I Ran a 5K Once...

Hopefully this isn't something that my future self will say. I hope to run more than just one 5K in my life. But, for the time being, I finished one and for me that is a huge accomplishment.

As you all know, I sometimes run for a short workout. Said run is usually one, possibly two, miles. It never goes longer than two miles. Three miles? Ha.

I'll be honest, I never really used to like running. But, I think it just took me this long to figure it out - if that makes any sense. I've learned to pace myself, adjust my breathing, etc.

But, with this run and the photos that were taken, I've learned even more:

• I can do something if I really put my mind to it.
• Awesome Possum is a great team name. People loved it. They really did!

•  Blue doesn't glow under black lights (told you, Heath).
• A glow necklace might snap when curved tightly - it might just snap while looped through the laces on your shoe.
• Watch where you are walking. Mud holes can be anywhere, even downtown Lincoln.
• Sitting on the cement post race will leave sweaty butt prints.
• You can get rid of said butt prints by "accidentally" spilling water on it.
• My post-run food of choice is cheese crackers with peanut butter.
• I tend to hold my thumbs like Marsha Brady when I run. :(

•  I don't look good running...at all.

•  Hannah is a great cousin. Alright, so I already knew this. But, she stayed with me the whole run and would cheer me on. She was really the only one to congratulate me and acted proud of me. :) It made me feel really good. Heath? Couldn't care less. I had to fish for compliments...even then, they weren't real keepers...

And, doesn't the lady in pink look like she wants to pass me? We just crossed the finish line lady...get a grip.

Here are some other pictures of the night:

 Heath finishing. Good form, Hunny!

Jason finishing, like he just freaking ran a 40...

Tom and Jari finishing, together. Aww...of course Jari is smiling. By the way, Jari, I am super impressed that those glasses lasted the whole race!

Looking good, considering...

Post-race team picture! Tom and Jari...get a room...just kidding...haha...

The guys got flagged down to take a picture because of their awesome shirts....awesome possum shirts that is.

And, now, my favorite pic of the whole thing.

Jason - why are you so wet? And, why are you two in an embrace? Runnin' bros...Heath, this is the most genuine smile of the whole night! Haha

I encourage anyone to do this. Push yourselves and your boundaries. I want to do another, just to prove to myself that I can. I ran the entire thing, without walking. I didn't think I could. I did.

We'll see if I can do another soon, before I become too completely out of shape again (although that might have already happened).

Have a great weekend everyone!

Save a Buck, or 50

We've all seen the show Extreme Couponing on TLC and we all know that sometimes it's a little far fetched.

1) Most of us don't have all the time in the world searching the internet for coupons and good deals. If we do one week, we can't the next; it isn't practical.
2) Most of don't have extra rooms in our houses for 'stock piles'.
3) Most of us would never eat 30+ boxes of cereal before they go bad.
4) Paying a coupon cutting service for more coupons is defeating the money-saving-purpose!
5) Proctor & Gamble products limit you to only four coupons that are the same, being used at one time.

And, the biggest number 6 of all time:

6) We don't have stores around here that double coupons.

I googled it and local stores just don't cooperate. I couldn't find a store within 100 miles that offered double coupons and super saving with a store card. If I could find one though, would I be willing to always drive over an hour to go get groceries? Probably not every trip.

So, I thought...

I've been couponing for over a year now. I would cut them out of the Sunday paper. I started by cutting lots of coupons and saving them all. I would end up purchasing things that I wouldn't normally purchase. I quickly realized that I had fallen into the company couponing plan!

It didn't take long for me to break that habit and start to only cut out coupons of products that we actually buy! I even took a few minutes to request a coupon book from Proctor & Gamble (P&G); we use a ton of their products (Tide, Tampax, Bounty, Old Spice, Venus, Crest, Pampers, Herbal Essence, etc.). Go check out their website for free samples and sometimes really good coupon offers.

With coupons, I was saving money. I averaged, and still do average, about $10 in coupon savings a trip. My all time high savings was $19.00. I thought that was pretty impressive.

