Happy....

I've been in a really good mood the past few days...I'm not completely sure why. I'm generally a happy person, but I've been unusually happy. I think part of it has to do with the sense of control over myself and my life that I've been feeling recently. I've been working really hard at planning menus for the family and eating healthier...keeping my house clean using my card file system and working out on a more regulary basis and it does make a difference in how I feel.

It was funny because Monday was a snow day and we were all home because Mark takes Monday's off...I basically stayed in my pajamas all day, relaxed and sewed most of the day, which was fun on one level, but by the afternoon I found myself kind of irritable and frustrated by the end of the day and I think it was because the house was a mess and I hadn't accomplished anything other than being further on the bag I was making.

But since Tuesday I've felt lest frustrated and more patient and it seems weird because I've been busier and had less downtime but I've accomplished so much more and that has to be part of it...Jen at This Pile was talking about this awhile ago (I would insert a link here, but I don't really know how to do that)...its amazing what a little organization will do for you....

Apologies to my Readers....If I have any...

So, I made a mistake the other night, I went back through and read some of my old posts, all the way back to the beginning...I was looking for a baby story about Lora because I'm supposed to have on for preschool...but I was mainly struck by the decline in my blogging skills, which were meager to begin with...

I feel like my topics and writing have both gotten boring and monotonous over the last two years. I think the busier I get, the less time I have to think about anything and so the less time I have to formulate thoughts, the less thoughts that get written down. Although I am, by no means, a real writer...I think I've become less of a writer than I once was, if that is possible. The only thing I think about now is kids, kindergarten, co-op, dieting, exercise and I think I'm so tired that I can even think of anything interesting to say about the things that I am experiencing...so, if you'll just stick with me through "lean times" hopefully as my kids get older, I will have more time to formulate coherant thoughts and maybe even write them down...oh well, now I'm off to make up a baby story for Lora since I have a complete blank about her before age one...isn't that sad??

The First Workout of Many...

So, I started working out today. I got "The Firm" aerobics system on E-bay...as a side note, how are people able to sell multiples of the same item for $39.95 when it retails for $90 on TV? - I understand having one, but 20 or so...gives me visions of mobsters hijaking trucks. Anyway, I digress...however the person I bought it from got it, I'm happy I did. Of course, I've only done one workout, but it was really good. The system comes with 4 DVD's and sets of weights that you can increase as you work up to it. Then they lay out a plan for rotating the DVD's...its nice because each DVD also has a 40 minute and 20 minute option so based on how much time you have you can pick.

I was pleasanty surprised that I was able to do it, instead of a frenzied high impact aerobics, it was a lot of lunges and more controlled movements - I was definatly sweating and working out but I never had to quit because I couldn't breathe - now, quitting because my legs were burning is another story, but overall, I was able to do it.

I'm trying to decide when I'm going to be able to workout the 5 times/week that I'm striving for. I was able to this morning while Lora was in school because I didn't work at Mo, but that doesn't always happen...and with shuttling kids back and forth, trying to keep my house clean, etc I'm not sure what time I will consistently be able to do this...Unless I actually get up earlier in the morning, which is a really hard thing for me to commit to...I figured out though, that even if I just wake up at 7AM, I would be able to work out before getting ready and getting the kids ready, etc...I'm thinking as part of my "Requiring More of Myself" in '08, I may try to do this. I realize that for most people 7AM is not even early, but for me who likes to lay in bed until the last possible moment which is usually 8 or 8:15, this is a big committment. But, I'm considering it - this would also give me more time to eat a good breakfast each morning, make the kids a good breakfast, etc before we have to be out the door. So, I think I've convinced myself to try it - we'll see how it goes....wish me luck!

Back in the Swing of Things...

Today felt like vacation was really over. Although Will went back to school yesterday and we took down the Christmas decorations...Monday is normally our "day off" so we didn't do too much...Today, was a normal day though filled with taxing kids to school, working at Mosaic, doing laundry, thawing out chicken for dinner...back to the usual and that's okay. It was kind of fun, in fact.

