February 2, 2012

11 Things

I can’t even tell you the last time I did a meme. But the wonderfully beautiful Tues.Life tagged me and I’ve learned you don’t mess with her. (Sidenote: She’s running her first marathon in a few weeks, so head on over to show her some love…)

The Rules:

  • Post these rules
  • You must post 11 random things about yourself
  • Answer the questions set for you in their post
  • Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer
  • Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them
  • No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people!

11 Random Things about Me:

  1. I can’t stand the feeling of things between my toes (my toes just curled even just typing about it). I’m 34 years old, and I did not start wearing flip flops until about 2 years ago. And there was a big adjustment period, let me tell you.
  2. I used to let my grandmother pay me $1 on Sundays so she could watch Sunday Mass on TV.
  3. The house I grew up on was on a busy road and there was streetlamp outside of my bedroom window. I find it very hard to sleep without a little light streaming in my window from some source.
  4. I’ve never eaten an olive.
  5. I don’t use the gas fireplace in our house because I’m afraid that I will do it wrong and it’ll blow up.
  6. I announced I was pregnant with Jacob at my sister’s wedding reception, then started to cry because I was afraid I had stolen the spot light.
  7. I have a scar on my forehead from having pebbles removed from my head.
  8. I have never liked snow, not even as a little kid.
  9. I got 53 tardies in one year in elementary school.
  10. I don’t really like to cook, but I like to look at cooking magazines.
  11. I dream of the day when the kids move out so that maybe Dave and I will move to a smaller house that doesn’t require as much for me to clean.

Questions I was tagged with:

  1. Why do you do what you do? – I’m sorry, but the first thing that came in to my head was “To DooBeeDooBeeDoo”.
  2. What questions keep you up at night? – Did I remember to close the garage door and what kind of mood will the kids be in when they get up.
  3. How do you think you’re most like your parents? – Oh gosh. I have a habit to start and stop a story about 3 times before I get all the information out and then reexplain the story 3 more times making sure everyone understands (Mom). I give unimportant information when I give directions (Dad).
  4. What do you like best about yourself? That I can (eventually) turn just about anything into funny situations or stories.
  5. What comedian makes you laugh out loud? I can’t think of any one person, but I used to laugh so hard my sides hurt after Whose Line Is It Anyway?…the American one.
  6. If running ain’t your thang, what is? Complaining about running.
  7. What’s song are you embarrassed that you like? I’m not embarassed that I like anything. The one people are probably embarassed for me is KC & The Sunshine Band.
  8. What’s your favorite kind of smoothie? Not really a smoothie girl. I guess if I had to choose, I prefer berry flavors.
  9. What are you afraid of? The dark and something horribly tragic happening to someone I love.
  10. What gives your heart joy? The glimpses I get of the kids being the people I hope they’ll be.
  11. What’s your next big goal? A sub 2:05 at the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler.

My Questions for you:

  1. In the movie of your life, what actors play your family?
  2. What one area of your life do you wish you could hire someone to do for you?
  3. If I’m peeking through your window between the hours of 4pm to 6pm, what do I see?
  4. What television show do you put the kids to bed early for?
  5. When’s the last time you wrote a card to someone when it wasn’t their birthday?
  6. What’s the deal with time zones?
  7. Do you prefer active vacations are lazy vacations?
  8. What one song represents your life right now?
  9. Do you do laundry every day or once a week?
  10. Someone gives you $5000, no strings attached. What do you do with the money?
  11. Are you happy?

Who I’m tagging:

  1. Christy
  2. Melissa
  3. Lisa
  4. Christine
  5. April
  6. Bari
  7. Beki
  8. Christie O.
  9. Heather
  10. Roo
  11. Kirsten

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February 1, 2012

January 2012 Goals Wrapup

I’m finding it very hard to believe that January is already over.

I also have a feeling that I will be saying that at the end of every month this year.

Here’s how January went by the numbers:

January
  • 31 thanks - DONE!
  • 31 Days of Daily Positive Quotes - 31/31
  • Run 10-15 miles a week - wk1-6.5miles, wk2-10miles, wk3 - 10miles, wk4 – 7miles
  • Start 10 Miler Training Plan - started on 1/23
  • Finish March and April 2009 scrapbook pages – DONE!
  • Finish December 2011 scrapbook pages – DONE!
  • Read 465 minutes - 480 minutes total

Getting in my daily thanks and daily positive quote proved to be the easiest things to do. While I didn’t necessarily remember the specific quote through the whole day, the idea of the quote stuck with me and really helped me think about the way I act and treat other people.

