Maybe its the realization that its something I have no control over and you know, I likes me some control! Gman and I were looking through some old pictures and video the other night and its hard to believe how much the kids have grown and changed in such a short time. My babies are slipping away and becoming real, honest to goodness people. Boobah summed up it well the other day when she said "Mommy, don't you think I just look like a little grown up?" Yes Boobah, yes you do.

I had such grand plans for getting organized in the new year, it hasn't exactly happened yet and the steps we have taken aren't as well maintained as I've liked. I guess we add that to the February list.

The exercise program is rocking. I am loving the tri training class despite the hard work and excruciatingly early hour for swimming. I graduated from the "learning to love the water" lane this morning which felt like a huge accomplishment--even moreso when I realized that not only could I keep up with them, I could pass many of them.

Yoga with Yogi and BooBoo

Well, not quite Yogi and BooBoo but PDQ & Boobah is close enough. I decided that if I am doing this triathlon thing and I don't want to be sore and tight I need to do more stretching so I've been recording the episodes of Namaste Yoga that say they are appropriate for beginners. Last night Gman had the kids outside riding their bikes since it was reasonably warm and dry for January. When PDQ came in and saw me on the floor she had to join in. We didn't manage to finish up the episode before dinner was ready so I promised her after dinner and our food settled we'd try it again.

So after baths and bedtime snack PDQ, Boobah and I settled in to do yoga. Its hard enough to do something you've never done before while trying to watch TV and tie yourself in knots. Its even more of a challenge when out of the corner of your eye you can see a small body with arms and legs all over the place and breathing hard. Really, there is no way I could get my body into that postion, period. Then came the need for pretzels and cheese. The girl is an eating machine and must put it in a hollow leg.

All in all it was good. I felt stretched and relaxed. The girls said they want to do it again. It was fun, we were moving, and we could all do it together. I suggested Gman join us and he laughed--out loud. Stay tuned for more from Yoga with Yogi and BooBoo! (Gman took pictures but you really don't need to see my butt in yoga pants!)

I survived triathlon training week 1

I made it through the first week of triathlon training and although I am tired I am still standing upright and nothing hurts too horribly bad. This morning was rough, first we did a little running warm up, then cycling on our bikes on the trainer, then a quick change of clothes and out into the cold to run. When she said we'd run over to the track at the nearby high school, THEN do our workout and run back I had to laugh--as if running TO the track and back wasn't workout enough, especially after the cycling. I will admit, I didn't run the entire time, I walked a bit, very briskly but it was walking. I don't know that my running is faster than my walking, I think it just makes me breathe harder. Once I stopped and tried to cool down, shower and make it to church on time the coughing started. I was surprised it didn't hit me when I was running outside in the cold but I'll take it, easier to shower and cough than it is to run and cough!

According to my heart rate monitor I burned over 2000 calories--no wonder I've been a bottomless pit today! There is serious girl power in the class. While there are men in the class I didn't speak to a single one. The other women though, they'd give shouts of encouragement as they lapped me on the track. What a wonderfully positive place to be! There are older folks, heavier folks and just generally fun folks in the class and I am sure that will get me through. Thanks especially to Es for being so darned supportive and talking me down in my moments of what the hell have I gotten myself into!

Night Time Defined

My own personal definition of night time has always extended until 5AM, anything before 5, definitely night time. After 5, maybe not pleasant but okay, I'll admit it is day time. Apparently the radio folks use the same definition. When I got in the car this morning at 4:50 AM to go to swim class the first things out of the announcers mouth "here on After Midnight." My suspicions have been confirmed, 5 is officially the beginning of day.

Having said that the class was actually, dare I say, fun. The people were very nice. Its nice to have someone to run the workout so all I have to think about is executing. I am sure they will get harder but this morning was a good chance to literally and figuratively get my feet wet.

Today I officially feel better, its been a week in coming but I finally feel like I might get through the day without a nap. Bending over to pick something up doesn't make my head feel like it will explode. There was no whining this morning about getting up and ready for school (although there was a temper tantrum over one taking the socks of the other). Obviously we are making progress.

Sending up smoke signals from the house of snot

Tomorrow it will be a week since I went to bed and have basically not gotten out except to do the absolutely necessary--like rinse my sinuses and get another box of tissues. When I woke the girls up this morning and they both complained that they didn't feel well I took pity on their booger crusted little selves and declared it a sick day. They've watched too much TV, played video games and eaten chicken noodle soup. They've had Thumper time and do your homework time. I've worked (yeah, no kidding, amazing huh?) and talked to my sister on the phone about the new babe.

