Run Baby Run

It's official.

I am attempting a 5K in September. Melissa and I are looking at two races, the Evergreen Race for Fetal Hope or the Dawg Dash at the University of Washington. Maybe both. Probably just one. Because I don't hate myself that much.

She mentioned something called the Iron Girl, and I thought I may have to end the friendship right then and there. Because it brought fear into my heart - a tri? Scary. I'm not so big into the crazy races, the ones where people actually soil themselves during the race because they don't want to stop. But then I read about it and it's just a 5 or 10K. So, Melissa, we're okay. Whew.

I know I can do a 5K, I've done one before, and all without vomiting. Almost puked, but held back. And got a decent time as well, all under 10 minute miles, which is huge for me. HUGE.

Because, as I've mentioned, I'm the girl who hid during running in track or P.E. And if they made me run, oh, how I whined.

God, I was a pain in the ass.

Today is the Greatest.

I must be easy to please. But today, so far (and it's only 10 a.m., mind), has been pretty fabulous.

Why?

1) The sun is shining and I'm sipping on a homemade iced coffee.

2) I got out for a run this morning to start out my newest mission (with my friend Melissa) - Couch to 5K. I have done it before, but it was B.C. (before child). Adding a stroller to the mix adds a whole new dimension. Considering I detest running, I felt pretty damn good this morning. And when I say detest, I mean, I used to hide under the bleachers during track practice during the group run. No joke.

3. When I got back from my run, I checked my email and I won this Cedar Plank Grilling Kit from Food Blogga. I can't tell you how excited I am to try grilling with cedar planks. Plus, it's just always fabulous to win things, isn't it? I won these ToeSox from the Sisterhood a few months ago, and I never knew how happy a pair of socks could make me. So, I'm thinking I may be on a roll with the winning. Now my fingers are crossed for this or this. No whammies, no whammies.

I am hoping the day continues on this path. I'm pretty easy to please. I 'd settle for a day when G does not swan dive off of the coffee table (I am seriously looking into a helmet). Or maybe my dogs can refrain from knocking over their water dish and then tracking it all over the house.

And maybe, just maybe, the laundry fairy will show up at my house and fold the three foot pile of clean clothes by the washer.

Cross your fingers for me.

Twit

I joined Twitter.

I have been avoiding it for ages. But the power of Twitter compelled me and now I've done gone and drunk the Kool Aid.

Thoughts so far? Well, first of all, I think I am WAY to boring to do that many updates. I have a hard enough time coming up with something to blog about most days. I mean, what do I say? I just washed my hair? My kid just fell off of the coffee table for the fifth time today? I think my cat is bulimic? (I'm serious about that. I think she is. She eats and eats then pukes it all up. I swear I saw her sticking her fluffy paw down her throat.)

Secondly, I'm guessing Twitter is becoming uncool now that someone like me has joined. Like Facebook isn't as cool now that everyone's grandma has joined. Or when that underground band sells out and goes mainstream and just isn't as cool anymore. I'm usually late to the party. So I'd say rating things by when I catch on is a pretty good gauge.

So we'll see how this pans out. Since I don't have a mobile device with Internet, I'm guessing my tweets will be fairly infrequent.

Which is most likely good, cause I don't want to bore anyone to death.

Yay! Boo.

Good news: We just booked tickets to Kauai for Thanksgiving.

Bad news: I'm absolutely deathly terrified of flying with my son. I have a sneaking suspicion he's going to be 'that' kid.

You know, the one the other passengers are throwing bottles of Benedryl at while muttering under their breath at the audacity of those parents flying with such a child?

We have four months. Four months to condition a crazy kid into an airplane friendly kid. Is it possible? Am I dreaming? Are we crazy?

Don't answer that last one. I'm pretty sure that's a big 10-4.

Summertime - You Capture

Last weekend, we had a bit of summer. Just in time for our Father's Day barbecue. I took the opportunity to capture my niece, nephew, and of course G, at play.


There was lots of tumbling in the lawn.

And of course, catch with a beach ball.

A little attitude from my little dude.

And my beautiful niece, who is always a willing model.

Ah, summer. I miss it already.

For more summer, head over and visit Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

Not a Shocker

After the craptastic week I've had, I haven to say I'm not entirely surprised that I'm up a bit on the scale this week. Not as much as I thought, but still, a gain.

Starting Weight: 178.8
Last Week's Weight: 176.1
This Week's Weight: 176.8

To be perfectly honest, my food choices were all about comfort and not about health this week. We were entertaining five out of seven days, and then the other two were unfortunately all about convenience and trying to recuperate. I didn't get nearly enough exercise this week. My body is not thanking me. Not at all.

I wish I could say that at least I enjoyed all the food...pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, cake, bacon, pancakes. Beer. VODKA (that was absolutely a necessity, trust).

But I didn't. I didn't even taste it. Just down the hatch to try to make myself feel better.

News flash...that does not work.

So, this week's lesson - food does not equal comfort. And I have to give a big shout out to my wonderful Team Blue, who offered lots of support this week. It really did help, because I could very easily be in jail right now if you all hadn't talked me down a bit!

Time to regroup and focus.

GO TEAM BLUE!

What Are They Going to Call It Now?

I want to talk about something happy today. I had the best intentions.

And then I go and watch my DVR'd episode of Jon & Kate Plus Eight...

