As of today, you have exactly eleven months to plan an amazing New Year's Eve Party.
Further, there are 327 shopping days til Christmas.
It is not yet too late to prepare a fun celebration for Groundhog's Day: 2/2
I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
VITAL UPDATES POST
1) I have secured the IKEA curtains! Thanks to my wonderful neighbor's wonderful mother - my set will be arriving from Alberta, Canada sometime in the next two weeks depending on how Karen's immigration interview goes. (Karen and her family are the good friends who just relocated here from Edmonton and now she has to go back to make sure she can stay. Got that?) Never before has my home decorating been caught up in such foreign intrigue. I will post the photos here first, readers!
2) Our new Sleep Number bed is the best thing we've bought since the minivan - and it cost nearly as much. But I will say it makes for a MUCH nicer life to think, "Aaaahhhhh! I can't WAIT to go snuggle up in my cozy bed for a wonderful night of sweet slumber," rather than, "Pain. So much pain. And ache. Ache and pain and old age and arthritis and I'm surprised I can still walk. Isn't there anywhere else I might sleep more comfortably? On the fiberglass in the attic, maybe?"
3) My marriage talk went fine. I wasn't outta-this-world blown away by my own brilliance, but keep in mind the level of psychosis I was dealing with as evidenced by that night-before blogpost. Also, my voice was still croaky. AND I still don't find it fun to be the one to break it to new Catholics that we don't use contraception. Call me a people-pleaser, but really, you oughtta see the looks on some of their faces.
2) Our new Sleep Number bed is the best thing we've bought since the minivan - and it cost nearly as much. But I will say it makes for a MUCH nicer life to think, "Aaaahhhhh! I can't WAIT to go snuggle up in my cozy bed for a wonderful night of sweet slumber," rather than, "Pain. So much pain. And ache. Ache and pain and old age and arthritis and I'm surprised I can still walk. Isn't there anywhere else I might sleep more comfortably? On the fiberglass in the attic, maybe?"
3) My marriage talk went fine. I wasn't outta-this-world blown away by my own brilliance, but keep in mind the level of psychosis I was dealing with as evidenced by that night-before blogpost. Also, my voice was still croaky. AND I still don't find it fun to be the one to break it to new Catholics that we don't use contraception. Call me a people-pleaser, but really, you oughtta see the looks on some of their faces.
Vocation Improvement
I very recently read a good book written by a woman with some sound advice for those of us with the vocation of wife and mother. Took a LOT of notes. The gist of it was simple - schedule, organize and routinize everything possible. So I did. Here it is Friday, and the past five days (I started Monday morning) have been revolutionary. My house stays clean, my kids are helping with chores they never did before, and I have more prayer time and a better outlook.
I know from reading all my fellow stay-at-home mom blogs that laundry is a beast in every household. I hate it, too - but I always managed to keep it from eating me alive by forcing myself to complete every load every Monday. Faithfully. I was a machine on Mondays, but it got done and I didn't have the worry that some member of my family might be underwear-less on any given day. I can tell you honestly that I had this Monday fun every week of every month of every year for almost a decade. I don't remember doing laundry on a certain day in college or in my apartment days with roommates, but for sure starting early on in my marriage. No more! I am so amazed by this change in my life, even housework-related, that it gets its own whole blog post.
Check this out! A crucial part of my new system:
Here we have what used to be the annoying linen closet at the end of our upstairs hall. It was annoying, because WHAT THE HECK was I supposed to use that counter space for? In a model home, I suppose, there would be a perfect houseplant-y photo frame-y concoction there to dress up the blahness, but in my house, it became the kids' catch-all. In order to implement my new improved laundry plan, I ventured to Target Monday (since I wasn't tied to the washing machine and dryer and endless folding and hanging) to buy a laundry basket. Until now, our family of six shared one laundry basket that resided in the Master closet. Not a bad system since our upstairs is small so the kids didn't have to go out of their way to deposit their dirty clothes. PLUS I didn't have to skip around the house every Monday gathering up multiple piles of laundry. But, with the new system - where I do laundry almost every day - I needed help. And diversification. Bought the three fabric laundry bins at Target and voila! a sorting system that also happens to take over the annoying hall counter. The kids now do their own sorting, I do a couple loads a day, fold it on my bed, and part of their before-bed routine includes putting away their own laundry. Five days down and no one has gone without underwear, I wasn't bound to my house all day Monday, and all is good. And if you've read this far about my housekeeping - you must be avoiding your own laundry.
Incidentally, because I suspect I have a large number of aviation enthusiasts who read my blog - that is a scale model of a Twin Otter on the tip-top of the linen cupboard.
Furthermore, it is an exact replica of the Vistaliners that Scenic Airlines uses to carry tourists from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon!
I know from reading all my fellow stay-at-home mom blogs that laundry is a beast in every household. I hate it, too - but I always managed to keep it from eating me alive by forcing myself to complete every load every Monday. Faithfully. I was a machine on Mondays, but it got done and I didn't have the worry that some member of my family might be underwear-less on any given day. I can tell you honestly that I had this Monday fun every week of every month of every year for almost a decade. I don't remember doing laundry on a certain day in college or in my apartment days with roommates, but for sure starting early on in my marriage. No more! I am so amazed by this change in my life, even housework-related, that it gets its own whole blog post.
