I wish I was the one that had enough pull with a company to offer a freebie to everyone out there. It is not me but running and rambling does have that pull! Head on over to put your name in to win a free pair of shoes!
I already have a pair of the RunAmoc Lites with a 5mm trail sole and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them! I special ordered mine so they are black and pink. Who doesn't love pink on a shoe! If I win this contest I will get a suede pair with a street sole for more every day wear.
The leather that the shoes are made of is the softest leather I have ever had the opportunity to feel. Once it is on your feet you forget they are there because they are so soft.
Anyway, go to the site above and try to win your own pair!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Slacking
It seems I have totally given up on blogging that 30 days thing. I'm just going to move on at this point. I may revisit it when I am not so busy with the holidays and life in general.
Running update.
I have completed 5 5k races so far and I have an 8k race this weekend (that is 5 miles for those of you that would rather not do the math). The race this weekend is Cross Country Challenge and I can't wait! It looks like so much fun. I have a good friend from college coming into town to run this with me as well as a neighbor. I actually met the neighbor through the Daily Mile website. We got to meet at my last race...the Turkey Trot here in town.
As of right now my personal records for time are 12:41 on the mile and 39:42 on the 5k.
I have had to buy some minimal shoes for the winter. I love running barefoot but it seems that for this winter my lowest temp is around 40 degrees. I hope to be able to run in colder temps next winter. For shoes I have a pair of Soft Star Run Amoc Lites and a cheap pair of water shoes from Sports Authority. I am working on my shoe review for the Run Amocs now, I'm expecting to be done and have that up in the next couple of days.
Life Update
My mom and I are making fun fabric items and hitting the local craft fairs. We are also selling them online to anyone who is interested. If you are interested just send us a message as to what you want and then send us money to paypal using the e-mail address momnmefabrics@hotmail.com the prices are all listed on the facebook page. If business picks up enough then we may get a "real" website.
On the eating front....Greg and I hosted Thanksgiving this year. The day went as well as can be expected. We only had one major issue and it had nothing to do with the dinner.....our main sewer line backed up and the basement flooded. We were able to call in a plumber and have the line routed out. Turns out that one of the boys flushed a wash rag down the toilet and then the wash rag got stuck in the line because of all the tree roots growing through the pipes from our HUGE tree in the front yard.
The turkey turned out amazing and it was all because of a tip from a friend. We covered the surface of the turkey with bacon before we put it in the oven. As it cooks the bacon fat bastes the turkey so you don't have to. Oh yum it was great!
Here is my gratuitous food porn picture
Running update.
I have completed 5 5k races so far and I have an 8k race this weekend (that is 5 miles for those of you that would rather not do the math). The race this weekend is Cross Country Challenge and I can't wait! It looks like so much fun. I have a good friend from college coming into town to run this with me as well as a neighbor. I actually met the neighbor through the Daily Mile website. We got to meet at my last race...the Turkey Trot here in town.
As of right now my personal records for time are 12:41 on the mile and 39:42 on the 5k.
I have had to buy some minimal shoes for the winter. I love running barefoot but it seems that for this winter my lowest temp is around 40 degrees. I hope to be able to run in colder temps next winter. For shoes I have a pair of Soft Star Run Amoc Lites and a cheap pair of water shoes from Sports Authority. I am working on my shoe review for the Run Amocs now, I'm expecting to be done and have that up in the next couple of days.
Life Update
My mom and I are making fun fabric items and hitting the local craft fairs. We are also selling them online to anyone who is interested. If you are interested just send us a message as to what you want and then send us money to paypal using the e-mail address momnmefabrics@hotmail.com the prices are all listed on the facebook page. If business picks up enough then we may get a "real" website.
On the eating front....Greg and I hosted Thanksgiving this year. The day went as well as can be expected. We only had one major issue and it had nothing to do with the dinner.....our main sewer line backed up and the basement flooded. We were able to call in a plumber and have the line routed out. Turns out that one of the boys flushed a wash rag down the toilet and then the wash rag got stuck in the line because of all the tree roots growing through the pipes from our HUGE tree in the front yard.
The turkey turned out amazing and it was all because of a tip from a friend. We covered the surface of the turkey with bacon before we put it in the oven. As it cooks the bacon fat bastes the turkey so you don't have to. Oh yum it was great!
Here is my gratuitous food porn picture
Monday, November 29, 2010
100 Books
Have you read more than 6 of these books? The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books listed here.
• Bold those books you've read in their entirety.
• Italicize the ones you started but didn't finish or read only an excerpt.
Tag other book nerds. Tag me as well so I can see your responses! (Or not, after all reading is not a competition! I'm betting that we're all well over 6 books, and I am curious to see the common ground.)
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveler’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma -Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Inferno - Dante
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - E.B. White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Day 3
Day 3: Something you have to forgive yourself for.
I need to forgive myself for having the 2 c-sections. It eats at me every day. If I had just pushed for the vaginal birth a bit more it may have happened. I feel like a failure for falling into the traps of the medical profession. Logically in my head I know that I have 2 wonderful children and it doesn't matter how they came into the world but it is still something I think about every day. I feel weak for not standing my ground.
I need to forgive myself for having the 2 c-sections. It eats at me every day. If I had just pushed for the vaginal birth a bit more it may have happened. I feel like a failure for falling into the traps of the medical profession. Logically in my head I know that I have 2 wonderful children and it doesn't matter how they came into the world but it is still something I think about every day. I feel weak for not standing my ground.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Day 2
Day 2 - Something you love about yourself.
I love that I am doing with my life what I wanted to. To be a wife to a wonderful man and to have children and raise them to be amazing people. I also love that I am almost always able to find the "silver lining" in situations. I think my ability to do that has helped to keep the spirits up for myself and my family in darker times.
