I think what I love most about running, at least right now, is simply that I am DOING it. There is always something more to work towards, and the feeling after a successful run is absolutely amazing. It's something that I decided I wanted to do, something that isn't "necessary" like work, or parenting, or cleaning, and I am still sticking to it. On Oct 1st, I will have been running pretty consistently for almost 5 months! I'm not as advanced as I had hoped/planned to be at this point, but I am still getting out there and doing something on a pretty consistent basis. I can run for 22 minutes straight. About 2 miles, maybe a little less.

Just something I was thinking about...

UGH. Any ideas on how to clean a flat screen monitor?? Reagan took a pen to it. Blue scribbling all over it. I've been trying to manage, but it's just too much. Google is failing me. :( Am I screwed???

My dislike for Amy grows stronger each week. She's become unbearable, seriously. How can she not see that NOBODY likes to be around her? Ugh.

I really think that this Couch to 5K program is going to drastically change my LIFE. I'm reading ahead and seeing what I am going to be accomplishing (because I WILL accomplish it)...soon, 3 minutes will be freaking nothing. This excites me so much. It's not even about my weight at all, it's just that oh my gosh, I'm going to become a runner. That's a big, big deal for me. I can prove this to myself by sticking to it, and then just keep going once I'm done with this particular program. When I complete this, I won't be able to make excuses for other things. I'll REALLY know that if I just stick to something and just put one foot in front of the other, I can do anything.

I'm really excited. :)

I'm not really a fan, but Miley Cyrus' song "The Climb" is REALLY inspirational to me at this point in my life. I am really loving it. I crank it up every time it comes on and sing along. I get goosebumps and everything, because I relate to it so much. I don't just mean with weight loss, either, although that is a huge part as well.

For my own records, really...

cracker (cacka)
banana (NANA! in excitement when I pull out a banana, lol)
momma
dada
dog
please (just said it once today, repeating after me, so it may be a fluke!)
cup (same situation as please)

Hmm that's all I can think of for now. 12.5 months old! The top 5 are consistent words, and she has said momma, dada, and dog for a couple of months now.

I have to get this place completely picked up and clutter free (or at least as much as possible) today. YAY.

Sadly, I am lacking in motivation. But I have to, because our new cleaning girl is coming tomorrow morning, and I want her to be able to really clean. Which she can't, with all of our crap everywhere.

Time to put on the makeup, break out the shoes, and get to cleaning. This is one of those times I wish I had an apron. It would make me feel so domestic and mommy-like, perfect for cleaning a horrifically cluttered house.

Oh, and I did do my Tae Bo last night AND ended the day around 1500 calories. Probably not enough with the workout, but it was an express workout so I don't think I burned as many calories as I normally would.

Ok, Reagan is being too quiet. Off to check on her/clean up!

Reagan sings the Barney "Clean Up" song on her own, everytime she puts more than one thing away. It's really cute.

Oh. Oh my heavens.

I do believe that Billy Blanks is trying to kill me.

If When I do this workout at least 3-4 days a week for the next few months (and beyond), there is no way I can't get results. I'm thinking it was a bad idea to do it tonight, because I am going to help John with some work tomorrow and I can barely move my arms NOW. Oh Lord have mercy.

I have been more motivated in life lately. I don't know if it's the weight loss or just forcing myself to wear makeup every morning (or both, or something else), but I just feel better. I'm opening the windows during the day, actually putting effort into keeping the house clean, and as mentioned above, putting on my makeup/getting dressed properly every morning. I always forget what a huge difference that makes in my mindset. It probably really helps that I only eat a fraction of the junk I used to eat. Whereas before, I could easily put away a huge bowl of ice cream, plus brownies, plus cheeseburgers/fries/etc etc...now, the "worst" thing I have is a WW ice cream bar and maybe a piece of chocolate or two. I think it's making a gigantic difference on how I feel.

Chloe is almost back to normal. Well, she really is, but I just have to keep giving her this medicine just to be sure. It's good to have my smiley girl back!