Check this out! A crucial part of my new system:
Here we have what used to be the annoying linen closet at the end of our upstairs hall. It was annoying, because WHAT THE HECK was I supposed to use that counter space for? In a model home, I suppose, there would be a perfect houseplant-y photo frame-y concoction there to dress up the blahness, but in my house, it became the kids' catch-all. In order to implement my new improved laundry plan, I ventured to Target Monday (since I wasn't tied to the washing machine and dryer and endless folding and hanging) to buy a laundry basket. Until now, our family of six shared one laundry basket that resided in the Master closet. Not a bad system since our upstairs is small so the kids didn't have to go out of their way to deposit their dirty clothes. PLUS I didn't have to skip around the house every Monday gathering up multiple piles of laundry. But, with the new system - where I do laundry almost every day - I needed help. And diversification. Bought the three fabric laundry bins at Target and voila! a sorting system that also happens to take over the annoying hall counter. The kids now do their own sorting, I do a couple loads a day, fold it on my bed, and part of their before-bed routine includes putting away their own laundry. Five days down and no one has gone without underwear, I wasn't bound to my house all day Monday, and all is good. And if you've read this far about my housekeeping - you must be avoiding your own laundry.
Incidentally, because I suspect I have a large number of aviation enthusiasts who read my blog - that is a scale model of a Twin Otter on the tip-top of the linen cupboard.
Furthermore, it is an exact replica of the Vistaliners that Scenic Airlines uses to carry tourists from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Start the day with a fun run and see where it goes from there.
Right at the start of my run this morning, my neighbor drove by and I waved like I usually do. One of my running partners remarked that the neighbor must be wondering why I was running with three bodyguards or something to that effect. It was an unusual set-up for me, getting to run with three guys. My anxiety level over cougar mauling or scary guy attack was at an all-time low. (Sadly, my lung capacity was also at an all-time low, but I did manage to keep breathing through the whole run.)
If real bodyguards (think Secret Service Agents) are identified by dark glasses and lapel pins, my running partners today would be identified by InterVarsity sweatshirts and dark circles under their eyes. Oh, and Mike had on about twelve layers of clothing in an effort to simulate the bed environment, which is where he would rather have been. I'm honored these guys dragged themselves up despite their late-night staff meeting hours, pecan pie and ice cream eating. Rob inspires me on his blog with tales of his running, so I felt like I was "somethin" to get to jog Henderson with him. Mike is a good friend and neighbor, and now I can add "ridiculously cold and early run" to the list of memories we have. As for Bob, I don't think he reads blogs - so I'll just say I'm glad I wasn't running behind him. There are no ducks, no birds of any kind, that sound like that in the Vegas 'burbs. But as long as I'm being all mushy: when Kevin and I were getting ready for bed last night, Kevin said to me, "Are you excited you get to run with Bob tomorrow?" He knows how much I love the guy.
Funny, just after breakfast, I got an e-mail with a countdown to my half marathon. Thank God I did get out today after a week of being sick or I might have panicked at that message. I checked my name on the entrants list and got to see my bib number! Well, holy crap, I guess I really am doing this thing.
And the day went on. Another time, I'll tell the tale of my new cell phone, my new scanner, both instruction booklets, a lot of swearing, and how I really doubt I'll ever be able to properly use either piece of technology.
I might also tell about how our family had our first-ever celebration tonight in honor of some special saints' days.
I won't tell much about the two hours I spent at the lab today. That experience would have best been prepared for with a whimsically-illustrated, sweetly-rhyming storybook called "My First Mammogram" to calm my fears. And the two hours should have concluded with a date with a girlfriend for a coffee. Or a scotch. Maybe two.
All that on just an innocent-looking Thursday. I'm going to bed now.
If real bodyguards (think Secret Service Agents) are identified by dark glasses and lapel pins, my running partners today would be identified by InterVarsity sweatshirts and dark circles under their eyes. Oh, and Mike had on about twelve layers of clothing in an effort to simulate the bed environment, which is where he would rather have been. I'm honored these guys dragged themselves up despite their late-night staff meeting hours, pecan pie and ice cream eating. Rob inspires me on his blog with tales of his running, so I felt like I was "somethin" to get to jog Henderson with him. Mike is a good friend and neighbor, and now I can add "ridiculously cold and early run" to the list of memories we have. As for Bob, I don't think he reads blogs - so I'll just say I'm glad I wasn't running behind him. There are no ducks, no birds of any kind, that sound like that in the Vegas 'burbs. But as long as I'm being all mushy: when Kevin and I were getting ready for bed last night, Kevin said to me, "Are you excited you get to run with Bob tomorrow?" He knows how much I love the guy.
Funny, just after breakfast, I got an e-mail with a countdown to my half marathon. Thank God I did get out today after a week of being sick or I might have panicked at that message. I checked my name on the entrants list and got to see my bib number! Well, holy crap, I guess I really am doing this thing.
And the day went on. Another time, I'll tell the tale of my new cell phone, my new scanner, both instruction booklets, a lot of swearing, and how I really doubt I'll ever be able to properly use either piece of technology.