I love that I am doing with my life what I wanted to. To be a wife to a wonderful man and to have children and raise them to be amazing people. I also love that I am almost always able to find the "silver lining" in situations. I think my ability to do that has helped to keep the spirits up for myself and my family in darker times.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
30 Days of Truth
On my June 07 moms forum that I visit we are doing the 30 days of truth. I decided to also do it here. I am not sure of the origin of this but it looks like a great way to really dig deep and have a look at myself. These are the days...
Day 1: Something you hate about yourself.
Day 2: Something you love about yourself.
Day 3: Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 4: Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 5: Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 6: Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 7: Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 8: Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 9: Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10: Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11: Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12: Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13: A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14: A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15: Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16: Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17: A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18: Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19: What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20: Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21: (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22: Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23: Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24: Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25: The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26: Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27: What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28: What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29: Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30: A letter to yourself: tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself
__________________________
I will start today with Day 1...
Day 1: Something you hate about yourself.
I hate that I am a people pleaser. I tend to not do things for myself. If someone asks me to do something for them I almost always say yes because I don't want to hurt their feelings. It ends up making me feel overwhelmed. I almost feel like someone will end up hating me if I dare to say no to them, and I just want to be liked.
Day 1: Something you hate about yourself.
Day 2: Something you love about yourself.
Day 3: Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 4: Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 5: Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 6: Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 7: Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 8: Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 9: Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10: Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11: Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12: Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13: A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14: A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15: Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16: Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17: A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18: Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19: What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20: Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21: (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22: Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23: Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24: Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25: The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26: Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27: What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28: What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29: Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30: A letter to yourself: tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself
__________________________
I will start today with Day 1...
Day 1: Something you hate about yourself.
I hate that I am a people pleaser. I tend to not do things for myself. If someone asks me to do something for them I almost always say yes because I don't want to hurt their feelings. It ends up making me feel overwhelmed. I almost feel like someone will end up hating me if I dare to say no to them, and I just want to be liked.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Last Minute Race and sewing
I found out about 5k two days ago and it was a reasonable price so I signed Greg and myself up for it. Yesterday I was looking at the race info online and saw that it was a costume race. I stayed up late sewing myself a costume. I made Strawberry Shortcake. I had the red material but no pattern for the skirt. Google really is a wonderful thing. I found a free pattern online that only used 1.5 yards of fabric (I had 3). I was able to complete the skirt in about an hour.
DIY: Circle Skirts
It turned out great!
The only thing I didn't have time to make was the apron. I will work on that this week because I have another costume race Halloween weekend!
Race Report for the Batfest 5K in Batavia:
The day was a bit warmer than expected. When we stepped out of the house it was 58 degrees. This was a great temp for running barefoot.
Greg and I got there and were able to park nice and close to the starting line. We headed in to pick up our race bibs....we registered too late to get a t-shirt or a goody bag.
We only had to hang out for about 20 minutes before the race started. Once we lined up I took a picture of me and Greg
And everyone lined up in front of us (I am so slow we always line up in the back)
There were a little over 300 runners.
The race went well, I paced myself at the beginning and had lots of energy for a fast surge at the end.
I finished the race in 42:36 with a pace of 13:44 per mile.
Here is the course that the race was on...
Batfest 5K 2010 course
My actual mile times:
First Mile: 14:14
Second Mile: 14:24 (28:38)
Third Mile: This one the clock was off....it said it was 45 minutes.
This was my fastest time for a race....I was very proud of myself. Greg came in at 35 minutes and something...he didn't check his official results at the race and they have not been posted yet.
DIY: Circle Skirts
It turned out great!
Race Report for the Batfest 5K in Batavia:
The day was a bit warmer than expected. When we stepped out of the house it was 58 degrees. This was a great temp for running barefoot.
Greg and I got there and were able to park nice and close to the starting line. We headed in to pick up our race bibs....we registered too late to get a t-shirt or a goody bag.
We only had to hang out for about 20 minutes before the race started. Once we lined up I took a picture of me and Greg
The race went well, I paced myself at the beginning and had lots of energy for a fast surge at the end.
I finished the race in 42:36 with a pace of 13:44 per mile.
Here is the course that the race was on...
Batfest 5K 2010 course
My actual mile times:
First Mile: 14:14
Second Mile: 14:24 (28:38)
Third Mile: This one the clock was off....it said it was 45 minutes.
This was my fastest time for a race....I was very proud of myself. Greg came in at 35 minutes and something...he didn't check his official results at the race and they have not been posted yet.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Running Update
Long time no post.
I have had quite the running adventures since I last updated.
The first...I completed the c25k program!
Second and much more important running update....I am now a barefoot runner!
Third, I just went on my longest run ever today. I ran 4.6 miles...my feet carried me 4.9 miles including my warm up.
Fourth, I have already run 2 separate 5k races and I have 2 more 5k races scheduled this year. I'm really looking forward to the Halloween one (I'm running in a costume!)
Fifth, I am helping set up a 5k/10k/kids run race scheduled for the spring....for Hugh's school. It is not a fund raiser for the school...it is a philanthropy project for the kids. We are picking a charity and donating all proceeds.
My running goals include some short term and some long term...
Short term:
~hit 5 miles in one run
~hit 10 miles in one run
~get up to 5 days a week running (I'm still at 3)
~continue building base miles so I'm running about 30 miles per week
Long term:
~keep running for enjoyment as long as I can (can you say old and grey)
~run several ultra marathons (50 or 100 mile races)
~keep running barefoot
I have had quite the running adventures since I last updated.
The first...I completed the c25k program!
Second and much more important running update....I am now a barefoot runner!
Third, I just went on my longest run ever today. I ran 4.6 miles...my feet carried me 4.9 miles including my warm up.
Fourth, I have already run 2 separate 5k races and I have 2 more 5k races scheduled this year. I'm really looking forward to the Halloween one (I'm running in a costume!)