I had fun working this morning at Mosaic and was reminded again, as I am every time I work, how much I love it there. A couple of my "mom" friends from Will's co-op class were in so we caught up...I love knowing people in the neighborhood and feeling like we are providing a great place for people to connect and get to know each other. I know, I sound like a broken record...but its a cool place.

Tonight, Red Letter Girl and I start Weight Watchers. I'm really excited. I've done it before, but not where I've gone to the meetings with someone else - I think it will really help me to have a friend to journey with. Well, and my husband too, but he's not coming to the meetings with us...someone has to watch the kids. I was inspired by RLG's blog about "Requiring More of Yourself" and feel like that should be my mantra for the year in a lot of areas of my life. Whether that's eating, exercising, not yelling at my kids, being more grateful, appreciating my husband more, being consistent with my housecleaning, keeping in better touch with my family, reading my Bible and praying more, having a better attitude, etc, etc, etc...the list could go on, but its an easy thing to remind myself of..."In this situation how can I require more of myself in order to be the person that God created me to be?" I think I'm doing okay but I think I could do better. Here's to RMOY in 2008!

Home Again, Home Again...Lickety Split

Well, not quite "Lickety Split"...but after 3,245 hours on the road, we are finally home. We had a great time and really, the kids were great in the car - but its nice to be home.

Here are some highlights:

• Christmas Eve service at my brother's church (well, its God's church, but he's the pastor) with our nephews as Wise Men and Shepherds, niece as an angel and a "real" baby Jesus - the best part was when Uncle Scott said something about there being a baby Jesus and Lora, who's been on my lap the whole time perks up and says "There's a baby up there?"
• Chili and presents at Scott and Debbie's house on Christmas Eve- not as crazy as it was the last time we were all together at Christmas - I'm happy the kids are getting older.
• Will's face when he saw the box of 64 Pokeman we got him on Ebay - I'm guessing they're direct from China and full of lead - but he'll have fun before the brain damage sets in.
• Christmas Day eating outside next to Scott and Debbie's pool, praying that neither of my kids would fall in and drown since they can't swim.
• Disneyland with the kids for the first time...we went during the absolutely busiest week of the year - but, who knew that if you have a blind child you get a little pass that gets you to the front of every line...we considered renting Lora out to other families.
• Seeing Kyra Sedgewick at "The Grove" shopping center in Los Angeles....at least according to me it was Kyra Sedgewick and no one else can prove otherwise.
• Eating brunch with the whole family at a great resturant in Laguna Beach, right on the water and then playin in the tide pools after...don't tell anyone that I brought a shell home with me - I'm sure there's an APB out for me.
• The people who's house we were staying in coming home one day earlier than we were expecting...walking in on Mark laying in their bed watching a movie with the kids and me sitting on their toilet reading a book...us awkwardly slinking off to our own rooms, them trying to sleep in sheets we hadn't washed yet.
• Mark and I then sneaking out of their house at 5AM, packing the car as quietly as possible, dressing the kids and leaving all without waking them up...then meeting my parents for one last breakfast before hitting the road.
• Driving around San Francisco with the kids showing Will all the places we used to go, stopping briefly in a souvenier shop, buying sweatshirts and play cable cars (the best part was Lora picking up a toy and saying to me, "Mom, are these novelty toys?") and then eating at our favorite Mexican resturant in San Rafael, Panchitos - the first place Will ever had refried beans (at about 8 months) which are still his favorite thing.
• Spending New Year's Eve with Mark and the kids in the Travelodge in Novato - watching Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve and all of us snoring by 11:30.
• Arriving home to a mess of shredded paper and pee-pee pads on our dark green area rug...just Zoe's way of expressing her frustration with us being gone for 10 days....we did have someone taking care of her, but I think she missed us.

We had a wonderful time - it couldn't have been better but I'm happy to be back in my own little house, on my own little corner of the world...vacation is fun, but home is better.