I might also tell about how our family had our first-ever celebration tonight in honor of some special saints' days.
I won't tell much about the two hours I spent at the lab today. That experience would have best been prepared for with a whimsically-illustrated, sweetly-rhyming storybook called "My First Mammogram" to calm my fears. And the two hours should have concluded with a date with a girlfriend for a coffee. Or a scotch. Maybe two.
All that on just an innocent-looking Thursday. I'm going to bed now.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Mawwiage
I'm trying to sound like that guy on "Princess Bride" saying 'Marriage' with his slurry accent as if I'm one of those folks who quotes from movies so well - I'm not, though. But I do think of that one line.
Tomorrow night I will go to bed early. Tonight I am up because I have to blog, eat a bowl of cereal, prune my bonsai tree, file my toenails, clean out under the t.v., write a letter to my aunt, evaluate the neighbors' pool chemicals, try to say the Pledge of Allegiance backwards and while doing some squats, research equine cataracts, sketch a tree the way they taught us in private school art class back in fourth grade, and then buckle down and write a talk on marriage for tomorrow evening's RCIA class.
(So... #1 - blog. Here I am, folks, procrastinator extraordinaire. So happy to be here with all of you fellow procrastinators and internet surfers who are skimming over strangers' blogs rather than tackling your relationship issues; writing that financial report for the board meeting tomorrow, or whatever.)
What to blog about? What to say... ah! It is absolutely imperative that I tell you that the search is over!!! After, like, six months or so of browsing the world for the perfect cafe curtains for my kitchen, I came across the ideal fabric and pattern. At IKEA, of all places! Fresh! Cheap! And then I saw "NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE" and I think I muttered something about rat bastards under my breath. I know, I know, Jesus still loves me, though... So, seriously, I have the best friends in the world. Layla Hanash volunteered to pop in at the Portland store on her way back to Vegas, and my friend's dear mother is checking in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada before her return here in two weeks. SO TAKE THAT, IKEA! YOU CAN'T KEEP THOSE CURTAINS FROM ME, NO SIR!!! I have my peeps all across the North American continent working to reel me in a set. And if Portland and Edmonton fall through, my trusty old new friend Janelle said she'd bring some back for me from Costa Mesa at the end of February. Maybe I oughtta postpone working on my talk until I can get you loyal readers a photo of those curtains hung neatly in my sweet little window.
In other news, Mike Nalley doesn't want to get out of his cozy warm bed for a run with me and Rob and Bob so it has become apparent that he is PRAYING AGAINST MY PHYSICAL HEALTH!!! How could you do this, Mike? My cough is lingering and I sound like a raspy frog version of Janis Joplin. I can't go running if I have a nasty bronchial issue! Quit the voodoo and just get out and give your own lungs a butt kicking! See you Thursday, if I'm not on a ventilator.
Finally the crankly old dead haunted-house tree in our front yard is going to be cut down and the stump ground out. Join me in wishing it good riddance. Moving us ONE TINY STEP closer to NOT being the ugliest house on the block.
You really oughtta be Catholic. Holy water is cool. Had fun blessing the kids in their sleep tonight and in general praying over our little casa. Took a good ten minutes. That was ten more minutes NOT working on my talk! I could go professional, I tell you.
Do you know me very well at all? Can you detect the edge of "manic" in my tone? I think it's there right along with the crazy energy from the Honey Nut cereal that will propel me forward in my talk-writing and bless the socks off these folks coming to hear what the Catholic Church teaches about marriage. Heck, a topic like this, all I gotta do is toss out a few truths and let the Q & A session soak up all my time. I'm getting pathetic! Off I go! Thank you for hanging out with me these crazy minutes!
Tomorrow night I will go to bed early. Tonight I am up because I have to blog, eat a bowl of cereal, prune my bonsai tree, file my toenails, clean out under the t.v., write a letter to my aunt, evaluate the neighbors' pool chemicals, try to say the Pledge of Allegiance backwards and while doing some squats, research equine cataracts, sketch a tree the way they taught us in private school art class back in fourth grade, and then buckle down and write a talk on marriage for tomorrow evening's RCIA class.
(So... #1 - blog. Here I am, folks, procrastinator extraordinaire. So happy to be here with all of you fellow procrastinators and internet surfers who are skimming over strangers' blogs rather than tackling your relationship issues; writing that financial report for the board meeting tomorrow, or whatever.)
What to blog about? What to say... ah! It is absolutely imperative that I tell you that the search is over!!! After, like, six months or so of browsing the world for the perfect cafe curtains for my kitchen, I came across the ideal fabric and pattern. At IKEA, of all places! Fresh! Cheap! And then I saw "NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE" and I think I muttered something about rat bastards under my breath. I know, I know, Jesus still loves me, though... So, seriously, I have the best friends in the world. Layla Hanash volunteered to pop in at the Portland store on her way back to Vegas, and my friend's dear mother is checking in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada before her return here in two weeks. SO TAKE THAT, IKEA! YOU CAN'T KEEP THOSE CURTAINS FROM ME, NO SIR!!! I have my peeps all across the North American continent working to reel me in a set. And if Portland and Edmonton fall through, my trusty old new friend Janelle said she'd bring some back for me from Costa Mesa at the end of February. Maybe I oughtta postpone working on my talk until I can get you loyal readers a photo of those curtains hung neatly in my sweet little window.