Fifth, I am helping set up a 5k/10k/kids run race scheduled for the spring....for Hugh's school. It is not a fund raiser for the school...it is a philanthropy project for the kids. We are picking a charity and donating all proceeds.
My running goals include some short term and some long term...
Short term:
~hit 5 miles in one run
~hit 10 miles in one run
~get up to 5 days a week running (I'm still at 3)
~continue building base miles so I'm running about 30 miles per week
Long term:
~keep running for enjoyment as long as I can (can you say old and grey)
~run several ultra marathons (50 or 100 mile races)
~keep running barefoot
Sunday, August 22, 2010
c25k w7 DONE!
I have completed week 7 in my c25k program! I can, at this point, run for 25 minutes strait. I can only go 1.76 miles in said 25 minutes but I can do it! Besides, speed should come with time, or so "they" say. I still shake my head with amazed wonder when I get home that I was able to run for 25 minutes.
Next week, I get to tackle week 8. It is 28 minutes of running.
On the weight loss front....I weighed myself this morning. Still no real weight loss. I am 200.8 lbs. I was 201.8 lbs when I started this running journey. I keep at it though....it will catch up with me one day.
Next week, I get to tackle week 8. It is 28 minutes of running.
On the weight loss front....I weighed myself this morning. Still no real weight loss. I am 200.8 lbs. I was 201.8 lbs when I started this running journey. I keep at it though....it will catch up with me one day.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
c25k update
Today for my c25k I had a 5 min walk and a 20 min run and another 5 min walk to cool down. Well, I was able to run the entire 20 min. After I got home I mapped out my route to see how far I had gone www.runningmap.com
I ran 1.44 miles! For the first time in my entire life! I always walked in school when we were supposed to do those fitness challenges. I have NEVER run a mile before! NEVER! In my 31 years of life.
Today was the first time ever and I almost made it to 1.5 miles!
Now in the next 4 weeks I have to get that up to 3.1 miles (5k) and I will be ready for my race on Sept. 19th!
My goal for that is to finish it. I can work on time later.
When I started the c25k program I ran at a 17 min per mile pace (I can walk faster than I can run) Today, my pace was 13 min 53 sec. per mile! That is like awesome!
Okay, I'm done patting myself on the back. Now I wish I could give myself a back rub.
I ran 1.44 miles! For the first time in my entire life! I always walked in school when we were supposed to do those fitness challenges. I have NEVER run a mile before! NEVER! In my 31 years of life.
Today was the first time ever and I almost made it to 1.5 miles!
Now in the next 4 weeks I have to get that up to 3.1 miles (5k) and I will be ready for my race on Sept. 19th!
My goal for that is to finish it. I can work on time later.
When I started the c25k program I ran at a 17 min per mile pace (I can walk faster than I can run) Today, my pace was 13 min 53 sec. per mile! That is like awesome!
Okay, I'm done patting myself on the back. Now I wish I could give myself a back rub.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Weight loss update
I still have not lost any weight. In fact I think I have gained about a pound. I have decided to cut my extra nursing points down to see if that will help me out. If my milk supply suffers at all I will be adding them right back. Losing weight is important to me but nursing Owen is even more so. So, for now my points are going from 37 per day down to 30.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
School Calender
The school calender came today for Hugh's school in the fall! I'm so excited for him to start I will be sitting at home crying my eyes out, where did the last 3 years go! We have parent night on August 25th and the first day of school is the 30th 31st. School starts on that Monday but we have Hugh enrolled for Tues. Wed. Thurs. mornings. I never thought when I first became a parent that I would ever enroll my child in a private school...yet here we are
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
When one door closes...
...it opens, and closes, and opens, and closes, and opens....you catch my drift. Put a one-year old in control of the door and you have something to tame the wild. If only for 15 minutes at a time (yes, Owen opened and closed the door to his room for 15 minutes).
A Love Affair
I Love, Love going on my runs! I don't know why it has taken me so long to start being active. I hate having the rest day between the run days. On the days that I run I feel amazing! I told Greg that once I do this 5k I'm going to spend the winter training for a 10k for the spring....by next fall I will do a half marathon. I really really love it!
I have even had dreams about running.
I have even had dreams about running.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
How to not lose weight....
Work your butt of exercising for the past month...just check out last week
And work on a weight watchers point plan.
I am totally faithfulexcept for three days during my period to my eating plan of 37 points per day (I get 12 extra points per day because I'm still nursing Owen).
I just don't get it. I weigh the same as I did mid June.
I had a friend suggest cutting some of my points from the extra 12. I guess I could give it a week and make sure my milk supply doesn't plummet. Other than that I don't know why I'm not losing any weight. Maybe I should measure myself to see what those numbers are doing.
On the exercising front...I went for a great bike ride with Greg and the boys this morning. We rode down to the bike path that runs along the river. On the way back we stopped at our cities splash pad and let the boys have fun! On the ride home after that Owen passed out and napped 2.5 hours!
Off to measure myself!
And work on a weight watchers point plan.
I am totally faithful
I just don't get it. I weigh the same as I did mid June.
I had a friend suggest cutting some of my points from the extra 12. I guess I could give it a week and make sure my milk supply doesn't plummet. Other than that I don't know why I'm not losing any weight. Maybe I should measure myself to see what those numbers are doing.
On the exercising front...I went for a great bike ride with Greg and the boys this morning. We rode down to the bike path that runs along the river. On the way back we stopped at our cities splash pad and let the boys have fun! On the ride home after that Owen passed out and napped 2.5 hours!
Off to measure myself!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
c25k update
I'm doing great with this! I only have one more day to do to be done with week 3. This week has consisted of a five min warm-up walk, then run for 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds....then run for 3 min, walk 3 min....run 90, walk 90.....run 3, walk 3....then a five min cool down.