Some people may think that couponing is "beneath" them. But, when I am shopping at Walmart? Who cares? Seriously? Watch me save $19.00 and judge away! I do sometimes apologize for the extra time it takes, to the people behind me in line. They always say it isn't a big deal.

I was inspired though. I watched Extreme Couponing and I wanted to save more!

One day at Walmart I stood behind a woman in line. She had a notebook and was telling the cashier the prices of her items. It took me a while; but, I realized that she was price matching.

Price matching!

Price matching is the key to savings! Combining price matching with coupons is amazing! Walmart price matches all the time! Let me tell you a bit more about it.

Every week I pull sales adds out of the Sunday paper (Target, Walgreens, CVS, etc.). Then, in the middle of the week the Penny Press arrives (Sunmart, Glenns, Fairway, Pamida, etc.). Finally, if I get time, I check internet sales adds (Bakers, Hyvee, SuperSaver, etc.).

I comb the adds looking for things that are on my grocery list. Sometimes I will have 'lunch items' on my list for Heath and me. I look for items on sale that we could use for lunch. Once I find a good deal, I write it down:

Product, Type or Size, Sales Price, & Store

My list is usually about a page long. I even started making a cute print out to use, for straight lines and organization. :)

I walk through Walmart and look at the prices before I put it in my cart. Sometimes, I'll be honest, Walmart's price is cheaper. However, sometimes I find amazing deals too!  Some to take note of are:

Easy Mac - sale price $0.47, originally $.98
General Mills Cereals - sale price $2 each, originally $4.37 each, & I had two $0.75 coupons = $1.25 each!
Venus Razors - sale price $2.99, originally $4.99, & I had a $2 off coupon = $.99!!!
Wagon Train Dog Treats - sale price $1, originally $4.50, & I had a $1 off coupon = Free!!!

These are just some of many, many dollars that I've saved. The saving from the last three trips were: $39.99, $47.65, and a whopping $57.83!

It is amazing what you can save when you just spend an hour a week looking at sales adds. It sure beats running from store to store to get the prices you want. Plus, I don't feel bad making Walmart lower their prices for me. I mean, it's Walmart...

Don't believe me? Look for yourself. This is from my last trip.

I keep track of the Walmart price too; that way I can calculate my savings when I get home.

They price match anything and everything as long as the brand is the same.  Fruit and veggies, they will match the pound price.

Try it! Next time, take some notes, and tell them at the register that you want to price match.

Does anyone else price match? Who is going to start now? :) :)

"Ahh...Man!"

When your little girl goes to daycare all day and spends the weekend with family, it shouldn't be surprising that she comes home with a new phrase. However, Lucy has clung onto, "Ahh...man!"

Heath and I have decided that we say it, but only sparingly. She had to of picked this up from daycare or her cousin, Alex. The amazing thing is, she uses it in the right context. It's hilarious. Heath and I enjoyed the other evening when Lucy's personality was really starting to shine through!

She was wound up. I don't think it was from sugar, but that we were all together playing. She was all over the living room. On one pass, she cut the corner too sharp and hit her arm on the coffee table.

"Aowww....aowww....aowww...," she repeated looking at us.

"Did you hurt your arm?" Heath asked.

"Aowww," was the only response.We both laughed.

"You're okay," I told her.

Seeing that we weren't going to come running to her little arm's rescue, she gave herself a kiss on the arm. We laughed, as we continued to watch her roam the room. She started to run a little too fast and past the ottoman. Her toe caught the carpet and down she went. She just disappeared behind the ottoman as we heard a light thud.

Silence.

We waited to hear if she was going to get upset.

"Ahhh....man!"

We laughed until we almost cried. I can't wait to see what she'll say next!

24 Hours?

Sometimes I just don't believe that there are 24 hours in my day.

I'm a momma.
I'm a wife.
I'm a family person.
I'm a friend.
I'm a full-time employee.
I'm a house cleaner.
I'm a cook.
I'm a chauffeur.
I'm a lover of television.
I'm a sleeper.
I'm a night person.
I'm a wanna-be exerciser.
I'm an on-again/off-again weight watcher.
I'm a lover of junk food.
I'm a shopper.
I'm an organizer.
I'm a coupon clipper.
I'm a blogger.