In other news, Mike Nalley doesn't want to get out of his cozy warm bed for a run with me and Rob and Bob so it has become apparent that he is PRAYING AGAINST MY PHYSICAL HEALTH!!! How could you do this, Mike? My cough is lingering and I sound like a raspy frog version of Janis Joplin. I can't go running if I have a nasty bronchial issue! Quit the voodoo and just get out and give your own lungs a butt kicking! See you Thursday, if I'm not on a ventilator.
Finally the crankly old dead haunted-house tree in our front yard is going to be cut down and the stump ground out. Join me in wishing it good riddance. Moving us ONE TINY STEP closer to NOT being the ugliest house on the block.
You really oughtta be Catholic. Holy water is cool. Had fun blessing the kids in their sleep tonight and in general praying over our little casa. Took a good ten minutes. That was ten more minutes NOT working on my talk! I could go professional, I tell you.
Do you know me very well at all? Can you detect the edge of "manic" in my tone? I think it's there right along with the crazy energy from the Honey Nut cereal that will propel me forward in my talk-writing and bless the socks off these folks coming to hear what the Catholic Church teaches about marriage. Heck, a topic like this, all I gotta do is toss out a few truths and let the Q & A session soak up all my time. I'm getting pathetic! Off I go! Thank you for hanging out with me these crazy minutes!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Good Smellin' Day
The inside of my house is full of smells. Some fragrance, some stench. The worst is when the kitchen trash has last night's dinner meat rotting away right next to two overnight Pull Ups. The best is when I have candles lit and cookies baking and maybe a little Castile cleaner on the floors.
But outside - do you ever stop to notice the smells when you're outside? I mean, I always notice the fumes at the gas station; I can tell when someone is running their dryer with fabric softener sheets; and smokers get my nose's attention as well. I do love the smell of rain, but it's so rare around here. And then after the rain, the scent of the sage is lovely.
It rained last night. And I stepped out early to do an errand and it smelled sweet. Sweet. Like yummy. It was incredible. Couldn't quit taking big long breaths thinking I must have it wrong and any second would recognize "Bounce Dryer Sheet" Smell wafting in the air. But no, it was just the morning air after the rain. Delicious. A day can't go wrong when it starts off SMELLING good.
And it didn't go wrong. We vacuumed, mopped, picked up, and finally removed the stranded rubber dinosaur from the highest pot shelf (hallelujah - that guy taunted me for weeks!).
So, now... going into Sunday... our day of God, family, and rest - I have a few things to consider:
1) Am I ever going to paint the remainder of my room? I've painted one wall. Three to go.
2) What to read? I completed all four Mormon Vampire Books. Now what? I need something, but I might not be totally ready to jump into the non-fiction Kevin just bought me: Noise - How Our Media-Saturated Culture Dominates Lives and Dismantles Families (light, breezy, cheery... perfect for bedtime!); and Blind Spot - When Journalists Don't Get Religion (shocking information!). I am excited to read both, but I gotta wait for the vampire mood to pass or I might read crazy things into the non-fiction.
3) Tomorrow we remember the conversion of Paul. Now THERE'S a story. And, coincidentally, I've been reading about the fellow in Acts the past couple weeks. I've been sorta annoyed at him - not really him, more the personality I imagine him having based on what is written in Acts. Maybe tomorrow I can re-read what I've read so far and try to open myself to a fresh perspective. I mean, after all, it's his day and all...
4) Will I pick up my sewing? It's been staring me in the face - the humongous pile of garments that need buttons re-attached or tears mended. But it is sure tempting to hide it under the bed until it melds with the dust bunnies never to be seen again. This reminds me of my more careless day as an accounting clerk when I would shred the documents I couldn't figure out. Never understood why I got fired from that job...
5) Learning to head a soccer ball on Wii is just not realistic. Almost never in real-life soccer do your teammates (or even opponents) hurl panda heads or cleats at you. I'm just noting...
But outside - do you ever stop to notice the smells when you're outside? I mean, I always notice the fumes at the gas station; I can tell when someone is running their dryer with fabric softener sheets; and smokers get my nose's attention as well. I do love the smell of rain, but it's so rare around here. And then after the rain, the scent of the sage is lovely.
It rained last night. And I stepped out early to do an errand and it smelled sweet. Sweet. Like yummy. It was incredible. Couldn't quit taking big long breaths thinking I must have it wrong and any second would recognize "Bounce Dryer Sheet" Smell wafting in the air. But no, it was just the morning air after the rain. Delicious. A day can't go wrong when it starts off SMELLING good.
And it didn't go wrong. We vacuumed, mopped, picked up, and finally removed the stranded rubber dinosaur from the highest pot shelf (hallelujah - that guy taunted me for weeks!).
So, now... going into Sunday... our day of God, family, and rest - I have a few things to consider:
1) Am I ever going to paint the remainder of my room? I've painted one wall. Three to go.