Hopefully tomorrow we'll all be ready to enter the normal world again. I guess I'll find out what I'm made of, my tri training class starts tomorrow--in the pool at 5:15 AM. That in itself isn't so bad, its the getting up prior to 5AM which, as far as I am concerned, still qualifies as night time.

Here's to a brother for Goosie and Mousie!

Congratuations to the Mothergoosemouse family on the impending arrival of a new baby boy. Mayberry Mom and Motherhood Uncensored are the instigators of this showering event. Come one, come all and share the love with Julie!

My sister was scheduled to have her bundle of boy joy arrive the same day as the Mothergoosemouse family but he had other ideas. So my advice--no matter how well you plan (and I know that you do) babies and kids have plans of their own so roll with it. You are one of the most adaptable people I know so this shouldn't be a problem. Adding a little boy into the mix should be a piece of cake after conquering the move halfway across the country with an infant!

Sending best wishes to you and your family for the safe arrival of the new addition.

He's here!

My new nephew Brady arrived a littl before 6AM this morning. Yesterday they put my sister in the hospital because they didn't like some blood work they'd done the day before. Lucky for her, she went into labor last night and they did a c-section this morning. So much for the scheduled c-section later in the month! Now we have to figure out when we can go visit, the girls are so excited to have a new "cousint."

Our new addition

Meet Thumper, the newly adopted rabbit member of our family. He's not nearly the giant he appears in the picture. The girls have been after us for almost two years about getting a pet. We were saved by the goldfish in the pond out back for awhile--then I killed them. At Boobah's preschool they have a rabbit, Graham Cracker, and it got me thinking.

I am allergic to cats and a dog is so much work. Hmmm, maybe a bunny. Gman's response was if YOU are going to be responsible for it, knock yourself out. So I started looking this fall. Contacted local rabbit adoption places as well as the humane society. The local rabbit rescue wanted a lot of information, home visits and only hosts adoption day once a month. Around the holidays Abby came home with a note from a teacher at her school--her brother had a bunny he needed to get rid of. I managed to put her off through the holidays.

Last night we finally agreed that things were as normal as they are going to get and went to meet Thumper. He's very sweet and soft. It'll be a good chore for the girls and a good incentive to get other things done so they can hang with him. So we loaded up the bunny, food, cage, extra bedding and litter and brought Thumper home.

Somehow, I imagine that you'll be hearing more about Thumper in the future.

B. is for bad?

Its restaurant week in DC so Es made plans for us to go out to dinner and meet her beau. We'd been looking forward to it for weeks since our experience last year in Baltimore for the same event was so good! A three course meal at a great restaurant for around $30. Es made a reservation for B. Smith's. I'd seen her on TV, the Southern food description sounded great. What we got, not so much.

We got seated relatively quickly, after that there was nothing quick about the experience. It took at fifteen minutes for someone to take our order, close to half an hour to get salads--really, we know you make them ahead, how much time could it really take? Mine was about as forgettable as they come. We watched others get served (and others look disgruntled) around us. Finally a manager came over and apologized. In her nicest voice Es asked to make sure something would be done to compensate us--it had been well over an hour since we arrived at this point. She also promised more bread (it was 8:30 and we were HUNGRY) Finally dinner came, mine was okay but not great, the others said theirs was soggy and appeared to have been sitting around for a long, long time. Our waiter was nearly non-existent, occasionally he'd come by and fill a water glass or bring out a new soda but not often and never a word of apology from his mouth. We couldn't even get the bill paid when we finally finished after 9 PM--Gman had to go to the maitre d' to get him to track down our waiter to take our check. Needless to say, his tip was not large.

If the idea of restaurant week is to lure diners to your restaurant with a good deal your food and your service should give the impression that you'd like them to come back. For us, it is bye-bye for B. Smith. Gman and I have a reservation for dinner in Baltimore during restaurant week and I certainly hope the experience is better than this one!

The bright spot of the evening was definitely meeting DCLawyer and getting to know him a bit. He's cute and personable, the good Midwestern farm boy I would have expected with a bit of city smarts.

You can lead a man to water

...and apparently after he has experienced enough pain, he'll drink.

Yesterday his no water drinking, eating crap ways got the best of him and he couldn't go, if you catch my drift. I am sure if you check him out later, he'll tell you all about it in excruciating detail. So last night we had at least our 100th conversation about how he needs to drink more water. Yes, I am happy he drinks a glass in the morning before he leaves and another one later but really, he needs more than that. Really, even MY acupuncturist says HE needs to drink more water. This morning the above picture shows up so apparently, he at least added one more glass. I went to spin class this morning, I am on water bottle #4.

