Finally...

I am finally feeling better. I have been knocked out by a cold(viral nothing I could get antibiotics for) for more than a week. I am not 100% yet but this is the first day where I finally feel as if I am at the end. I don't know what it was about this one... I was still functioning...going to work, getting the kids to their "stuff", etc but it certainly wasn't helping me improve any. I took a couple of days to just recuperate and get better... I think it is definitely what my body needed.

Just in time, too, because this weekend is a busy one. Tonight is the Halloween party at the elementary school. K3 is attending and K2 is volunteering to work the games with her GS troop. However, it means full Halloween dress for the two of them. K3 is going as a gothic vampire and K2 has put together her own costume as a Vampirate (she loves this book series that a friend in England has been sending to her). So she's been a pirate in the past and a vampire... she decided to combine the two and voila!... Vampirate. I will take pictures but how good they look may fall upon how well mom can do make-up.

This weekend the boys are going to help J's dad dig out some trees at his rental property so it is GIRLS WEEKEND! Woo Hoo! We love girls' weekend. However, it is interrupted by another GS event. K2's troop is going to a haunted house tomorrow night. Let me just say that, this mom will drive and chaperone but in no way is going anywhere near the place. I will either have a book in my hand and sit in my van or more likely, you may find me sitting by the snack stand downing popcorn and diet coke praying like crazy that my little girl will make it out alive. I hate those things! I hate being scared... period. The last time I was in a haunted house was in high school. We had to walk single-file thru it. I was plastered to my friend in front of me with my hooded sweatshirt pulled up over my head and held tight at the sides so I couldn't see a thing. And had another friend plastered behind me so that nothing could get me from behind. When one of the ghouls tried to do something to me, my friend in front yelled, "Leave her alone! Can't you see she's scared." (Seems to me that was probably his job but what a friend.) Finally, we made it outside, only to discover that we were now being led to the basement thru a cellar door. I was done. I was outta there. I left my group and waited by the car for them to finish.... and have never been inside one since. The only haunted house I will go into is the Disneyland version... I still am not crazy about it but I can at least tolerate it. I will give a report tomorrow after the event.

Not sure what else is in the plans for this weekend... hopefully, some rest... some movies... and some peace and quiet.

Homecoming...

I survived my first Homecoming experience... and yes, I know it was my son who actually attended but I think I had more to do than he did. Who had to worry about what he was going to wear? -- "A suit? I have to wear a suit?" Who worried about getting a corsage for his date? -- "Flowers? We're just going as friends." Who had to drive him back and forth to the football game? Drive him to and from his friend's house the day of the dance? Who chased all Saturday morning trying to find a corsage (paid $25 for one only to have it fall off the wrist band at the start of the dance)? Who had to calm him down an hour before we had to leave when he started to get panicky? Who had to calm his sisters down when he started laying into them because he was nervous? Who had to watch their little boy now not so little go to his first dance with a date and admit that he was growing up?

Me -- his mommy.

I love that kid and he is growing up into a fine young man. But no matter how tall he gets, how old he gets... he will always be my little boy... my first born.... my son.

I love you, K.




This isn't the best pic but I don't really like to post pics of my kids here... this one is still him while still a little ambiguous. Plus, all of his other pictures have friends in them and I don't feel right posting pics of other kids without permission.

And by the way, Grandma, he LOVED the vest. The suit coat came off and went into the coat check but he wore the vest the entire night. Apparently some upper classmen complemented him on it which is always cool. He looked good. Thanks!

Trying to Get the Feeling Again...

Do you remember that song from Barry Manilow? In the song, he sings about his girlfriend coming back and he doesn't feel the same as he used to. However, it seems kinda appropriate for what I've been trying to do with trying to get that feeling of exercising again and getting back into the rhythm and routine of it all...

I've been up (up), I've been down (down), and tryin' to get the feelin'
I've been up (up), I've been down (down), I've been tryin' to get
I've tried and I've tried and I've tried to get (up) the feelin' (down)
I've been trying to get the feelin' again
I wanna get that feelin'
I want to get that feelin'
I've got to get that feelin'
I've gotta get that feelin' again (up)
And again (down) and again (tryin' to get that feelin')
Tryin' to get (up) the feelin' (down)
I've been tryin' to get the feelin' again

After taking the last two days off due to tight muscles, it didn't seem like today was going to be any different. However, yesterday a Gator Patrol was posted and I had yet to post. I was going to post this a.m. when I woke up and explain about how I upped the ante and added some cardio to my routine BUT that my muscles were rebelling and I had to take a few days off. Then I started to count the days I was "resting" and figured out that today would've been Day 3. There was no way I was going on that BB and admitting to that... so I hauled my sorry a$ off the couch and did Essential Abs and even bumped it up to the Intermediate level. After that I was able to go on and post to the Gator Patrol.

After I posted however I looked at the clock and realized I still had time... enough time... before I really needed to get ready for work. Seriously, my legs were still hurting a bit so I was a tad intimidated about doing legs but I needed to do something. I pulled out my Walk Away the Pounds DVD and did the 1-Mile Morning Wake-up walk. It was always one of the easiest to do... nice, short, simple and sweet. So tell me why I had sweat pouring into my eyes by the end and my arms were burning using the ball weights. Well, regardless, I made it thru... my legs did fine and I think it even helped them loosen up a bit. I no longer walked like I just got off the horse. And, even better, it felt good! I was sweating again... I was energized... charged up and ready to go. So much so, that I even took my tennies with me to work and went down to the fitness room and rode the stationary bike for 15 min.

It felt good today! And I have the Gator Patrol posts to thank for it. I love hearing from others... those who are struggling and need encouragement (Hello? Been there, done that, am there). ... those who are having great success (gives me hope that someday I too will get there)... I love hearing what works for others (gives me ideas to try)... and most of all, I love seeing the support that everyone offers up to each other.

I am feeling good and just a tad proud of myself... I have renewed hope that I can do this again. So I am doing what I can... bending down low and reaching up high... trying to get that feeling again.

And the Couch Wins...

So this morning I gave in to the call of the couch... I still woke up at 5:30 but spent most of the time after on the couch. I am completely whipped this a.m. Not only is my body protesting the increased exercise (I walk like I just got off a 3 day trail ride), but I am exhausted! This was Homecoming weekend and I never knew how much of my own time would be spent on it. I will do a separate post from Friday's football game (marching band video to come) and pics of getting ready for the Big Dance. But I need to be more coherent than I am now plus my computer is not letting me grab the pics and video from my camera... now that J is home maybe he can look into it for me. But I just wanted to post, since I have been commended for my honesty... I was a couch slug this a.m. :)