I believe that John and I will stay together forever. I hope I'm not jinxing anything by saying that. I mean, of course it will take work. Marriages always take work. The thing is, John and I are like best friends. We started out best friends, and stayed that way. We talk to each other. Neither of us makes any big decision without the other, we talk through any major decisions together. I can't think of anything substantial that wasn't discussed beforehand. I know part of this is because we run our business together, so we both know what we're dealing with financially (well, me a little more than John, but that's just because I deal with the more detail crap). I don't know what I'm trying to say. Not that you have to do everything together to stay together, lol. I just feel like we probably will, as long as we are always able to keep these lines of communication open and respect the other's thoughts and opinions. If that ever stops, it will probably be the beginning of the end for us.

I'd really, really like to take a family camping trip once a year. I feel such an overwhelming desire to do that, and I haven't been camping probably since I was in Girl Scouts (at least 10 years ago). I don't know the first thing about camping, and I am not very outdoorsy. Yet I still want to. And I don't mean just camping in the local state park, I mean traveling and camping along the way. We probably couldn't do that every year, but it would be great to have a few big trips under our belts with the girls before they grow up. I want to really grow a sense of togetherness and family unity, and I think camping is a great way to do that. As long as you don't fight the whole time. Then it could be pretty miserable. LOL.

This is probably because I just finished "The Moon By Night" by Madeleine L'Engle, in which the Austin family takes a cross-country camping trip. It was so nice to read. I'd prefer that to a beach trip, at any rate. I am not a big fan of beaches in the summertime. Spring and fall, sure, but I am not a fan of hot weather and scorching sand. And sunburns. And gorgeous, bikini-clad twenty somethings parading around. I know I'm a twenty something, but it's not quite the same. I have battle scars. heh.

I'm now reading "Broken Paradise" (I think), but I don't have the book in front of me so I don't know who the author is. I picked it up at Borders in the "2 for $6" bin. It's big, and I really like it so far. I'm only in the second chapter, though. I love losing myself in a good book.

I think I'll go work on my homemade gifts. :)

Today can just suck it.

The first Seven (7) people to respond to this post will get something made by me.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
- What I create will be just for you.
- It'll be done this year (2009).
- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a mix CD. It may be a poem. I may draw or paint something. I might bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.
- Additional caveat: I reserve the right to make something for your kid(s) instead of you. :)

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you have to put this in your journal as well, if you expect me to do something for you! (You don't really. I won't be checking.)

OMMGGGG IT'S SNOWWWIINNNGGG!!!

This is MS. It never snows here. Literally. Ok, it snowed once about a year ago, but for about 30 minutes and you never saw it on the ground (not in our area, anyway). Before that? I don't know...years.

NOT LIKE THIS. It's POURING SNOW!! It's sticking and getting higher and higher, and I am so stoked. I'm like a 5 year old child right now, I'm not even kidding. I am so freaking giddy. Reagan is so indifferent, like "gosh, Mom, it's just snow. What's the big deal?" And I'm like YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. THIS. IS. SNOW. WE ARE GOING TO PLAY IN IT UNTIL YOUR FINGERS AND TOES FALL OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*takes a deep breath*
Pictures will most definitely be provided of this historic occassion.
My icon isn't even excited enough to show my excitement, and that is saying something.

I love this. So much. It really makes you think, and John and I have discussed changing up a LOT when it comes to how we do Christmas and how we will do Christmas in the future. Back to basics, baby.

areawoman posted the link to this article as well: To Buy Gifts, Mothers Do Without. A heart-wrenching, inspiring story of a mother who, faced with a severe economic crisis and tough financial times, bravely sacrifices her desire for designer jeans so she can buy 5-10 new toys for her young daughter. It really plucks at the heart strings. *sniff*

One of the many highlights:
Come Christmas, McKenna Hunt, a gregarious little girl from Safety Harbor, Fla., will receive the play kitchen and the Elmo doll she wants. But her mother, Kristen Hunt, will go without the designer jeans she covets this season.