I sometimes just can't get the hang of things.

At work I am very organized. I mean it is borderline OCD ridiculous. I have two calendars, an electronic one and a paper one. I will plan time to "map out" my schedule, several times a year. I am always adding items to my 'To-Do' list and if I don't get them done that day, it moves to the next. Nothing ever goes undone.

At home? Sunday - fold the laundry. Didn't get it done. Monday - fold the laundry. Tuesday - fold the laundry. Nope. Let's just say - it still needs to be done and it's Thursday. Ugh!

Our bedroom looks like a small bomb went off in my closet. The laundry room and den are in serious need of organizing/cleaning. The closets are to a point where I am afraid items may fall on me when I open the doors! And, don't even get me started on the master bathroom. :{

The good thing is that from the "outside" it all looks good. :) The rooms that visitors see are pretty clean and organized! Kudos for that, right? Maybe...

I've been thinking about making a calendar/to-do list for home. I could plan out my cleaning and activities. Then, I would have more time to do, and less guilt about doing, the things I love!

You are probably thinking that I just need to give up some sleep and some television. I need to make the sacrifice that comes with the responsibility of being a mom and an adult....yada, yada, yada. That is all fine and dandy for a week or so. Then, I am at my wit's end. I get grumpy. I simply need some 'me' time. I have to get another hour of sleep sometimes. I have to just sit and stop moving sometimes. It keeps me sane. So, hopefully a plan or schedule could allow for both my selfish and non-selfish needs.

What do you think? Is this just another thing that will get pushed to the side? Will I stick to it like I did my last five diets? Time will tell. I need a plan first.

Any tips on how to juggle all the many roles we have? And, keep our sanity? I'll let you know how it goes...

Weekend O' Fun

I have a few topics to discuss; however, on this Monday I lack the energy to critically think. It is a typical Monday for me....with a few less hours of sleep. Lucy took a 2 1/2 hour nap yesterday afternoon and well, she didn't want to go to sleep last night. I don't blame her; Heath was watching the Masters and it has the same effect on me. I tried to stay up, but no such luck. I fell asleep too, when Tiger tied for first...woke up during his last putt...oops.

I thought I would just share a few pictures from our weekend. On Friday night, I had kick-boxing, which is a little out of the ordinary. Our instructor couldn't hold class on Saturday morning; so, she decided to have a Friday evening class. I kind of liked the change! :) I was so energized afterward that I came home and weeded the flower beds!  Did I mention the weather was gorgeous?

On Saturday, we got up pretty early to go shopping with my dad. He is getting married soon and had to get some items for the wedding. We were more than happy to tag along! :)

We started the morning at the bakery. Lucy loved her glazed donut twist!

Yes - there is a tear in her eye. This was following a fit.

She even had some milk to go with her donut.

Don't mind my man hand...

After lunch and shopping, I talked the guys into stopping at Cold Stone Creamery. I know; I know - I shouldn't have done it. But, it was so good! Abuelo, as we call my dad (long story), even shared his oatmeal cookie batter ice cream with Lucy. She was pretty happy about it, which you can't tell because she is hardcore chewing on that spoon...



Lucy and her Abuelo

To end the day, we bought Lucy a helmet...

Playing with my iPod - no helmet necessary.

So, she could ride this:

Hers isn't Barbie; it's Disney, of course!
Thanks Aunt Nikki, Uncle Brian, and Alex!

Yesterday, we went on a picnic. It was windy; but, Lucy loved it! :)  Then, as I said before, we let the soft, whispering voices of the Masters commentators whisk us away to dream land - the perfect Sunday!

How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun?

Cabin Fever

I am not one to complain about the cold. I would much rather be cold than hot. It is so much easier to wrap up in a blanket, than it is to shake a heat headache and be all sweaty, without exercising.

