*waves hello*

That's me, waving hello to you.  I miss this little blog.  I have some things I want to write on this little blog. 

Like about our visit to the Fair.

The competition that is developing between women in all areas of life.

A late Fit Friday entry.

My discovery of diastis recti. 

But I have very little time for this little blog.

I wish I had a blog to write about how the baby is finally walking.  But alas, she's not.  17 months folks.  My aching back can't take it much longer.

Don't forget about me!  I'll be around soon.

You can always check out my 140-characters or less blogs here.

See ya soon!

Kindergarten = complete

We have reached the end of our first full year of school.  It's been a wonderful experience.  Having a January birthday, my 5.5yr old was more than ready for the daily interaction and mental stimulation that began in September.  She grew and flourished under a fabulous teacher, who also happened to be my nephew's kindergarten teacher 6 years ago.

We petitioned for Miss Rose to attend a school one neighborhood over from us.  There were mixed reviews about our local school and nothing but good about this other school.  It was the right choice for us.  This school has a very high level of parental involvement and I think they raise a lot of money to help subsidize things at the school.  The school has a full-time music teacher, which is unique these days and Miss Rose went to music class weekly.

Our school didn't have a "kindergarten graduation" (which I was ok with) but the Kindergartners did put on a special musical presentation called "How Does Your Garden Grow."  They performed it for the whole school one week, and then did a night performance for families the next week.

The few photos I took during the performance were dark and hard to make out.  Someday I'll figure out how to make my camera take decent photos under those circumstances.  It shouldn't be so difficult!  Miss Rose was a farmer.  Other kids were flowers, weeds, and various vegetables and a few garden critters.  It was adorable!  Miss Rose was very expressive and engaged, which pleasantly surprised me.  When she's done stuff like this in chuch, she's usually very shy and reserved.

She did spend much of the performance telling the boy next to her the various things he was doing wrong.  My little Type A daughter!  See him on the right?  Making silly faces!  The cute blonde at the bottom of the photo is Miss Rose's best friend from her class.  They've had a few playdates and will hopefully be getting together over the summer as well.

Last Friday, was the end of the year celebration for the Kindergarten classes.  There were 4 stations run by each teacher and I volunteered with Miss Rose's teacher, facilitating the parachute.

We did a fun game I've never seen before with the parachute.  Four children sat back to back in the center and we wrapped the parachute around them until it reached their shoulders.  Then on the count of three, everyone pulled and stepped back, making the kids in the center spin around and out of the center.  Lots of laughter!

Miss Rose recieved the "Peacemaker Award" for always being kind and fair with her classmates.  When I picked her up on the last day of school, her teacher told me of the award and said it was "the best award in the class."

We are SO proud of our girl.  I'm thankful for her school and look forward to first grade.  If I've figured it correctly, for ONE year, we'll have all three girls in one school.

Speaking of which, I realized the other day that Gracie is the same age Miss Rose was, when Gracie was born.  But now, with Gracie at that age, we already have a one-and-a-half year old.  Did you follow that?  It just means we had 3 kids in 5 years and it's kinda crazy to think about sometime.  But it's our life.  And I love it!

And now...time for summer fun!  I really enjoyed not having to rush out of the house this morning for school.  While I still have to leave for work, having a bit more flexibility with our morning schedule is really nice!

these days

November through June hold a lot of "days" for our family.  HoliDAYS, birthDAYS, Mother's/Father's DAYS.  Once we make it through June, it's like a sigh of relief for a few months. 

Perhaps you think I jest. 

Our "immediate" family, both sides, consists of 20 people.  All but ONE of those birthdays fall within 7 months.  Those 7 months also contain the majority of holidays as well.  We eat a lot of cake and buy a lot of gifts.

This week is our sigh of relief.  My birthday, my nephew's birthday and Father's Day have just passed.  The weekend was a bit of a whirlwind, but a fun one it was.  Friday night was a "Girls Night" with my playgroup mommies, most of whom I've known for many years.  Three of us have June birthdays and so we celebrated sans children.  Put 10 mommies at one table, without their children, and you have a lot of laughter and fun!  I love these ladies.  I've been mentally composing a blog about them and the place they hold in my life.  It's coming soon.

Saturday morning was a 1st birthday party for my nephew, aka "Baby Bird"--it was his birthday too!  We walked to the park where the party was held.  Have I mentioned I love our neighborhood?

Baby Bird loved his cake!  He is quite the spitting image of my brother as a baby.  (and yes, he's quite a tank too!)

While at the park, we took my obligatory birthday picture.  I always want a picture with my family on my birthday.  I'm weird like that.  I guess I just like to mark the day and what we all looked like.  I turned 33 by the way.