For Ms. Hunt and for millions of mothers across the nation, this holiday season is turning into a time of sacrifice.

Oh look, there are my eyes, rolling across the floor....

Yesterday, Chloe was playing with paper or something. I don't know, something I don't generally let her play with. Reagan ran up to her and grabbed it from her with a concerned look on her face, and said, "no, no!"
Then she ran off, but accidentally knocked Chloe over in the process. She then ran back to Chloe with an even more concerned look, bent down and started kissing her while saying "Oh, I sowwwwy! I sooowwwy!"

I died from cute. Chloe was completely fine, btw. She didn't even cry. lol.

She's always trying to give Chloe food, also. I have to watch her carefully, or she'll bring any of her leftovers to Chloe. LOL. The other day, I walked in the kitchen and Chloe had half of a banana in her hand, just chewing away!

My new haircut -


Not too drastic, but enough to give me a taste. I like it. I'll have to style it some more to see its full potential.

You know, I think one "skill" that is often overlooked and not really taught much, is the ability to talk on the phone.

When I was 14, I started doing some work for my dad. I didn't really do much until I turned 15, though. Around that time, he wanted me to start making phone calls. Nothing major - calling a business to make sure they received an invoice, or asking for a bill, or whatever. Very simple stuff. I would FREAK. OUT. Refuse to call anyone, cry, tantrum, etc. It's embarrassing to recall, but I was that scared of the phone. Of course, I had to do it or he had no real use for me, so I eventually did. And I got used to it. It took a LONG time, probably a year or more, before I could just pick up the phone and make a call without a major panic attack first. I still rehearsed like crazy (and sometimes do even today), but better that than an anxiety attack. Whew.

I now realize the value. If I was afraid of the phone, if I never learned how to deal with adults and businesses in a calm, professional manner, I wouldn't be able to do anything that I do now. I wouldn't be able to run this business. Fear would keep me from this. And forget running a business, even. If I get a bill that I am not sure about, I pick up and call. If I was scared, though, 9 out of 10 times I would just pay the bill (and therefore probably waste a lot of money). There are so, so many ways that having this experience with the phone has benefitted me. It will be something that I teach our daughters as they grow up. I will not be calling everyone and doing everything for them, within reason that is.

Not that people who are scared of the phone are wimps who can't hack it. I recognize that some people struggle with this way more than others. Some have different personalities and issues, and will probably never be able to 100% get over the fear of the phone. So I'm not trying to sound self righteous here. It's just something I thought about earlier when I was picking up the phone to make yet another phone call to a stranger for work-related reasons; "Thank GOD I learned how to do this so young". I think it is really a valuable thing. Not that it's really something you can teach in school, it's more something that you just pick up in life. I just think kids with "helicopter parents" might have a harder time of this - the parents who make all the calls, arrange all the appointments, etc. My child will be doing a lot of this stuff on their own once they hit an age where we feel they are more capable of it. Not because I refuse to help, but because it's just important to learn.

I'm just so glad I can pick up the phone and make a call without a second thought. That's just me, though. I'm not extremely shy or introverted (or on the opposite end of that, either), and if I don't do it, it won't get done. So I am forced to do it and not think much about it. I like that I can, though.

I don't know. It was just something I was thinking about earlier that I felt like sharing. Thoughts?

IP logging turned off, anonymous commenting enabled.

Is there anything you want to say to me under the safety of anonymity? Positive or negative, neutral, just a nagging thing you've always wanted to ask or say but never felt comfortable doing so? Of course this is a bit presumptuous of me to think anyone really thinks of me that much, but oh well. Now's the chance to get it out there.

Comments are screened.

OMG



I feel like I'm in a time machine.

She grabbed the paper and pretended to read. lol.


Pulling up already! First time that I've seen...I just looked down and saw her like this. 7.5 months old, wtf!!

lol. me = dumb





I swear, about 90% of my answers were "I dunno" or "Huh?"