2) What to read? I completed all four Mormon Vampire Books. Now what? I need something, but I might not be totally ready to jump into the non-fiction Kevin just bought me: Noise - How Our Media-Saturated Culture Dominates Lives and Dismantles Families (light, breezy, cheery... perfect for bedtime!); and Blind Spot - When Journalists Don't Get Religion (shocking information!). I am excited to read both, but I gotta wait for the vampire mood to pass or I might read crazy things into the non-fiction.
3) Tomorrow we remember the conversion of Paul. Now THERE'S a story. And, coincidentally, I've been reading about the fellow in Acts the past couple weeks. I've been sorta annoyed at him - not really him, more the personality I imagine him having based on what is written in Acts. Maybe tomorrow I can re-read what I've read so far and try to open myself to a fresh perspective. I mean, after all, it's his day and all...
4) Will I pick up my sewing? It's been staring me in the face - the humongous pile of garments that need buttons re-attached or tears mended. But it is sure tempting to hide it under the bed until it melds with the dust bunnies never to be seen again. This reminds me of my more careless day as an accounting clerk when I would shred the documents I couldn't figure out. Never understood why I got fired from that job...
5) Learning to head a soccer ball on Wii is just not realistic. Almost never in real-life soccer do your teammates (or even opponents) hurl panda heads or cleats at you. I'm just noting...
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Wonderland
How often do you spend the afternoon making balloon animals and a Winter evening in a swimming pool? Not often. So when it happened earlier this week, we all had a fantastic day.
Thanks to Grandpa, who provided the balloon animal kit, and to Kevin who is quite a balloon craftsman. Most requested animal? Giraffe.
And thanks to the Earlys, who are quite thrilled to live in a place where you can swim in January! And we are quite thrilled to be their next-door neighbors and share the experience. That's Cayna with the pink and purple noodles, Joe with blue and yellow, and Kevin under water. They weren't starting a polar bear club, the pool was well-heated.
Thanks to Grandpa, who provided the balloon animal kit, and to Kevin who is quite a balloon craftsman. Most requested animal? Giraffe.
And thanks to the Earlys, who are quite thrilled to live in a place where you can swim in January! And we are quite thrilled to be their next-door neighbors and share the experience. That's Cayna with the pink and purple noodles, Joe with blue and yellow, and Kevin under water. They weren't starting a polar bear club, the pool was well-heated.
Monday, January 19, 2009
A
I am in a messed-up mood. We started watching "The Butterfly Effect" with Ashton Kutcher because some friends said it was good and I lasted maybe ten minutes. Two freaky scenes and had to turn it off. Then, on happy facebook, I saw the name of a friend of a friend who I knew in my distant past and it freaked me out further. I need to relax a little and go curl up in my bed.
Meanwhile, in the spirit of little pony-tailed girls putting their hands to their ears to block out things they don't want to hear and shouting "LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!" at the top of their lungs - let's just make a happy little list of things I like that start with the letter 'A'. That will get my mind off the last yucky hour I've had.
A
Angels
Andy Rooney
Apple Orchards near Yucaipa, California
Art Museums
Afternoon naps
A-frame houses in the woods
Angel-food cake with strawberries
Angel-food cake with chocolate drizzle
Amy Wilhite, Amy Smith, Amy Brinkman, don't think I've ever met an Amy I didn't like
Asics running shoes
Appetizers
Alps and other tall mountains
America
Armadillos (Bethanie's really into them right now)
Advertising during the Superbowl
Aviation (I was raised around it thanks to my A&P Mechanic father)
Aunt Kathryn, Aunt Ruth, Aunt June, Aunt Anne, Aunt Carmen & Aunt Laura
Arbitrariness (especially pertaining to blog posts)
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Can't wait to go to bed tonight!
We got a new bed! We got the Sleep Number, so you can call us InfoMercial Suckers Extraordinaire! At the bed store, which, by the way, is a VERY fun place for four children to play for an hour, we tested out many options. Then a few months went by and we went back and re-tested the options and then made our decision. It was delivered today. If you walk into our room, you can hear angels singing and see a shimmery glow emanating from the fantastic new piece of furniture where we will spend a third of our days.
As soon as it was set up, Kevin adjusted his side and I adjusted mine. You have to know that I have been sleeping on WAY too hard a mattress for about eight years now. I have never loved our bed. So I sunk that thing as soft as it would get and cuddled up like I was in a cloud hammock. Kevin said it looked like I fell from a plane and was hanging out in the impact spot. Later, when I forced myself up to finish the rest of the day, I laughed out loud. My side of the bed looked like a crater, honestly, and Kevin's just looked normal. We'll see what "Sleep Number" I finally arrive at, then I can compare to spokesperson Lindsay Wagner! I promised the sales guy at the bed store that I'd bring him a Diet Coke with extra ice if my back problems disappear.
I just can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to crawling into that new bed. I have high hopes. I'll report back when my back problems disappear; my energy level and running improves; my wrinkles smooth away; my sex life gets a boost; my cholesterol lowers; my hair gets shinier; my near-sightedness corrects; and my self-esteem miraculously raises 72 percent! All because of this new bed. Off to sleep!