I fell a few miles short of my target training miles, but overall I’m pretty happy with those numbers. What you don’t see in those numbers are the fact that I ran 10 miles on vacation, I ran 3 miles without stopping for the first time in well over a year, and that I missed some miles because of oral surgery. I started Cherry Blossom training on the 23rd and so far the plan hasn’t been too horrible. I still struggle with getting long runs in on the weekends, though.

I’m super excited that I got all that scrapbooking in. I’m learning (and re-learning and re-learning) that the pages don’t have to be perfect. It’s feeling good just to get them done. As for the reading minutes, I love that number. I didn’t read every single day, but I still managed to come in over my goal. There were just some days that flipping through a magazine at the end of the day was about all my brain could handle!

Here’s a look ahead to what I’m shooting for in February. It’s all pretty much the same stuff, just a few less days to do it!

Has anyone else set monthly goals? How did your January go??

February
  • 29 thanks
  • 29 Days of Daily Positive Quotes (0/29)
  • Follow 10 Miler Training Plan
  • Finish May and June 2009 scrapbook pages
  • Finish January 2012 and/or November 2011 scrapbook pages
  • Read 435 minutes (0/435)

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January 31, 2012

Vacation Lessons Learned (or: Orlando 2012)

  • The kids actually do really well in the car for 10 or so hours. After that, you’re pressing your luck.
  • You learn a lot from signage on other vehicles on the road. Apparently Nashville is it’s very own destination separate from Tennessee.
  • Sometimes it’s o.k. to leave your house without making a hotel reservation.
  • While empty hotel rooms are out there, they’re hard to find using an iphone when you are in the Middle of Nowhere, Georgia.
  • When a hotel says they have a gym, always ask if the treadmill (or elliptical, for that matter) actually work.
  • We could save a whole bunch of money if we planned nothing else on a trip but to spend it at the hotel pool.
  • Getting fresh squeezed Florida OJ at the Welcome Center was worth the drive alone.
  • Walt Disney World really is the happiest place on Earth. For the employees at least. Sometimes the kids get cranky.
  • Jake and Emma no longer really care about the characters.
  • Not waiting in line for characters saves approximately 1273 hours a day.
  • Dave really is a good sport when it comes to annoying rides that I can’t go on because I’ll puke.
  • We should really get a Fast Pass for Space Mountain if we ever want to ride it.
  • The general population pays absolutely zero attention to where they are walking if they are either: a.) looking for where to buy a turkey leg, b.) eating a turkey leg, or c.) looking for a bathroom because they ate too much turkey leg.
  • Sea World is awesome.
  • Sitting in the splash zone for the dolphin show will make you laugh even if you think you’re going to hate it.
  • Your favorite day might possibly be the day you do the least.
  • Universal Studios: Islands of Adventure is awesome.
  • If you bring rain ponchos all the way from Ohio, it would behoove you to actually bring them along to the park.
  • Kids get scared during horror movie makeup presentations.
  • Kids have nightmares and unintentionally hit their little sisters in their sleep after seeing horror movie makeup presentations.
  • Epcot makes me want to travel.
  • Soarin’ at Epcot is stinkin’ awesome.
  • There is one time a day where you are GUARANTEED to not have any fighting with the kids.
  • Getting away with the family, no matter where or for how long, is pretty awesome.

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January 28, 2012

Little Voice #2

I get it.

Really, I do.

Your stomach hurts. It’s been hurting for a couple of days now.

And you’re worried about your mouth.

Totally understandable.

But stop living in fear of things going wrong and get on the stinking treadmill.

You set yourself a small goal for this week.

You set yourself a medium goal for this month.

You set yourself a large goal for the race in April.

None of those will be achieved in less you get on the treadmill and run TODAY.

Oh, and before you have a chance to argue, this goes for tomorrow, too.

You’re welcome.

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January 27, 2012

Fitness Friday – The Super Short Edition

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January 26, 2012

Little Voice #1

You made the choice to stay up too late.

You didn’t listen to me when I told you to turn off the solitaire and go to sleep.

I know you’re tired. Why wouldn’t you be? You got less than 6 hours of sleep. You know that you can’t function with less than 7 or 8.