I found this site Running Map and love it. I can come home and see what my distance was. This morning I did 1.76 miles. Not great...but not bad.
Oh, and I seem to have sucked Greg into this. He is making a point to go into work late on Tuesdays and Thursdays so we can do this together. He plans on running a couple of 5Ks with me!
I plan on signing up for my 5Ks on Monday (payday).
Histio Heroes and Care 4 Breast Cancer 5K
I found this site Running Map and love it. I can come home and see what my distance was. This morning I did 1.76 miles. Not great...but not bad.
Oh, and I seem to have sucked Greg into this. He is making a point to go into work late on Tuesdays and Thursdays so we can do this together. He plans on running a couple of 5Ks with me!
I plan on signing up for my 5Ks on Monday (payday).
Histio Heroes and Care 4 Breast Cancer 5K
I find it sad
That I am so boring that I have no followers. Well, I have not really made it a point to share this so I guess it is my fault.
On to happier topics...Tacos for dinner tonight!
On to happier topics...Tacos for dinner tonight!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Playroom progress -- Color my world!
I am slowly getting this done. Greg hates painting something fierce so I am making it a point to not ask him for help. He did get input on the colors though. The back entryway and the stair case going down is painted a soft butter yellow. I also painted all the trim a beautiful bright white. I still need to prime and paint the back door...I'm just going with white on that one as well. For the basement we picked a bright orange with a deep orange/red as an accent.
The room is big so I'm painting one wall from primer to completion before moving on to another wall. I have my first wall about 1/3 of the way primed. I will try to take some pictures tonight!
The room is big so I'm painting one wall from primer to completion before moving on to another wall. I have my first wall about 1/3 of the way primed. I will try to take some pictures tonight!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
11,407
End of week 2!
I am finishing up week 2 of my c25k tomorrow morning! Woo Hoo! I am a couple of days behind where I should be because a NASTY stomach bug made it's way through our house. I had it the worst and was down for almost 2 days, I ended up losing 4 lbs. from all the vomit. Hugh threw up once in his bed at 5 in the morning and that was it from him. Owen got a bit cranky and Greg had an upset tummy.
Back on track here. I did do my before pictures right after my second day of going out. It was a steady rain so I'm pretty wet in the pics. Oh, and my chest made for some great sheltered dry areas on my shirt.
Back on track here. I did do my before pictures right after my second day of going out. It was a steady rain so I'm pretty wet in the pics. Oh, and my chest made for some great sheltered dry areas on my shirt.
This is me in all of my 197 lb. glory. It will change. I am making the steps needed to change. I will be alive and healthy for my children and grandchildren. I will be a great example to them as well. I am down 53 lbs from my highest pregnant weight, but I still want to get down to about 135. Well, that is my ultimate goal. smaller goals help to motivate me more so for now I'm aiming for 175.
Now I'm off to research and sign up for a couple of 5k's.
Oh, and on another note, I found a better podcast for my training. I was using one with a bad techno beat and that just doesn't move me. A friend led me to this site, Running Into Shape and she has much better podcasts with better music!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Owen update
Some of this may be a repeat of info from my first post but here is a recap of everything that has happened.
Owen had a big brother induced accident last Tuesday night. Hugh pushed him into the wall and he knocked out his tooth. We went to urgent care (they couldn't do anything for Owen....we should have gone to the ER, but that is another story). They told us to go to the dentist the next morning. I called our family dentist as soon as they opened on Wednesday morning. We made a trip out and they took a peak (as much of a peak as a one-year old will let you) and told us "yep, he knocked out his tooth....let us know if anything changes as it heals".
Come Friday and I was checking out Owen's mouth...it was healing nicely and the swelling was going down but...I could see something where his tooth should be...maybe the root? Maybe the tooth got snapped off and not knocked out. So, I called the dentist back. They were closing in just a few minutes at this point so they made an appointment for us the next morning. Along comes Saturday morning, and back at the dentist for Owen. After another quick peak he told us that yep he could see something still there too. We needed to call a pediatric dentist or an oral surgeon (now, why didn't they just refer us to one the first time we called...they knew how old Owen was and that if something was wrong they would not be able to help us out because they don't have the knowledge or the facilities to deal with really small children) Oh, I know why...they wanted as much money from the insurance company as they could get....I wonder what our bill is going to look like.
Anyway, I called the pediatric dentist this morning as soon as they opened and they got us in at 10. They were great with us and with Owen. The dentist did a quick exam first and said that if he couldn't tell 100% what was going on by just looking then he would do an x-ray. He couldn't tell what had happened so he did an x-ray...poor Owen, since he is so little they had to strap him down to a board and Greg had to hold his head in place while the dentist held the little x-ray thing in his mouth.
After reviewing the x-ray the dentist called us back and showed us the films...Owen's tooth was still there! It had not gotten knocked out or broken off...It had gotten rammed back up into his gums *cringe*.The dentist was fantastic and told us what may happen to the tooth from here on out. It may come back down with no problems at all (not likely, but a possibility). It may come back down and need a root canal or it may come back down and be dead and black and need to be pulled. There is about a 50/50 chance of the last two options. The good news is that the tooth was not fractured at all. It did get pretty twisted in it's socket when it was pushed back up so who knows what it will look like when it comes back down.
So that is where we are at now with the tooth drama. The dentist thinks that it may take about 6 months for that tooth to come back down. So, for now we wait and have a few follow up x-rays to check on Owen's progress.
Here is what 6 days of healing has done for him.
Owen had a big brother induced accident last Tuesday night. Hugh pushed him into the wall and he knocked out his tooth. We went to urgent care (they couldn't do anything for Owen....we should have gone to the ER, but that is another story). They told us to go to the dentist the next morning. I called our family dentist as soon as they opened on Wednesday morning. We made a trip out and they took a peak (as much of a peak as a one-year old will let you) and told us "yep, he knocked out his tooth....let us know if anything changes as it heals".