As soon as it was set up, Kevin adjusted his side and I adjusted mine. You have to know that I have been sleeping on WAY too hard a mattress for about eight years now. I have never loved our bed. So I sunk that thing as soft as it would get and cuddled up like I was in a cloud hammock. Kevin said it looked like I fell from a plane and was hanging out in the impact spot. Later, when I forced myself up to finish the rest of the day, I laughed out loud. My side of the bed looked like a crater, honestly, and Kevin's just looked normal. We'll see what "Sleep Number" I finally arrive at, then I can compare to spokesperson Lindsay Wagner! I promised the sales guy at the bed store that I'd bring him a Diet Coke with extra ice if my back problems disappear.
I just can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to crawling into that new bed. I have high hopes. I'll report back when my back problems disappear; my energy level and running improves; my wrinkles smooth away; my sex life gets a boost; my cholesterol lowers; my hair gets shinier; my near-sightedness corrects; and my self-esteem miraculously raises 72 percent! All because of this new bed. Off to sleep!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Portrait of a Runner
When I woke up this morning to the knowledge that I had an eight-mile run on my schedule, my mind immediately started searching for a way out. But there was no way out. I'm registered for a half marathon in two months and I can't put off training the way I once put off working on college papers. My buddy Lance Armstrong said, "I need something that forces me out the door. The marathon is intimidating enough that you can't just phone that in. You have to train." If Lance Armstrong says that about a marathon, Teri Love says the same about a half.
I finished. And I improved my time from last week. No more soreness or problems this time. Just feeling the extra slippage from my life-long freakish problem of two drastically-different sized feet. Not sure what I'm gonna do about that - for now I'll just see how I continue to recover as I go further.
So... about that "portrait". Kevin took it just after my return this morning.
Notice the contrast between a big, buff, Navy sweatshirt and fluffy, pink, matching hat and gloves. The pink fuzz keeps my head and hands warm. Regarding the sweatshirt: Kara Goucher, an Olympian and long-distance butt-kicker said she wore black nail polish to her qualifying marathon in New York to keep a "tough" mindset for her race. My Navy sweatshirt is my "tough" touchstone. It was a gift from my friend, Frank Wittwer, a Navy pilot, two years before he died. There are few things tougher than military pilots, if you ask me.
If you didn't notice my hips, you're blind. Those suckers help grow 11-pound babies. Hopefully, they will also help me run 13 miles without stopping.
Asics need replacing. Running shoes are costy already, I'm flabbergasted by the thought of buying two pairs, one for each size foot I have. Let's agree that I NOT do that unless I go professional. Maybe I can stuff some lambswool in front of the shorter foot and hearken back to my ballerina days. In case your curiosity is getting the best of you, my feet are over two sizes different.
Today, hopefully, I will make it to the running store and plunk down some cash for some sort of water-bottle holder. I'm sucking on Gatorade now for my longer runs, and it is NOT fun to carry that bottle.
Finally, behold the technology. My GPS graces my left wrist, and my iPod winds around and around and crawls up to my ears and more than makes up for its annoying presence by blocking the messages of running pain to my brain. I currently have a 40-song playlist and the more I run, the more I'm getting bored and needing new songs. Also, I'm noticing the songs that just don't cut it for me. I'm considering removing "Fergalicious" because it annoys me and a few others because they drone. The last thing I need on mile six of eight is droning.
It is a great feeling to work at something and enjoy the results. Today's result is that I'm one week closer to the big race and I'm proud of the accomplishment found even in the training.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
My Reading Buddy
I love to read so much, I'm overjoyed that my son shares this love.
We sat so long reading together on the couch it caught Kevin's attention and he snapped this photo.
I was flying through the second book of the Mormon Vampire series and Joe was polishing off Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox. Good times.
We sat so long reading together on the couch it caught Kevin's attention and he snapped this photo.
I was flying through the second book of the Mormon Vampire series and Joe was polishing off Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox. Good times.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Getting in touch with my inner teenager
Aside from a few wrinkles on my face, and the fact that I arrived in a minivan - I could almost have been any other adolescent arriving at the theater last Friday to see "Twilight". Judging from the books I've been reading, at least...
It was a pretty fun night out. I recently reunited with an old friend on facebook and she jumped right into reading the "Mormon Vampire Books" with me. After our first official "book club" meeting with our kids at Krispy Kreme doughnuts, we had a first official "girls' night out at the movies" last Friday. Not many men in the theater, but plenty of women of all ages. You could tell who had read the book by where people laughed during the movie.
My favorite parts:
1) the facial expression on Jasper the ENTIRE movie
2) Edward. Particularly his Volvo-driving skills. I'm not all swoony over the guy, but no woman can resist the whole "protector" vibe - and I'm a sucker for a rescuer in a well-driven, sporty, expensive car
3) I think they pulled off the supernatural parts pretty well. The sparkly skin was a tiny bit cornball, but when Bella climbed trees and zoomed around the forest with him, I admit I was slightly swept away in the soundtrack
4) every character other than Billy was perfectly cast in my opinion
5) the humor. top fave was the graduation cap art hanging on the wall in the Cullens' home.
I would sincerely relish getting to be part of the team of people who move a story from page to screen --- sigh.
All in all, here's to clean-written vampire stories, old friends, Facebook, and going out to the movies once every eight years.