I am not one to complain about the snow. I still get snow days, as an adult! It is so beautiful (until it gets all dirty along the side of the roads). And, for the holiday season, it is a must!

However, this year I am kind of getting sick of it - for the first time.....I think ever. I am not even sure why. I thought originally that it must be because we keep getting tastes of good weather and then it's cold again.  No....that isn't right....this is the Midwest; I should be used to that by now! Perhaps it is because I never leave the house. No...that isn't it either; I leave the house every single day and am hardly there sometimes! Hmmm, what is it?

It must be Lucy. I just keep thinking of all the fun things that I want to do with Lucy and you know what? Most of that is not inside the house.  There is only so much you can do in the house before you just want to bust out.

So, I decided to indulge my yearnings for spring, believe the groundhog, and wish for spring to be right around the corner.  Here are ten things that I can't wait to do this spring, in no particular order:

1) Plant flowers
The snow piled up so high on my mums that they died. :( So, I'm going to give winter a glare and a fist shake, tell him that he can't keep me down, and plant some more.  How do you like me now?  Side note: I thought long and hard, way harder than I should have, about if winter was a he or she just now. Mother nature? Jack Frost? Hmmmm....as you can see I settled on Jack. Anyway...

2) Hang up Lucy's Swing

She got a swing for her birthday (thanks Grandma!) and I can't wait to push her in it. She loves the one at daycare; so, I'm excited to spend evenings in the backyard pushing her.

3) Cook-Out

Heath and I enjoy cooking out, even sometimes the healthy stuff!  Yes - there is such thing, like grilled chicken. I'm sure Lucy will enjoy it too.

4) Open-Up the House

I know I just mentioned getting out of the house.  But, sometimes you just have chores to do! So, if I have to be in the house, at least I can open up the window, enjoy the fresh air, and watch the curtains blowing in the breeze.

5) Go for Walks/Runs

As I mentioned yesterday, I am starting to really enjoy running. I am looking forward to running outside several times a week and not depending on mother nature to set my warm or cold schedule.  Also, Lucy got a wagon for her birthday (thanks Abuelo!). We were able to take her out once this year already and she loved it. I can't wait to take her out again. I think we will be making lots of trips around town in it.

6) Spring Clean

I know what you are thinking, "Who wants to clean?" Alright, so it's less about the cleaning and more about the organizing. I thoroughly enjoy organizing things. I'm a freak. I envy those people on HGTV that come into people's homes and organize all of their stuff!  I do not envy, however, the organizers on Hoarders. Yuck.  I am looking forward to 'remodeling' our basement into a playroom, organizing everything, and putting it all back! Yay!  That includes cleaning out the closets and medicine cabinets. :)

7) Go Fly a Kite
No, not get out of town; but, actually fly a kite. Lucy got a kite for her birthday. I used to fly a kite every Easter with my family, when I was little. I am excited to do it again, and especially with Lucy. I imagine she'll be mesmerized.

8) Introduce Lucy to New Animals

Now that Lucy is older, she can appreciate things more. She will enjoy going to my mom's house to see the animals (cows, horses, chickens, cats). My grandparents even have a rabbit on their farm for her to meet. And, of course, she can see that not all dogs (or 'Chicos' as she calls them, because of our chihuahua named Chico) are chihuahuas and rat terriers. There are such things as big 'Chicos' too. Also, before it gets too hot, I want to take her to the zoo. She would just love that.

9) Get Jazzed up about Rain & Tornadoes
I, like many others, am petrified of the horrific capabilities of a tornado. I can't imagine the destruction. And, the only real tornado I've seen was like an EF1, or something pathetic.  So, I really am incapable of imagining it. However, I love a good storm. I've loved thunder, lightning, and rain for as long as I can remember. I think it's calming and I love sleeping while it rains. I also love the adrenaline rush of a good tornadic storm. And, you are right; "tornadic" doesn't sound like a word; but, it is one because the weather people drive me nuts with it! That and football announcers saying 'trickeration'. WTH?   