So, you’ve got to make a choice today. Here are your options:

  1. Scrap your to do list and take a nap (seriously, there’s nothing that important on it anyway).
  2. Battle through and be exhausted and cranky all day.

Whatever choice you make, it’s time to own your mistake and stop complaining about it. It’s pointless, annoying, and serves no purpose.

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January 25, 2012

The reality of it all

I have bad teeth. I’ve written about them several times. The quickest synopsis can be found in The Tooth Fairy Owes Me. I’ve tried my best to be light hearted about all of it, trying to keep in mind that in the grand scheme of life, my problems are not that big of a deal.

But you know what? It’s not all fun and games and while humor can sometimes make a situation not seem so bad, there are other times when you just gotta  feed that beast and let the frustration and hurt run its course.

I had another appointment today and what I thought was going to happen didn’t happen. I was supposed to have a gum graft but the doctor said I wasn’t ready. I’m torn by this. I want to be done, but I also love the fact that he wants to make sure it’s done RIGHT.

I get it. I do. But I’m just so tired and frustrated and DONE.

  • I’m tired of my mouth being pulled every which way every 3-6 months.
  • I’m tired of the cost.
  • I’m tired of the time it takes.
  • I’m tired of how shot my nerves get immediately before, during, and immediately after.
  • I’m tired of having to explain to the kids that they need to be careful when they kiss me.
  • I’m tired of food running down my face because I can’t feel it.
  • I’m tired of the whole left side of my face, including my upper eyelid, being numb.
  • I’m tired of wishing my face would be numb again when the pain finally sets in.
  • I’m tired of the antibiotics.
  • I’m tired of the staining on my teeth from the prescription moutwash.
  • I’m tired of being careful of the stitches when I brush my teeth.
  • I’m tired of telling people “I’m hopefully almost done.”
  • I’m tired of backing out commitments because of appointments.
  • I’m tired of the drive to the oral surgeons office.
  • I’m tired of Emma asking me if she’ll have to have surgery when she goes to the dentist.
  • I’m tired of looking like I’ve been in a bar brawl for a week or two after surgery.
  • I’m tired of rinsing with salt water.
  • I’m tired of wondering whether all of this is going to be worth it or if I’ll have to do it all again in 5 years time.
  • I’m tired of worrying about every ache, pain and discomfort in my mouth.
  • I’m tired of getting into a fitness groove only to have derailed for 2-5 days.
  • I’m tired of having shots of novicaine in my mouth.
  • I’m tired of having to get more shots of novicaine in my mouth because the first shots weren’t enough.
  • I’m tired of making sure I have enough soft foods in the house.
  • I’m tired of realizing too late that I’m not ready for harder foods.

That’s it. No happy go lucky silver lining. No rose colored glasses. No jokes to make it all better.

I’m tired and frustrated, and today I’m going to let myself feel that.

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January 23, 2012

I love ME!

We are offically back from vacation. The laundry is done, the to-do list is updated, and I still need to download the pictures. Expect a vacation recap sometime later this week.

Don’t pretend like you haven’t been sitting at home waiting for me to write it. I know you have. Admit it.

Just to tide you over, I’ll give you a little something else to read. A few days ago over at The Sisterhood, Nancy revisited the whole idea of listing three things that we love about ourselves. The original prompt was “When I look in the mirror, I like my _______.”

I’m really trying this year to not make it so much about the physical (how I look, the number on the scale, etc.) as much as about the mental/emotional. So I’m going to revise the prompt a little bit and list three non-physical things I like about myself.

  1. I’m pretty damn funny. Sometimes I forget this about myself. I definitely lean towards the cynical/snarky side of humor, but it makes my day when I’m able to make someone laugh.
  2. I’m fiercely loyal. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the greatest when it comes to fostering/nurturing relationships, but even though I may be a quiet friend, I’ll be there for you no matter what. If you need something, I will do everything I can to make things better for you.
  3. If you need help, I’m your girl. I love volunteering at school and I almost always say yes to people’s request for help. Sometimes this can get me into a bit of trouble when it comes to things that I need to do for myself, but I get a lot of satisfaction out of doing things for other people.

There you have it. What about you? What three things, physical or non-physical, do you love about yourself? Hit me up in the comments!

I LOVE ME!

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January 19, 2012

Orlando 2012 – Day 5

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January 18, 2012

Orlando 2012 – Day 4

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