Miss Rose has become very adept at smiling nicely, and then making a silly face just as the camera goes off.  She thinks the camera is catching her smile!  I had to take a photo three times the other day just to get her smiling.

We had a few hours of reprieve Saturday afternoon and Bean sent me off for a manicure and pedicure.  It was divine.  I think all women should have the option of a mani/pedi for their birthday.  I've been blessed with strong nails that grow long when I take care of them, and right now all but one are nice and long!

Then it was off to take Miss Rose to a birthday party.  Perhaps the favorite birthday party she's been to because part of the party was stuffing her own animal, something she's never done before.  Twinkles the dog is the newest member of our family.  While Miss Rose was partying and stuffing, I did a little shopping for Father's Day.  I scored with See's, but the shorts I bought were returned.  Shopping for man is even harder than a woman, in my opinion!

When Miss Rose and I got home, Bean had my favorite BBQ take-out ready at home.  Oh it was YUM!  I'm not a huge fan of BBQ, but this homegrown place, I love.  The sauce has some spice and tang to it that balances the sweet very well.  I was in the mood for lemon meringue pie for dessert, quite a deviation from my usual favorite chocolate cake.

Sunday was church as usual, then a fun family outing for Father's Day that included a park visit, ice cream before dinner and a fountain.

 Although so many {days} all together can be tiring, I do love the togetherness it creates.  I love making the memories and new traditions.  Life moves so quickly.  I'm glad when we have the opportunity to swing, eat ice cream and put our feet in fountains.

Because these are the days.

Food for the soul

This is from a devotional Bible I use. I go back to this poem again and again.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Breathe in me,
O Holy Spirit,
that my thoughts may all be holy.

Act in me,
O Holy Spirit,
that my work, too, may be holy.

Draw my heart,
O Holy Spirit,
that I love only what is holy.

Strengthen me,
O Holy Spirit,
to defend all that is holy.

Guard me, then,
O Holy Spirit,
that I may always be holy.

-Augustine of Hippo


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Fit Friday: So you want to run, Step 3

Fit Friday is a regular feature on my blog.  I'm just a regular girl, who's had her fair share of weight and eating struggles, trying to figure it out for good, in order to give the right legacy to my three daughters.  If you have related recent posts, share them in the comments!


So, last week we talked about running gear and finding your route.  Hopefully you walked your route.  Now, it's time.  Time for your first run.

Step 3: Your First Run

This step is pretty straightfoward, but there are some other decisions you can make that will make or break the experience for you.

1.  Choose your time of day.  If you aren't a morning person, I don't recommend deciding to take your first run in the morning. You will be miserable and grumpy, and you won't complete it.  Don't run when it's really hot.  Again, you'll feel like you're dying and you'll never run again!  When I started running, I usually went in the late afternoon/early evening.

2.  What to eat when.  You need your muscles to be nourished when you run, but you probably will fill ill running on a full stomach. For my afternoon runs, I try to eat 150-200 calories about an hour prior to my run, preferablely something relatively healthy.  If I'm running first thing in the morning, I might eat a banana or small bowl of oatmeal.  If I'm heading to the treadmill in the garage, I usually don't eat anything.  If I happen to be running post-dinner, I make sure it's a very light dinner and I plan to eat more after my run.

3.  HYDRATE.  Drink water all day.  If you're running during a warm time, drink some extra water in the hour or two leading up to your run.  I usually stop drinking 30-45min before I run so that I have a chance to pee a few times and I don't have to pee while running.  When I run at the lake there are porta-potties if necessary.  I'm not big on Sports Drinks.  I was running over an hour more regularly I might, but just plain ole water suits me fine right now.

PLAN OF ATTACK

This is the other crucial part.  If you truly are new to running, you probably won't be able to run the entire two miles.  Don't expect to.  But draw up your plan of attack.  Here are my suggestions...

Warm up for 3-5min with brisk walking.  (I usually don't stretch before a run, only after)

Now, you run.  But don't go all out.  Go at an easy pace where you could still hold a conversation.  Remember, you don't want to kill yourself.  You just want to finish.  You aren't racing.

Run for as long as you can.  If you have a digital watch or timing device, aim for 3min or so.  If you can run longer, do so by all means.  Take a short 1-2min walking break, then run again.

Lather, rise, repeat, at least until you complete a mile.  "Running" one mile is your goal your first time out.  If you are completely out of steam, walk back.  But, my guess is, if you push yourself a bit, you could run a little more :)  Run a block.  Run to a certain landmark.  Usually I give myself a goal, and then I run a bit beyond it, just to show myself I can.  If you are using an iPod, walk the verses and run the choruses or vice versa.

My first run, was a very slow jog of 1 mile, no walking.  Then I walked back. 

That's it.  Your first run.  Your first few runs may be like this.  In the weeks to come, I'll continue to give tips and tricks that have helped me along my journey of being a runner.