10) Easter!
This is kind of the kick-off to spring, in like a lion! It will be a lot of fun to dye eggs with Lucy and have her be able to somewhat collect them. Perhaps she will have more fun throwing plastic eggs and eating the real ones! Either way, anytime we get together with family is a good time!

By the way...at work today I saw a high schooler visiting, because of a special event. She must be yearning for spring as much as I!  She had shorts on today - not gym shorts like..."I just got done working out or I'm too cool to wear real pants because I'm so athletic."  They were like kahki Daisy Duke's!  Someone needs to calm down their excitment. It is still 32 degrees out and their is still snow on the ground, honey!

Anyway, happy 'winter to spring transition' everyone! What are you excited to do this spring?

I'm a Statistic!

To be honest, I don't mind it too much. I can handle being a statistic.  It happens to the best of us.

Well, I have been encouraged to do a post about this for about a month now and I just wasn't quite sure what I wanted to say yet, without having a complaint session.  So, here it goes....be forewarned.

What's the statistic you ask? According to BabyCenter.com, 85% of women are about 5 lbs or heavier on their baby's first birthday, than what they weighed before they got pregnant.

I can't be for certain that those are the exact stats without looking it up; but, I remember reading it aloud to Heath and saying, "That's me!"

Is it awful that I take comfort in this statistic? That it makes me feel less bad about still carrying around those 5 lbs?  In my case, it is really about 6.5 lbs...depending on if you go by the doctor's office scale or mine at home. I used to judge my weight on how my clothes fit and that was all. And, now-a-days, I am getting even better at that!  My body has changed and I am losing weight differently than I ever have.  Having Lucy was life changing in more ways than one...

As I have mentioned before, I gained a whopping 54. 6 pounds with Lucy!  I basically stopped all physical activity and ate whatever the heck I wanted, plus a sausage croissant more!  I paid for it too. I was the biggest I've ever been and the biggest I hope I'll ever be (fingers crossed!). I tried to stay active, somewhat, by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking far away, that kind of stuff; but, wow breathing is so much more difficult when you are pregnant!  I even tried to do some pregnancy yoga and got too light headed; so, I quit that too. :( I got to a point where the most activity I would have was walking from the bed to the bathroom a hundred times a night.

I didn't really have a plan after I had Lucy, on how to lose weight. I was too busy thinking about Lucy. I knew that I would somehow get back to 'normal' - ha.  I laugh at the word 'normal' because it is non-existent. This is the new normal!

I still ate pretty normal while I was breastfeeding. I didn't want to cut my calories too much.  Then, when I stopped breastfeeding, I went hardcore dieting. I went back on Weight Watchers, which I had some success in the past with. (In college, I gained like 15 pounds and somehow went on WW and lost 20, in 2 months!)

I then started to exercise. My sister-in-law told me about kickboxing classes held at our local wellness center. I said, "What the hey!?" And, started them.  It kicked my butt by the way...they still do, twice a week!

The pounds came off pretty quickly after that. I was motivated and somehow got down, a mere 11.5 pounds from my goal - in just 5 months!  My gallbladder surgery helped me lose another 5 lbs...which I know, I know, isn't the healthiest way to lose weight. But, I'll take it!

My old clothes fit. My jeans fit again. Diet motivation? See ya!

I got to where I was only working out, toning my now-somewhat-existent-muscles, and eating pure crap (pizza, bosco sticks, mac & cheese, chips). I was eating whatever I wanted, just in small to medium portions. What this did for me was, keep me in the same place on the scale. I was stuck. Scratch that...I am stuck.

I am hoping with some spring weather that I will start running outside more, which I really enjoy. Sometimes on the treadmill I can't escape my own mind. I start thinking about wanting to quit and how much it hurts, or how much farther I need to go. Outside, I am relieving stress and I can physically see my progress flying past me. :)

The bad part about spring? The weather is nice and I want to get out of the house more. Going out to eat is more appealing, as is cooking out (hotdogs, polish sausage, and potato chips!).