Come Friday and I was checking out Owen's mouth...it was healing nicely and the swelling was going down but...I could see something where his tooth should be...maybe the root? Maybe the tooth got snapped off and not knocked out. So, I called the dentist back. They were closing in just a few minutes at this point so they made an appointment for us the next morning. Along comes Saturday morning, and back at the dentist for Owen. After another quick peak he told us that yep he could see something still there too. We needed to call a pediatric dentist or an oral surgeon (now, why didn't they just refer us to one the first time we called...they knew how old Owen was and that if something was wrong they would not be able to help us out because they don't have the knowledge or the facilities to deal with really small children) Oh, I know why...they wanted as much money from the insurance company as they could get....I wonder what our bill is going to look like.
Anyway, I called the pediatric dentist this morning as soon as they opened and they got us in at 10. They were great with us and with Owen. The dentist did a quick exam first and said that if he couldn't tell 100% what was going on by just looking then he would do an x-ray. He couldn't tell what had happened so he did an x-ray...poor Owen, since he is so little they had to strap him down to a board and Greg had to hold his head in place while the dentist held the little x-ray thing in his mouth.
After reviewing the x-ray the dentist called us back and showed us the films...Owen's tooth was still there! It had not gotten knocked out or broken off...It had gotten rammed back up into his gums *cringe*.The dentist was fantastic and told us what may happen to the tooth from here on out. It may come back down with no problems at all (not likely, but a possibility). It may come back down and need a root canal or it may come back down and be dead and black and need to be pulled. There is about a 50/50 chance of the last two options. The good news is that the tooth was not fractured at all. It did get pretty twisted in it's socket when it was pushed back up so who knows what it will look like when it comes back down.
So that is where we are at now with the tooth drama. The dentist thinks that it may take about 6 months for that tooth to come back down. So, for now we wait and have a few follow up x-rays to check on Owen's progress.
Here is what 6 days of healing has done for him.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Assident
I think in this case a picture speaks a thousand words..
On July 6th, Hugh pushed him and he rammed into the wall face first...he swallowed the tooth so they can't save it....I took him to the dentist the morning of the 7th to have them decide what to do. We took him to urgent care the night it happened.
Hugh started crying too...we put him in time out for the pushing and he had to stay there until we figured out what had happened. There was blood everywhere. Once we had everything under control we explained to Hugh that he cannot push and that this time Owen got hurt and lost his tooth.
Hugh is all sad and keeps looking in/under things for the "lost" tooth.
He keeps saying he is sorry and that it was an 'assident'.
The dentist was great with Owen...he poked around a bit. At first he thought the tooth had snapped and that the roots were still up there but after the poking he said it was all out. Owen was too little for x-rays with out sedating him. So, we are supposed to watch him for a bit. Tylenol for pain and wait 6 years for his permanent tooth to come in.
His gums are bruised pretty bad from the trauma. They are black. I found the spot in the bathroom where he hit his mouth...a nice sharp corner on the baseboard with some blood on it.
I am giving him tylenol every six hours to keep the pain away. He also is getting all four molars right now so I'm also giving him teething tablets.
The only thing he seems to have a problem with is sippy cups. He has to suck too hard to get anything out. He is still nursing well though, so for that I'm thankful.
Hugh started crying too...we put him in time out for the pushing and he had to stay there until we figured out what had happened. There was blood everywhere. Once we had everything under control we explained to Hugh that he cannot push and that this time Owen got hurt and lost his tooth.
Hugh is all sad and keeps looking in/under things for the "lost" tooth.
He keeps saying he is sorry and that it was an 'assident'.
The dentist was great with Owen...he poked around a bit. At first he thought the tooth had snapped and that the roots were still up there but after the poking he said it was all out. Owen was too little for x-rays with out sedating him. So, we are supposed to watch him for a bit. Tylenol for pain and wait 6 years for his permanent tooth to come in.
His gums are bruised pretty bad from the trauma. They are black. I found the spot in the bathroom where he hit his mouth...a nice sharp corner on the baseboard with some blood on it.
I am giving him tylenol every six hours to keep the pain away. He also is getting all four molars right now so I'm also giving him teething tablets.
The only thing he seems to have a problem with is sippy cups. He has to suck too hard to get anything out. He is still nursing well though, so for that I'm thankful.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Day 1
I started my couch to 5k (c25k) training this morning!
If you will remember losing weight and running a 5k were both on my New Year's Resolution list. First, I had to wait to be physically "well" enough to do the training and then I had the obstical of Hugh and Owen. Greg's work schedule is not predictable enough for me to set up any kind of training schedule. I'm one of those people who thrive on routine. So, to keep my motivation I knew I needed a routine. So, my chance came when my mom lost her job. She was one of about 1200 that lost their jobs with our local school district.
Well, she is coming over 3 mornings a week for me to get out there and do my c25k training. It is 8 weeks long...3 days per week. My mom arrives at 7:00am just when Greg is leaving for work. I made a point to lay out my clothes last night, so it was easy to just get up and throw them on. Then, I did normal morning stuff. Last, I woke Owen up and sat down and nursed him. My mom arrived somewhere during the normal morning stuff (next time I need to wake up about 10 min earlyer than I did today to have it all done for when she gets here), and she kept Hugh occupied while I nursed Owen.
After that I hit the road so to speak with my mp3 player attached to my bra (can you think of a better place?) The first week you have a 5 min warm up then you do 8 intervals of 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking followed by another 5 min cool down. I was able to do it ALL except for the last 10 seconds of the last running interval.
I was huffing and puffing and red in the face. My legs are like jelly (still) and I was sweating like a man being asked to wear a dress...But I DID IT!
So, Day 1 Down....2 more days this week...I can do it!