It was a pretty fun night out. I recently reunited with an old friend on facebook and she jumped right into reading the "Mormon Vampire Books" with me. After our first official "book club" meeting with our kids at Krispy Kreme doughnuts, we had a first official "girls' night out at the movies" last Friday. Not many men in the theater, but plenty of women of all ages. You could tell who had read the book by where people laughed during the movie.
My favorite parts:
1) the facial expression on Jasper the ENTIRE movie
2) Edward. Particularly his Volvo-driving skills. I'm not all swoony over the guy, but no woman can resist the whole "protector" vibe - and I'm a sucker for a rescuer in a well-driven, sporty, expensive car
3) I think they pulled off the supernatural parts pretty well. The sparkly skin was a tiny bit cornball, but when Bella climbed trees and zoomed around the forest with him, I admit I was slightly swept away in the soundtrack
4) every character other than Billy was perfectly cast in my opinion
5) the humor. top fave was the graduation cap art hanging on the wall in the Cullens' home.
I would sincerely relish getting to be part of the team of people who move a story from page to screen --- sigh.
All in all, here's to clean-written vampire stories, old friends, Facebook, and going out to the movies once every eight years.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Thirty Eight and a Half
NOT a measurement of mine. My age.
I noticed the calendar this morning and the date stood out to me. I was born on the thirteenth and married on the thirteenth, so I sorta notice that number.
Realized I'm 38 and a half as of today. What to do? What to do? Cake? Balloons? Flowers? Chocolate?
I went grocery shopping. That's not nearly as exciting as cake.
I filled a prescription for an inhaler. That's not as bad as arthritis medication. Hopefully I have a few more years before I start dealing with arthritis!
I am going to get Wendy's and take my kids to the park along with two neighbors.
Tonight I'm making a double "batch" of a dinner casserole to deliver one to a friend who just had her second baby.
So... once the evening comes and the chores are done... what to do? What to do? Discovering a surprise special occasion at the start of the day is reason to come up with some semblance of a celebration.
I noticed the calendar this morning and the date stood out to me. I was born on the thirteenth and married on the thirteenth, so I sorta notice that number.
Realized I'm 38 and a half as of today. What to do? What to do? Cake? Balloons? Flowers? Chocolate?
I went grocery shopping. That's not nearly as exciting as cake.
I filled a prescription for an inhaler. That's not as bad as arthritis medication. Hopefully I have a few more years before I start dealing with arthritis!
I am going to get Wendy's and take my kids to the park along with two neighbors.
Tonight I'm making a double "batch" of a dinner casserole to deliver one to a friend who just had her second baby.
So... once the evening comes and the chores are done... what to do? What to do? Discovering a surprise special occasion at the start of the day is reason to come up with some semblance of a celebration.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Found by the side of the road
One of my favorite things about running, in addition to the whole heart health and overall fitness stuff - is seeing the wild variety of things in the gutter. Today I noticed a lime wedge resting beside the busy boulevard.
A lime wedge beats a puddle of barf. In my running career, I've seen several barf piles. I imagine one of two reasons for the barf: 1) Someone on the way home from partying on the Strip couldn't make it any further and lost their lunch (more like alcohol consumption) out the door onto my running route. 2) A woman early in her pregnancy thought she could make it to church without puking out the door, but was mistaken. (Not that this has ever happened to me.)
Back to the lime wedge. There it sat. Do you know limes do grow in Vegas? But I've run this way before and there are no lime trees along the main drag. Even if it fell from a tree, I'm guessing it wouldn't fall in wedge form. Tommy Burger recently opened a new location not far from our house, and they sell killer Lime-Aid drinks. I first thought this lime hopefully originated there, but since I get fixated on drunk passengers (hence the barf story) I quickly wondered if it might instead be out of a vodka gimlet. I'm hoping for the Lime-Aid, since that less often results in DUI arrests - but it did give me something to think about for half a mile.
I would heartily enjoy knowing what other runners think about when they're out panting and sweating and covering the miles.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
In your anger, RUN!
That's the Teri version of the Bible verse that says "In your anger do not sin."
I went out for another day of half-marathon training bright and early this morning. On the schedule, a "fast four-miler" according to my program. Well, lemme tell ya, I was focusing on "four-miler" more than "fast". I had several factors working against the "fast" part. Here's a list:
Several (or more) factors working against a "fast" four mile run:
The 45-ounce bag of peanut M&Ms my husband and our houseguest brought home.
Many many many annoying hills surrounding my home.
This stupid vampire book series that keeps me up too late reading.
I think my shoes are wearing out.
There's ice in the roads. Ice. The real frozen water in the gutter stuff. I actually stopped to introduce my shoes to it today, which knocked a few seconds off my time, I'm sure.
Too much butt fat. (Damn peanut M&Ms).
Not enough angry songs on my iPod.
And that last item on the list brings me back to my topic. Anger and running. VERY effective powerhouse combo! This is why when Gwen Stefani comes on and starts her semi-whacked coupling of cuss words and names of fruit I am able to suddenly pick up my pace incredibly and steam up hills and do it all effortlessly. I have anger issues, so the question is: does running help me deal with them? or does it just bring them to the surface to be dealt with the rest of my day, without the help of upbeat songs and sweat and joint pain. I'm going to ponder this more deeply tonight. But NOT over a bowl of M&Ms, no sir.