Anyway, enough with the excuses. Kickboxing is going to be offered this summer; so, I have no reason to become unmotivated. And, I just have to get back to my previous weight before Heath and I consider having more children.  What happens is moms don't lose the 5 lbs and then have another. Then, they have 10 lbs, and if they have another....well, you get the picture.

In the mean time, I want to stay positive - celebrate the good things!  Like: I have come a long way. Although I have been 'stuck' for months now, at least I'm not gaining!  And, I have been wanting to put together some 'Biggest Loser' type comparisons for a long time now. So, here they are...everyone loves a good comparison!

Far left: After my first weight loss, of 20 lbs.
Middle left: 14 weeks pregnant, and 1 lb down, due to morning sickness
Middle right: 11 weeks after having Lucy, in my friend wedding (I was so chubby for her wedding! I feel like I ruined all of her photos!)
Far right: This was last November, 6.5 lbs to go!

 

Left: The day before I found out I was pregnant

Middle: Again, at my friend's wedding, 11 weeks after having Lucy

Right: Again, me in November, 6.5 lbs to go

Looking at those pictures makes me realize how far I've come! I didn't realize I was so big at the time. I just knew I wanted to lose.  When Heath, Lucy, and I watched a video of the day she was born Heath said, "Lucy, look at how much weight mommy has lost!"

Thanks hun......thanks a lot.....haha.

More About Me

If you have pets, do you see them as merely animals or are they members of your family?Well, as my profile suggests, they are totally members of our family. The Chihuahuas are my fur-children. :) They were an even bigger part of our lives before we had Lucy. Santa would bring them gifts, as did the Easter Bunny, and so on. Santa still brings them gifts; but, Lucy is now the center of our universe. We try to make sure we give them special time and attention when Lucy is sleeping. They are still very special and close to my heart.

If you could have a dream come true, what would it be?My wish would be to see Lucy grow up, get married, and have a family of her own. Materialistically, I would love to be able to help design a home, to be custom built. :)

What would you do with a billion dollars?Design a home to be custom built, with all the trimmings!
Buy a huge Cadillac SUV
Buy a truck for Heath
Buy a snow blower
Go to Disney World annually
Go on a European Cruise
Go on a Disney Cruise
Adopt more Chihuahuas
Start my Masters and Doctorate right now
Visit my distant family annually
Go on a clothing shopping spree for the entire family
Pay off our family’s debt/share with our families
Invest/Save
Donate


What helps to pull you out of a bad mood?Lucy, Heath sometimes (if he didn’t put me in the bad mood, haha), good food, the movie theatre, buying a new movie, holidays, the weekend, shopping for pretty much anything, new clothes, a new purse, decorating, organizing, exercising, family, sleep

What is your bedtime routine, with your kids?It changes with teething. She gets her jammies on, she gets her binkie and her sippy cup of water, and we try to read to her on most nights. On others we snuggle until she is sleepy. I always pray and occasionally sing to Lucy.

If you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your significant other?We met in high school. :) It really isn’t that interesting. Haha.

What kind of books do you read?I like mysteries. I am super juvenile and have been reading Nancy Drew Mysteries since I got the entire set for Christmas in 2009. It is a quick and fun read. I have also been reading the Pretty Little Liars Series; I am in the beginning of the third book. Otherwise, I am lame and like reading biographies about celebrities. I finished ‘Miles to Go’ about Miley Cyrus and have read the beginning of Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett’s book, ‘Sliding into Home.’

How do you see yourself in 10 years?Oh boy! Well, I hope we are even more financially secure and perhaps I will be making more money ;). I hope we will be shopping around for or moved into a new home. I am still thinking 3 children. I want to have my Masters degree and hopefully either have or am working on a doctorate. Of course I am still happily married and our family is involved in the community.

Would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to see outer space?Umm….no. This isn’t really even something that I had to contemplate.

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?Hit snooze as many times as I can. Then when Heath pokes me and says, “You need to get into the shower.” I finally give in. I then gather my undergarments and a brush, then head for the shower.