...............Oh, and I forgot to take before pictures...I will do that next time.
If you will remember losing weight and running a 5k were both on my New Year's Resolution list. First, I had to wait to be physically "well" enough to do the training and then I had the obstical of Hugh and Owen. Greg's work schedule is not predictable enough for me to set up any kind of training schedule. I'm one of those people who thrive on routine. So, to keep my motivation I knew I needed a routine. So, my chance came when my mom lost her job. She was one of about 1200 that lost their jobs with our local school district.
Well, she is coming over 3 mornings a week for me to get out there and do my c25k training. It is 8 weeks long...3 days per week. My mom arrives at 7:00am just when Greg is leaving for work. I made a point to lay out my clothes last night, so it was easy to just get up and throw them on. Then, I did normal morning stuff. Last, I woke Owen up and sat down and nursed him. My mom arrived somewhere during the normal morning stuff (next time I need to wake up about 10 min earlyer than I did today to have it all done for when she gets here), and she kept Hugh occupied while I nursed Owen.
After that I hit the road so to speak with my mp3 player attached to my bra (can you think of a better place?) The first week you have a 5 min warm up then you do 8 intervals of 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking followed by another 5 min cool down. I was able to do it ALL except for the last 10 seconds of the last running interval.
I was huffing and puffing and red in the face. My legs are like jelly (still) and I was sweating like a man being asked to wear a dress...But I DID IT!
So, Day 1 Down....2 more days this week...I can do it!
...............Oh, and I forgot to take before pictures...I will do that next time.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
How I spent yesterday
Happy Birthday Greg! Hugh and I had lots of fun
Friday, July 2, 2010
Seems I will never win
Last night Owen slept through the night but somehow Hugh ended up in our bed at 2 in the morning. I really am not sure how that happened. He ALWAYS sleeps in his own bed. Anyway, if you have ever tried to sleep in bed with a small child you will know that you can't sleep.
Our bed is perfect for the two of us. It is a queen sized bed...add a child in the mix and there is no room for anyone. Plus, Hugh sleeps all crazy. His head and upper torso was on me and poor Greg had to deal with his legs and feet kicking him all night.
If Hugh tries to get in bed with us again I will be taking him back to his bed. I will not let that become a habit. I can't let it become a habit, I need what little sleep I can get and with him in bed too it is not much.
Our bed is perfect for the two of us. It is a queen sized bed...add a child in the mix and there is no room for anyone. Plus, Hugh sleeps all crazy. His head and upper torso was on me and poor Greg had to deal with his legs and feet kicking him all night.
If Hugh tries to get in bed with us again I will be taking him back to his bed. I will not let that become a habit. I can't let it become a habit, I need what little sleep I can get and with him in bed too it is not much.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Big Girl Drinks!
This mommy got to go out for big girl drinks this evening! Nana took the boys and Greg and I had a 'date' at a bar! We had pizza and shots and drinks! I think it has been more than 4 years since I have been able to drink that much! It has been at least a few months since anything more than a sip of alcoholic has passed my lips.
I really needed that time, out and away from the boys and doing something for me.
I love the boys to pieces but I need to unwind some how!
I really needed that time, out and away from the boys and doing something for me.
I love the boys to pieces but I need to unwind some how!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Color update
The orange color is a go....he hates the purple. Now what can I do for an accent color?
Deep red?
Deep red?
Playroom Colors
I started thinking a light blue but I could not talk Greg into it. The problem with it is that whatever we paint the basement we also have to paint the back entrance. And the back entrance butts up to the kitchen. Our kitchen is a bright orange...
Well, the boys and I had a field trip to Menards today to pick out paint chips. Here is what I like...I have no idea if I will be able to talk Greg into these colors or not.
So, the main color will be the light orange (it looks more like the kitchen color above but lighter) The couch is the green and then the purple for accent. I think the paint chips didn't really scan well...the colors look really 'off'
Well, the boys and I had a field trip to Menards today to pick out paint chips. Here is what I like...I have no idea if I will be able to talk Greg into these colors or not.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Sleep, elusive, sleep.
Why, is teaching a child how to sleep sooooooo hard?
I have always said that I would never let my children cry it out (cio), that all it teaches them is that you are not there for them when they are having a problem. Well, when we (mostly me since I have the boobs) go to Owen's room every time he cries it can really get out of hand. We have had some nights where he is up every hour, screaming. Well, that really makes for a bad night and a grumpy mommy.
On the other hand, we have tried cio too and Owen always wins. The longest I can stand listening to it is an hour before I go in and give lots of cuddles. The thing that gets me is that he slept through the night for almost all of his first year. I even have it marked on the calender when this crazy sleeping stuff started...Sunday May 2nd. The previous 5 days he had a high fever ranging from 103 to 104.3. We were in constant contact with his doctor but we were never able to find a reason for the fever. Once the fever broke, he stopped sleeping. The only thing the doctor has not done at this point is blood work. Which I may even ask him to do just to find a reason for this.
This post was prompted by my efforts to get Owen to go to sleep last night. Our bedtime routine started at 7:45pm as it always does. Bath with Hugh, pj's and getting his teeth brushed, turning lights out with Daddy, saying good night to Daddy, and finally nursing with me in a big cozy and overstuffed glider in a dark room. I then transfer Owen to his crib while he is warm, full, drowsy, and content. I walk out of the room, close the door, and all seems well for about 30 seconds...
...and then the screaming starts.
If anyone has a magical answer please let me know. I really need my sleep.
I have always said that I would never let my children cry it out (cio), that all it teaches them is that you are not there for them when they are having a problem. Well, when we (mostly me since I have the boobs) go to Owen's room every time he cries it can really get out of hand. We have had some nights where he is up every hour, screaming. Well, that really makes for a bad night and a grumpy mommy.