Mistake.

I was in tears. For reals. I don't know why I'm so emotional. If I wasn't sure I couldn't be pregnant, I'd be buying an EPT. And if I am, I'm suing Mirena.

I won't go on about THAT show, because I think it's just all around tragic. All I'm going to say is:

a) I think Kate has always had her controlling personality.
b) Clearly Jon has changed and is having some kind of early mid-life crisis. The hair plugs somehow affected his brain.
c) Yes, Jon, she isn't very nice to you, but maybe you should have taken that into account before you FATHERED EIGHT CHILDREN WITH HER.

Okay, done.

Except...did you get a load of the ice on Jon's ears? I wonder if he's gone out and gotten a tribal armband tattoo and motorcycle? Oh yeah, check on the motorcycle. Orange County Choppers hooked him up.

Okay, now I'm REALLY done.

It's becoming obvious that I watch entirely too much television. I was thinking about maybe not watching for a spell.

But then I remembered So You Think You Can Dance. And True Blood. And The Next Food Network Star.

Maybe I'll just stop watching TLC.

Yeah, that's the ticket...

Made It.

I wanted to say something about Father's Day yesterday, but darn it all if I just couldn't force my brain into writing mode, much less my fingers into typing mode.

I was so tired last night I actually sat and watched one of the crappiest movies I've ever seen. Babylon A.D. Sorry Vin Diesel, but you owe me an hour and a half of my life back.

Our extended house guests left at about 10 am yesterday. That left me with about 5 hours to re-clean the house and cook before our second wave of guests arrived for Father's Day.

Suffice it to say, at 2:50 I was on my hands and knees on the kitchen floor wiping it down by hand because for some reason I thought that would be quicker than mopping. It wasn't. Duh.

Luckily I had chosen uncomplicated food (barbecued hamburgers) so the rest of the afternoon was pretty smooth. And I am blessed with a helpful sister-in-law and step-mother-in-law who actually help with cleanup. God bless 'em. Because if I had to do one more kitchen cleanup by myself this week, I'd probably be in the mental ward this morning.

I am so pleased I even made it through this entire weekend. I'm such a baby. I don't know why I find things like house guests so stressful.

All in all, I think Father's Day went well. I think B had a good time. It was the first Father's Day he's spent with his Dad in years. Seeing B's Dad running around with his grandkids was fabulous. He just radiates happiness when he's with them.

So, this week's goal is to get back into a schedule. Poor G is teething AGAIN and is just struggling. He needs some structure. I need it too.

And then, hopefully, I can write about something other than losing my mind.

Fresh

Better today, thank goodness.

I've been feeling like a bit of a downer. Today, I focused on being more positive. Actually, I started making a conscious effort last night.

My in laws came over and watched G last night while we went to the Mariner's game. Can I just say how much joy it brings me to see B's dad dote on my child? It's awesome. B and his dad haven't had much of a relationship for years, but over the last year, there's been a lot of healing.

It is so wonderful how a child can bring a family together, mend fences, build bridges. All those things.

So B and I were able to enjoy and evening at the ballpark, child free. We kept on asking each other - how would G be if he were here right now. Then we'd laugh together, and agree, he'd be CRAZY.

The roof was closed on the ballpark last night, but it wasn't cold. You could feel the moisture in the air and it just smelled fresh. At a ballpark. Funny. I'm guessing because it hasn't rained here in ages. We needed a cleansing rain.

Sometimes a little rain can help to wash away life's troubles and worries.

And it made me worry less about the fact my house looks like it was the site of a demolition derby.

When we arrived at home last night, we were regaled with all the genius things our child did while we were away (I'm wasn't joking - they called him a perfect angel. heh.). G was up, but not crazy tired, and went down for me easily, but not before jabbering on for a few minutes as I rocked and nursed him, about his night with his Grandpa.

Day started out rough, but ended just right.

Love it when that happens.

Hermit

It's 2:00 pm and I'm holed up in my bedroom.

Thankfully, B has logged me onto his laptop. Otherwise I'd be in here staring at the walls. Or face down with a pillow pulled tightly around my head.

It's day two of house guests and I'm done. D. O. N. E. Too bad they're here through Sunday.

Yes, you heard me. Sunday. As in two days from now.

The boys (okay, two men and an eleven year old) are out in the living room playing Halo. G is yelling in his crib refusing to take a needed nap as the boys are talking WAY TOO LOUDLY in the living room.

The only other female is pregnant and has been taking a nap since 11.

I want a nap. I need one. I'm crabby crabberson.

So here I am. Sequestered by choice. Antisocial much?

Nah, just gearing up for another meal prep, another solo kitchen clean up. A baseball game tonight - which under normal circumstances would be fun, but not so much when you go with someone who gets angry when another person sits in front of them in the stadium.

The nerve, right? Someone else plants their tush in the seat they paid for? Atrocious.

The last time we all went to a game, I was so fed up with the whining (yes, a thirty year old man whining) that I switched seats with him. Yeah, I couldn't see over the 6'4" gentleman in front of me, but it was better than the alternative.

And well, karma happened. No sooner had we switched, the empty seat in front of where I was sitting was taken. By a guy who was at least 6'6". It was deliciously perfect.

All this said, I can't say our house guests are bad people. They're not, they're quite nice, in fact. But three days is long for anyone.

After three days, I'd get sick of myself.