If you could change one thing about your significant other, what would it be?That he listened more sometimes and that he had the same sleep schedule as me (stay up late and sleep in). :)

If you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?I wouldn’t. It is weird to think of a name that fits me. I like my name now too. I used to hate it because it was a boy’s name. But, now that I am older, I like the uniqueness (without the crazy spellings).

If you had to choose between six months of sun or six months of rain, what would you choose?I would probably choose sun; but, I sure do love rain! I just love thunderstorms!

If you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?Cheeseburger, fries with ranch, and bosco sticks. I have an addiction! Or, Kraft Mac and Cheese!

What is the thing you enjoy about blogging the most?The journaling – I think it will be so neat for Lucy to see these blogs when she grows up. It is sort of like writing a book about your life, with really short chapters. Plus I love getting followers, ‘Likes’, and comments about the blogs. It makes me feel like people care, which is really nice. :)

Do you prefer salty or sweet foods?
Salty – bring on the chips, crackers and cheese. When I was pregnant it was all sweets though (Oreos, Sour Patch Kids, and Laffy Taffy).

What items are in your purse right now?My wallet, a coupon book, Ibuprofen, Sucrets, a pen, gum, a compact, chap stick, my keys, my cell phone, my iPod Touch, a small brush, tampon case, lipstick, antibacterial, paint samples, lotion, perfume, Dramamine, and a list of daycare children for Lucy’s valentines

If you had to choose between vacationing at the beach or in the mountains where would you go?I have been to both and enjoyed the beach more, I think. I was horrible at skiing!

What do you watch on television that you know you shouldn’t?I don’t think I watch anything that I necessarily shouldn’t. It is more that I shouldn’t watch so much TV! Right now I watch: Pretty Little Liars, Greek, American Idol, American Pickers, Hellcats, Glee, Holly’s World, Saturday Night Live, Tosh.0, and Biggest Loser.

I also watch: Secret Life of the American Teenager, Kendra, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Melissa and Joey, Storm Chasers, the Buried Life, 16 & Pregnant, and Teen Mom.

After some reflection I’ve decided that I probably shouldn’t watch 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom. They are pretty horrible; they are my guilty pleasures. And, Tosh.0 is pretty offensive. Haha. Lucy is definitely banned from these shows!

Snow Day!

Today we have another snow day off of work! Heath and I are lucky enough to work at an educational institution that closes when the weather is bad. :) So, needless to say, I still get to have the thrill of a snow day! It is one of the best perks of my job!

The three of us, Heath, Lucy, and I, get to hang around the house in our pajamas all day. We eat ourselves into oblivion and catch up on DVR events. Occasionally, we even venture outside - like on our last snow day.

First, Lucy watched the snow fall all day. She loved watching the large, fluffy flakes.


Do you like her Minnie Mouse pjs?

Heath and Lucy rolled around on the floor playing for most of the day.

Since I wanted to get in a workout and didn't want to run on the treadmill, I volunteered to scoop the driveway. Yes, I know, we need a snow blower...

And yes, I know I had a very sexy outfit on. :)

After I scooped, we decided to go sledding! Well, we decided to pull Lucy around in her new sled she got from Christmas.

She really enjoyed being pulled around, but wasn't too impressed with the snow itself. She had no desire to touch it at all. Her arms, however, were a little stiff. Her jacket is so fluffy that she was a little bit like 'Randy' on 'A Christmas Story'.

We did circles until mommy got dizzy and then headed inside. It was a great, lazy day - just like today. But, today we have blizzard conditions with lots of blowing snow; so, I doubt we'll venture out. It doesn't stop Lucy from staring out the window though.

I love snow days!! :)

A “Wall” Ago

They say if you do something 12 times, then it becomes a habit.

First off, I think when I refer to ‘they’ I am really referring to my husband, Heath. When he relayed the message to me, I am not sure who the ‘they’ was. Who knows really? He is kind of sketchy on that type of stuff. For all we know, he could have heard something totally different. Sometimes his “telephoning” skills are mediocre, at best.