On the other hand, we have tried cio too and Owen always wins. The longest I can stand listening to it is an hour before I go in and give lots of cuddles. The thing that gets me is that he slept through the night for almost all of his first year. I even have it marked on the calender when this crazy sleeping stuff started...Sunday May 2nd. The previous 5 days he had a high fever ranging from 103 to 104.3. We were in constant contact with his doctor but we were never able to find a reason for the fever. Once the fever broke, he stopped sleeping. The only thing the doctor has not done at this point is blood work. Which I may even ask him to do just to find a reason for this.
This post was prompted by my efforts to get Owen to go to sleep last night. Our bedtime routine started at 7:45pm as it always does. Bath with Hugh, pj's and getting his teeth brushed, turning lights out with Daddy, saying good night to Daddy, and finally nursing with me in a big cozy and overstuffed glider in a dark room. I then transfer Owen to his crib while he is warm, full, drowsy, and content. I walk out of the room, close the door, and all seems well for about 30 seconds...
...and then the screaming starts.
If anyone has a magical answer please let me know. I really need my sleep.
Monday, June 28, 2010
The creation of a playroom
Those of you that know me, know that I love to paint. If it stands still long enough in our house I will paint it...repeatedly. Our living room has been painted twice, Hugh's room is at twice, Owen's room is at three times, and the bathroom is at twice. All the rest of of the rooms have been painted once. I love color and I'm not afraid to use it.
I have a painting bug again...I feel this deep rooted pulling or URGE to paint again. Well, Greg has always told me that if I feel the need to paint again, I need to do the basement/family room. When we moved in it was just the two of us so we used the room as a party room/TV/movie room. It has a bar and everything. To effectively act as a TV/movie room we painted it rather dark to give it a theater quality.
Exhibits
Lives change and with it how we need our house to function for us. We NEED a playroom for the boys, and a sewing area that will stay down there. We are slowly drowning in toys in the rest of our house. It is not really because of the amount of toys (we do a regular rotation and purge) it is more because we are outgrowing our house but are stuck in it (that is an entirely different post).
I would really like to rip out the carpet too and put in a pergo floor but that is a bit out of our budget right now....so, it looks like we will attempt to shampoo the stains out of the carpet...again (can you just sense the sigh).
Okay, first step is picking a color that I love and that I can talk Greg into. He always ends up loving whatever I pick out (once it is on the wall), but it is hard to get him to agree to it. I have a friend that did a great light blue in her basement and it looks great, so that is an option. The couch (that has to stay down there) is an olive/army green so I have to figure that in as well.
I think I also want to get chalk board paint and have an area where they can draw on the wall. Oooo, I would love to get a train table too! So much to plan for..so many choices! I can't wait.
I have a painting bug again...I feel this deep rooted pulling or URGE to paint again. Well, Greg has always told me that if I feel the need to paint again, I need to do the basement/family room. When we moved in it was just the two of us so we used the room as a party room/TV/movie room. It has a bar and everything. To effectively act as a TV/movie room we painted it rather dark to give it a theater quality.
Exhibits
Lives change and with it how we need our house to function for us. We NEED a playroom for the boys, and a sewing area that will stay down there. We are slowly drowning in toys in the rest of our house. It is not really because of the amount of toys (we do a regular rotation and purge) it is more because we are outgrowing our house but are stuck in it (that is an entirely different post).
I would really like to rip out the carpet too and put in a pergo floor but that is a bit out of our budget right now....so, it looks like we will attempt to shampoo the stains out of the carpet...again (can you just sense the sigh).
Okay, first step is picking a color that I love and that I can talk Greg into. He always ends up loving whatever I pick out (once it is on the wall), but it is hard to get him to agree to it. I have a friend that did a great light blue in her basement and it looks great, so that is an option. The couch (that has to stay down there) is an olive/army green so I have to figure that in as well.
I think I also want to get chalk board paint and have an area where they can draw on the wall. Oooo, I would love to get a train table too! So much to plan for..so many choices! I can't wait.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Days Gone By...
I have not written a blog in years! I would every so often log in and look at it and think about writing but then life would get in the way. So, no excuses...I'm starting up again.
Since I was last here I have had two boys. Hugh was born 5/22/07 and Owen came along two years and two weeks later on 6/9/09. We just had birthday parties for both boys...robot and frog theme respectively. I outdid myself on their cakes, but I have done that every year so far.
Greg got a government job as a criminal investigator and after 2.5 years he is finally making enough money so that we are not in the red every month. We decided while I was pregnant with Hugh that I was going to stay home with our children even if it was hard on us financially. Boy oh boy has it been hard. There have been days when we wanted to either cry or strangle each other (or both). It is looking up enough that we are looking into private preschool for Hugh a few mornings a week (Montessori for inquiring parties)....well, I think I make it sound too good by saying that. In reality our car will be paid off next month and we are using that car payment as tuition each month.
In current events both boys have the chicken pox. I did get Hugh round one of the chicken pox vaccine when he turned a year old, then I researched it a lot and decided not to get it at all for Owen. Well, my friend's little boy came down with the chicken pox so we had a "pox party"...I took my boys over and they shared suckers with the pox infected little dude. The whole party thing was intended for Owen but Hugh ended up getting them too. So much for that vaccine working. After this they will both be immune for the rest of their lives.
The past year has not been a great one for me health wise. About 2 days after I had Owen (c-section) my butt and leg started to hurt. It hurt enough my doc had me come in for an ultra sound of the leg to make sure I didn't have a blood clot from surgery. All clear on that front. It came and went for about 4 weeks then I felt sort of okay. At my 8 week check up with my OB I got the all clear to start working out. I went that day and signed up for Curves. I worked out 3 days a week for 1 month. About 3 weeks in my butt and leg start hurting again. Hurting enough that I could not sit or walk or sleep. Standing was about the only thing that was painless. Talk about making breastfeeding hard! Once it got so bad that I was not sleeping anymore (I had to just stand next to the bed to not hurt) I made an appointment with the doctor.