I went out for another day of half-marathon training bright and early this morning. On the schedule, a "fast four-miler" according to my program. Well, lemme tell ya, I was focusing on "four-miler" more than "fast". I had several factors working against the "fast" part. Here's a list:
Several (or more) factors working against a "fast" four mile run:
The 45-ounce bag of peanut M&Ms my husband and our houseguest brought home.
Many many many annoying hills surrounding my home.
This stupid vampire book series that keeps me up too late reading.
I think my shoes are wearing out.
There's ice in the roads. Ice. The real frozen water in the gutter stuff. I actually stopped to introduce my shoes to it today, which knocked a few seconds off my time, I'm sure.
Too much butt fat. (Damn peanut M&Ms).
Not enough angry songs on my iPod.
And that last item on the list brings me back to my topic. Anger and running. VERY effective powerhouse combo! This is why when Gwen Stefani comes on and starts her semi-whacked coupling of cuss words and names of fruit I am able to suddenly pick up my pace incredibly and steam up hills and do it all effortlessly. I have anger issues, so the question is: does running help me deal with them? or does it just bring them to the surface to be dealt with the rest of my day, without the help of upbeat songs and sweat and joint pain. I'm going to ponder this more deeply tonight. But NOT over a bowl of M&Ms, no sir.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Where it all began
This photo is more significant than it might appear. Three couples and eleven children smiling in the sun on the UNLV campus. Thing about these three couples is that they all met at UNLV around 1995. In the thirteen years since: three weddings, many moves, jobs, ministries, births, and countless other experiences. As of a week ago, they now all live on the same street back in Henderson, Nevada. The "smiling in the sun" picture was taken Saturday, when they went back to where it all began and laughed and joked about a million memories. Now we look forward to making a billion more.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Molars
Kevin and I aren't amateurs. We have four kids, now - we don't panic over every scraped knee the way we used to. But at two a.m., when John was going on his fourth straight hour of screaming and wrestling us, Kevin took him to the E.R. This is easy since there is a great hospital right down the street. He had sounded a little croupy, but not as bad as I've heard - and that's what the doctors went with, even doing a standard x-ray to rule out a blockage.
Nothing. Home by four a.m., Motrin, bed. A little over an hour of sleep, then more screaming. I carried John out to the car and left the house, with its ten sleeping occupants, and drove around until the stinker passed out from exhaustion. I parked in a store parking lot and read a book and listened to birds hopping around on my van roof.
Hours and hours later, back at home and after more than half the day, Kevin came bounding upstairs to announce the appearance of a molar in John's mouth. Or two. Maybe more. Geez Louise. Of COURSE he's getting his two-year molars at fifteen months, since he had sixteen teeth by six months. Here are pictures of the sleep-stealing culprit over the past few crazy days. You'll notice he doesn't look the least bit concerned that he's been keeping us up.
Thinking he's a Wii Fit Champion:
Today. If he faced the camera, you could see the sleep deprivation in his eyes.
Yesterday. Finding a leaf and plotting how to keep us up all night later.
Nothing. Home by four a.m., Motrin, bed. A little over an hour of sleep, then more screaming. I carried John out to the car and left the house, with its ten sleeping occupants, and drove around until the stinker passed out from exhaustion. I parked in a store parking lot and read a book and listened to birds hopping around on my van roof.
Hours and hours later, back at home and after more than half the day, Kevin came bounding upstairs to announce the appearance of a molar in John's mouth. Or two. Maybe more. Geez Louise. Of COURSE he's getting his two-year molars at fifteen months, since he had sixteen teeth by six months. Here are pictures of the sleep-stealing culprit over the past few crazy days. You'll notice he doesn't look the least bit concerned that he's been keeping us up.
Thinking he's a Wii Fit Champion:
Today. If he faced the camera, you could see the sleep deprivation in his eyes.
Yesterday. Finding a leaf and plotting how to keep us up all night later.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Hot Medical Tip #1
Let's just say you're a little moody and you try to cure it with some espresso. Being an inexperienced coffee drinker, you burn your tongue.
Here's a tip: Do NOT eat pineapple the next day. I still can't talk without pain.
Here's a tip: Do NOT eat pineapple the next day. I still can't talk without pain.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Starbucks Saved My Life
It's no fun to start the new year off with PMS. All day, even through Mass, I've been glum. Like Eeyore on cold medicine. Then the neighbor girls and I headed for the grocery store and I had a bright idea - get some coffee! So many of my friends swear by it, and I was definitely in need of some mood change. It worked! Still enjoying the holiday menu, I ordered the espresso mocha - excellent recommendation, Magan - and glided through the store as my vision went from gray to cheery... VERY cheery. To the point where it dawned on me that caffeine may be the drug that keeps me from needing antidepressants. Taking BOTH might be a powerhouse, kick-your-butt dream concoction, so perhaps I'll look into that. For now, I'll end the day far better than I started.
Resolution for 2009: Once a month - as needed - buy a cup full of happy and watch my problems roll away. Til the jitters set in, of course, which are making it hard for me to type right now.
Resolution for 2009: Once a month - as needed - buy a cup full of happy and watch my problems roll away. Til the jitters set in, of course, which are making it hard for me to type right now.
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