Anyway, let us pretend, for this posts’ sake, that this statement is true. Heck, we’ll even pretend that if you do something 60 times, it becomes a habit. That means that if you do something every day for three months, it becomes habitual. Hmmmm…….I really, really, want to believe this. But, sometimes I feel like there are certain things that you have done for SO long, it is hard to revert.

One time I did do this though! In 7th grade, I decided that I wanted to write the letter ‘a’ differently. I wanted to write it like you see here, with a little top curve – adorable! Plus, you know how you are always doodling at that age. - Mrs. Cori DiCaprio - Haha. I doodled so much, I changed. To this day, I write my a’s with a top curve.

And, I want to add, to my credit, I did teach myself to like diet pop, green olives, and mustard. Weird, I know; don’t ask.

Every since then, I have been completely unable to make changes. There are so many things I do not want to accidentally pass on to Lucy. Heath and I talk about all the things we want for her and things we don’t want for her.

“I don’t want to cuss in front of her.” – says the pregnant version of me.

“Thanks a lot for the blinker, asshole.” – says the road-raged version of me, with Lucy in the backseat.

“Aw, she’s too young still. I have at least 3 more months to stop cussing.” – says my inner voice.

The fact is: I did stop cussing once. I am not sure it lasted an entire three months (especially with how often I accidentally stub a toe or burn myself on the stove). Hey, don’t judge me. Mythbusters proved that people can withstand more pain when they cuss, rather than yelling random words. Alright, alright, judge away…...but, I swear I will not be that one parent, in the parking lot, shoving their 100 kids into a Geo, cussing about who dropped their ice cream.

“I want Lucy to eat healthy.” – says Heath to a pregnant me.

“Yeah, let’s never introduce her to hotdogs and she won’t know what she missing out on.” – I say, with a slight sarcastic chuckle.

“We will only get turkey-dogs though.” – says Heath.

“Whaaaaat?! She has to know what Fairbury, red hotdogs taste like! She has to be able to enjoy a good, sporting event hotdog! They’re the best!” – cries my inner voice.

Okay, so I guess I just proved that there are some things we may need to change, but are unwilling to. I avoided hotdogs during my pregnancy – 9 months! I made it, somehow, through football season too! But, I just ate one last week. Darn it. (See that, no cussing! :))

“I am going to do crunches every night before I go to bed. Help remind me.” – I say to Heath.

Two days later, “Hey! I haven’t done them the last two nights. I thought you were going to remind me!”

And sometimes we can’t even get to the 12 days on our own, nonetheless, three months! Do you like that though? How I convinced myself that it was, in fact, HEATH’s fault that I didn’t do the crunches?

Finally, that brings me to my childhood embarrassment caused by my parents. Here is an example: My dad, probably because of his parents (it’s a vicious cycle), says a phrase wrong. He says, “a wall ago” instead of “a while ago.” Ugghhhhh!!! I, for the life of me, cannot stop saying this either! “Oh, I just stopped by a wall ago and you weren’t there.” A WALL AGO? That doesn’t even make sense. The only thing I can think of is that my dad was in the south too much as a child. Their ‘while’ kind of sounds like ‘wall.’ He was too impressed upon at 12 years old I guess! He doesn’t speak with a southern accent though – weird.

Growing up, my keen ear picked up on said ‘wall’ and I’m now cursed with the idiotic phrase. I say it aloud and immediately say to myself… “WHILE.” This includes me tightening my brow line and clenching my teeth and right fist. Even when my dad is around and says it I ask, “when did that happen, dad?” His only reaction is, “Shut up.”

I wish that I could make those changes before Lucy is old enough to catch on. I also wish that I could make exercising and eating healthy a habit. I am just not convinced it can become one. I think it has to be a conscious decision you make every day. And as far as our turkey-dogs and weird, family quirks, I guess that will help build her personality. I just have to face it; she is going to gather lots of my traits while she grows up – good and bad.

Or wait, is it ‘wall she grows up?’ Just kidding, dad – I love you! Haha. I only make fun because you gave the habit, or misunderstanding rather, to me.

A Momma’s Body

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