My New Year's resolution was to fix all that ailed me.
I saw my regular doctor and he put me in physical therapy. I attempted that for about 2 months before I moved onto a chiropractor. Neither one helped me at all so I broke down and went to an orthopedic surgeon. Had an MRI...turns out I have two herniated disks in my lower spine. I then went on to have 2 epidural steroid injections (oral drugs could not be taken because I refused to stop breastfeeding). After the second one I had enough relief that I could function....the pain and other issues were by no means gone.
At this point I made an appointment to see my doctor about this funny bulge in my tummy. Turns out they think it is a hernia...surgery required. I planned surgery for about a month away so I could pump enough milk to get Owen through. I had surgery on March 9th (OMG, can you believe all this has happened and it is only March) and it was so painful that they ended up admitting me to the hospital overnight so I could stay hooked up to the morphine drip. Also, when they got in there they found quite a bit more than they expected. They did not find just one hernia...they found so many hernias that the surgeon stopped counting. In his words..."your muscles looked like swiss cheese". They lined my muscles with a mesh to put everything back where it belongs and to keep it there. I know have mesh from my rib cage down to my groin.
Breastfeeding was challenging but I still managed to keep going strong. I found a position where I would lie on my back and Owen would sit up next to me and lean over. I also could not lift either of the boys for two weeks so I had to have a schedule of friends and family that would be here to help out for while Greg was at work.
It took me a good three months to not feel any pain from the surgery. But on the positive side of things....now that I am able to strengthen my core muscles; my back is improving. I really only feel it if I sit in a chair that is too soft or when I lie down.
July is almost upon us and for me that means beginning my training for the c25k. I'm waiting until then because Nana (my mom) will not be working as of July 1st and she will come over in the mornings to watch the boys while I go out on my run.
Well, for now that is a general catch up. I'm sure I will think of more as time goes on.
Since I was last here I have had two boys. Hugh was born 5/22/07 and Owen came along two years and two weeks later on 6/9/09. We just had birthday parties for both boys...robot and frog theme respectively. I outdid myself on their cakes, but I have done that every year so far.
Greg got a government job as a criminal investigator and after 2.5 years he is finally making enough money so that we are not in the red every month. We decided while I was pregnant with Hugh that I was going to stay home with our children even if it was hard on us financially. Boy oh boy has it been hard. There have been days when we wanted to either cry or strangle each other (or both). It is looking up enough that we are looking into private preschool for Hugh a few mornings a week (Montessori for inquiring parties)....well, I think I make it sound too good by saying that. In reality our car will be paid off next month and we are using that car payment as tuition each month.
In current events both boys have the chicken pox. I did get Hugh round one of the chicken pox vaccine when he turned a year old, then I researched it a lot and decided not to get it at all for Owen. Well, my friend's little boy came down with the chicken pox so we had a "pox party"...I took my boys over and they shared suckers with the pox infected little dude. The whole party thing was intended for Owen but Hugh ended up getting them too. So much for that vaccine working. After this they will both be immune for the rest of their lives.
The past year has not been a great one for me health wise. About 2 days after I had Owen (c-section) my butt and leg started to hurt. It hurt enough my doc had me come in for an ultra sound of the leg to make sure I didn't have a blood clot from surgery. All clear on that front. It came and went for about 4 weeks then I felt sort of okay. At my 8 week check up with my OB I got the all clear to start working out. I went that day and signed up for Curves. I worked out 3 days a week for 1 month. About 3 weeks in my butt and leg start hurting again. Hurting enough that I could not sit or walk or sleep. Standing was about the only thing that was painless. Talk about making breastfeeding hard! Once it got so bad that I was not sleeping anymore (I had to just stand next to the bed to not hurt) I made an appointment with the doctor.
My New Year's resolution was to fix all that ailed me.
- My butt and leg
- My teeth
- A funny bulge in my tummy
- My weight
- Done by Feb.! I have made 3 baby hats and a pair of gloves. Once it gets cool out again I will attempt a sweater.
- Waiting until July to start a couch 2 5k (c25k) training program...then run a 5k in the fall.
I saw my regular doctor and he put me in physical therapy. I attempted that for about 2 months before I moved onto a chiropractor. Neither one helped me at all so I broke down and went to an orthopedic surgeon. Had an MRI...turns out I have two herniated disks in my lower spine. I then went on to have 2 epidural steroid injections (oral drugs could not be taken because I refused to stop breastfeeding). After the second one I had enough relief that I could function....the pain and other issues were by no means gone.
At this point I made an appointment to see my doctor about this funny bulge in my tummy. Turns out they think it is a hernia...surgery required. I planned surgery for about a month away so I could pump enough milk to get Owen through. I had surgery on March 9th (OMG, can you believe all this has happened and it is only March) and it was so painful that they ended up admitting me to the hospital overnight so I could stay hooked up to the morphine drip. Also, when they got in there they found quite a bit more than they expected. They did not find just one hernia...they found so many hernias that the surgeon stopped counting. In his words..."your muscles looked like swiss cheese". They lined my muscles with a mesh to put everything back where it belongs and to keep it there. I know have mesh from my rib cage down to my groin.
It took me a good three months to not feel any pain from the surgery. But on the positive side of things....now that I am able to strengthen my core muscles; my back is improving. I really only feel it if I sit in a chair that is too soft or when I lie down.
July is almost upon us and for me that means beginning my training for the c25k. I'm waiting until then because Nana (my mom) will not be working as of July 1st and she will come over in the mornings to watch the boys while I go out on my run.
Well, for now that is a general catch up. I'm sure I will think of more as time goes on.
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