Inspirational blog of the week: Racing With Babes

My Fit Week...
It's been a pretty fit week for me thus far, but it will start to derail tomorrow!  I ran early on Monday and Wednesday and I plan to run early tomorrow and again Saturday.  I made good eating choices this week and am still working towards my goal of losing those last 5lbs, making progress this week!

My birthday is Saturday, and celebrations begin tomorrow night!  My goal though is to maintain over the weekend with still making good choices with eating and running to accomodae for those extra dessert calories.  But celebrate I will, with no guilt whatsoever.  What's life for, if not for living!

I love Thursdays. But I don't.

Just getting to Thursday is often the goal of this busy, working mom of three young children.  After working Sunday to Wednesday; after returning to church Wednesday night after a full day of work there, I need Thursday.  The start to a few days off from work. 

I love Thursdays.

Thursday means I don't have to get out of bed until 6:45am.  I can drive Miss Rose to school in my pajamas and I don't have to get the little girls dressed either. Breakfast can wait until we get back home.  I can sit on the couch and cuddle with Gracie after Lily goes down for a nap (like I'm doing right now).

I love Thursdays.  They are for my family.  They are for my kids.  We call them "Mommy days" as in the day that no other adult is responsible for you, besides Mommy.  Thursday is playgroup day, where I can connect with friends, play with the kids at a park and let my Mommy role take over my life.  I can have the house picked up when Bean gets home from work and be ready to start dinner. 

I love Thursdays.

But I don't.

Because I'm tired.  So tired.  My kids are tired.  So we are all grumpy.  They've been on the go the past three days too.  They have so much fun with Grandmas and Aunts while I'm working, but they need downtime at home too. 

I don't like Thusdays because the clutter has piled up in the house.  There is a good chance we haven't vacuumed in three days.  There is usually clean laundry that's been waiting to be put away for two days, and dirty laundry that needs to be washed and put away.  We're almost out of cereal, and we need bananas.

There are errands I need to catch up on.  Like getting Miss Rose the right size of swimsuit.  Buying a bathmat because after being grossed out by ours for months, Bean finally just threw it away to force us to get a new one.  I need a new pillow.  I go through one every few months.  I know, it's odd.  I need to buy two birthday gifts for parties on Saturday.  I need a rectangular toy basket for the living room.  I sold a couple things on eBay that need to be shipped.  I have more things to sell and purge.

That's why I don't like Thursdays.

The burden is not my own.  Bean carries the load too, and does everything he can and even more.

But there is this thing in me, this desire to care for my family and keep my home.  I love being in ministry and helping provide for our family.  But, you just can't have the best of both worlds.  The grass is always greener on one side, because there is always something being neglected. 

I read this post of Stephanie's last night, and I love the last part.  I really identify with the sentiments that she expressed.

So far, I don't really like this Thursday.  But hopefully once I give some attention to the neglected parts, the grass will get a little greener on the side I'm standing on today.

more tidbits

Not much blogging energy lately.  But so much blog-worthy stuff!

Miss Rose was in a Kindergarten musical tonight.  So cute!  They don't do a promotion ceremony at her school (which I'm ok with) but the music teacher did a great job of putting "How Does Your Garden Grow" together with 100 Kindergarteners.  I will share photos soon.  Miss Rose was a farmer and was much more expressive then I expected her to be. 

Gracie pretty much lives in her own world.  It's funny.  Although not as intense, her glove obsession lives on.  We were at our neighbor's house and she came out of their kids' room with 2 different gloves, asking to wear them.  Her naps are being shortened, as she's been awake late at night, and we find random items--like a soccer cleat and a princess shoe in her bed.  She is great at randomly giving me a huge hug and saying "mommy, I love you so much."  Melts my heart.  Every time.

Lily is standing more and more independently.  She can get to a standing position straight from the floor and will stand there for up to a minute.  She's pretty proud of herself.  She doesn't really bend her knees at all, even in assisted walking.  So actual steps are at least a few weeks ago.  I'm holding out hope for the end of July perhaps.

As I stumbled out the front door this morning, baby on my hip, diaper bad and purse on my shoulder, Nalgene bottle and laptop case in hand, my neighbor commented on the hecticness that is my morning.  Sometimes, it's nice to get that random validation that yes, it's crazy and sometimes hard. 

I've decided to accept two things in my life. 

1.  Being tired pretty much every day is just the way it is for all moms of young children, whether you work or not.  Life is demanding.  Kids are demanding.  Not a day goes by that I don't see multiple posts on Facebook from mom-friends in all different stages of life, who are tired. 

2.  My house will never be organized and clean for very long while my children are this young.

Accepting these truths, doesn't always make them easier to swallow, but it helps me beat up on myself a little bit less.