The Brick

In Tri-Speak a brick is a workout where you do two of the sports. I was lazy (and ran out of time) yesterday so I needed to run so this morning I did my Saturday morning spin class and then I ran for 20 minutes. It wasn't nearly as horrible as I expected. As I've said hundreds, maybe thousands of times, running is not for me. As time goes by and I do it more I feel less like throwing up as I do and realize that getting started is the hard part and once you get into it a little bit there is a sweet spot in the middle--that place right before you just want it over with.

I felt great, I had done it and according to my heart rate monitor burned 1300 calories this morning. By the time I got home and into the shower I wanted nothing more than a nap. So much for my grand organizational plans. I did get a few things done today. Most importantly Gman got all of the curtain rods and blinds up that have been sitting around for a few weeks. I did finally succumb to the bed for an hour after a trip to Lowe's and Costco because really, after a trip to Costco with three kids and the husband--you. deserve. a. nap.

De-lurker Day

Rude Cactus has declared it de-lurking day. So, come out, come out where ever you are and leave me a comment. Thanks to Greeblemonkey for the great graphic!

Tri-ing to get in shape

I am now signed up to do three triathlons in the coming months, indoor in February (a defined time instead of distance), a sprint in June with an indoor swim and a more laid back cycle, and finally a sprint in August that is a "little extra" on all the distances.

I've been training more, getting ready to start the tri training class. I know from watching Esmerelda last year that it is going to seriously kick my butt. Hopefully I am ready for it, I know they will push me--that's what I am paying them for :) I am up to running for 20 continuous minutes which seems pretty incredible since a couple of months ago I was praying for a 2 minute interval to be over.

I have invested a bunch of cashola in the past couple of weeks--fins, heart rate monitor, platform for the front wheel of my bike. I am sure there is more to come. I am loving the heart rate monitor, seeing when I need to work harder and when I might need to take it a little easier. Most of all I love the calorie count it gives me for the work I've done!

Of course the hardest part is fitting it all in, especially this time of year. I can pull myself out of bed at 5AM a couple of days a week for spin class or cycling but I can't do it every morning. Some mornings I've been able to roust the girls a bit early and hit the gym after dropping them off and still make it to work before 9. Occasionally I can squeeze in a lunchtime workout but its hard and I always feel kind of grungy all afternoon even though I've showered. So here's to hoping that the class and its 3 hours of workouts a week will help me get myself schedule for the other 3 I need to do!

We had a minor victory for Boobah tonight. She is on her third session of skating lessons in the last year or so. The first time she passed from Tot 1 to Tot 2. She spent most of Tot 2 laying about on the ice and frustrating the crap out of me. Last week she returned to the ice and I was impressed with her determination to get up and keep trying. This week it all paid off! With slightly smaller skates she managed to spend the entire class on her feet rather than her backside. Yippee Boobah. She was so incredibly proud, her first real athletic accomplishment!

Guilty Pleasure: American Gladiators

I don't know that I'd admit to watching the athletic contest in sparky, sparse costumes to just anyone so consider yourselves lucky! In the early/mid-90s I remember the Gladiators keeping me company late at night when I was up waiting for something bad to happen while I was on call. It had a fake pro-wrestling side to it but then there was the athletic ability of regular people to take on these larger than life gladiators as well as compete against each other and themselves. Call it the beginning of reality TV. A show before its time.

Last week when I was in Ohio for the holidays I caught an old episode on ESPN Classic and was frightened that I could remember watching it and knew who would win but I watched it anyway. Sunday night when the new edition of the show premiered I couldn't help but be pulled back into a different time and place. The women gladiators seemed a bit less, how shall we say, silicone, this time but were as over the top as always especially with the addition of Hellga.

An added bonus is a show, for a change, that Scott and I both enjoyed. With Hulk Hogan adding to the faux athletic event atmosphere it is bad entertainment at its best. The new twists, like having some events take place over a pool of water also make a good update of a classic. I love rooting for the underdog and I guess that's what we'll be doing for the next few weeks.

Boobah at her best

I was doing sight word flash cards with Boobah on Sunday night. We just started and she doesn't recognize much but "a." I showed her a word, she looked at the card, looked at me, back at the card, shrugged her shoulders and says:

"I got nothin'!"

It was all could do not to laugh hysterically.

Sorry I've been absent, job, exercise, un-decorating, trying to organize, and recovering from the sinus ick have been priorities this week. Hopefully things will calm down--yeah, right, I know.

Hope 2008 has started well for all!