My Name is Mommy

Back in the saddle… June 22, 2009

Filed under: Weightloss, What Challenges Me — mnim @ 6:23 pm
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Alright.  Last time I saw you, I was whining and crying about having been all motivated to work out and get myself in shape, only to take a spill and sprain an ankle.

Fast forward 5 weeks, and I’m more motivated than ever before, and am about caught up to my earlier workout status, or maybe a little further along.  So excited.  Trying to be careful with the ankle (it still twinges occasionally to remind me of its pathetic self), but I feel stronger than ever.

I’ve made that switch in my head.  Any of you who has ever successfully lost weight, lots of weight, knows what I mean, yeah?  I’m no longer hoping, dreaming, wishing that I could get this off.  I’m just doing it.  It’s not a matter of if, just of when.  It’s many more good choices than bad.  It’s getting up with the alarm at 5:40, and being excited about getting out and getting this body moving and strong.  (Okay, the alarm goes off at 5:40, it’s probably 6:05 before I’m actually excited about being out. :P ).

Before the sprain, I’d lost 7 pounds.  I regained about 5 nursing the ankle.  Have now lost those 5 again, and a few more.  But still a ton (not literally, just a half maybe) left to go.  But it will.  I know it now.

I’m not gonna blog too regularly about it because, quite frankly, it makes for some pretty boring writing on my part and reading on yours (assuming there are a few of you still out there).  But I will post the big milestones.

In the meantime, I hope to do a little more creative writing out here, and am thinking of starting a photoblog soon.  Remind me if you hear nothing of it and are interested.

 

So much for that… May 25, 2009

Filed under: What's going on... — mnim @ 11:19 pm

Alright, so I told you I was getting up early and working out with my friend and, did I mention, getting up EARLY?

I’m not an early person, in case you didn’t know.  You need to understand that to understand how serious I was about getting up and getting out and getting healthy.  Very serious.  Because I was getting up early.

Even after a few weeks of it, I still wasn’t convinced that I was doing the right thing.  In fact, I even told a friend, “I really hope this is worth it.”

His reply,  ”What? Being healthier? I can’t think of a single downside really..”

Fast forward a few days to my friend and me being on the very last leg of our 5 miles, jogging along the sidewalk.  One second we’re buzzing along chatting, the next I’m on the ground with a scraped up elbow, knee, and a sprained ankle.

Suddenly, I’m very clear on the downside.

I was honestly more mad than hurt, and it really did hurt pretty badly.  But this was the end of our first 4 weeks.  We were so successful!  We were kicking butt!  We were awesome!!!

Ah, well, the best laid plans and all.  Thankfully, it’s been 10 days now, and my ankle seems to be healing wonderfully.  I’m so excited about that.  And even more excited that I really am ready to get back out with my friend and getting walking and jogging again.  Antsy, even.  Because sitting around the house, without a functioning remote, with kids still wanting to jump all over you?  Mind numbing.

I’m so proud of my friend, though.  She’s still been getting up and kicking butt and all.  I did take last week off, but am planning on getting up early again this week and at least get some strength training going.  Wish me luck with that.

Hopefully, I’ll have something more exciting to report soon.  Oh!  But a great way to entertain yourself when you’re just sitting around?  Invite your friends over to play your WiiFit and watch them do the hula hoop.  HILARIOUS.  You’ll thank me. ;)

 

Biggest Loser Update May 4, 2009

Filed under: Weightloss, What Challenges Me, What's going on... — mnim @ 8:55 pm
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Okay, so, I mentioned awhile back that I was committing to losing weight to be able to submit that lost weight to the Biggest Loser Pound for Pound Challenge.  For every pound you lost, you let them know and they donate 10 cents (which they say is equal to one pound of food) to a local food pantry.

So, let’s be honest.  As of about 2 weeks ago, I’d lost nothing.  (Well, not entirely true.  I’d lost several pounds, then gained them back, then gained a few more.  For awhile there, I thought I was gonna have to go swipe a few pounds of food from the pantry in order to fulfill my pledge.)

Anyway, two weeks ago, my friend and I started getting up at the (if I used the terms ungodly or unholy, I would use one here) hour of 6 a.m. to walk around the ‘hood.  We started with 2 miles, and are now up to 3 miles in the morning.  (We’re limited by time, so the only way to get more milage in is to step up the pace.   That’s why we’ve added some jogging.  I don’t like jogging.  But my friend is mean and makes me do it anyway.  It’s probably a good thing I have her around. :) )

So, I’ve been getting up at 5:40 a.m.  And, for those of you who know me, you know that, for most of my adulthood, that’s been closer to my bedtime than to my wake-up time.  It’s quite a change.  But I’m actually enjoying it.  Don’t tell, k?

And a week ago, I started on the whole calorie counting thing again.  And so?  Instead of planning my next few meals from the local food pantry, I was able to tell them to send 6 pounds worth of food to that same pantry.

So, 6 pounds, instead of the 32 I had pledged.  Still, at least I’m headed in the right direction again, and I think I’m headed down for good this time.

 

Aldi Food Review April 6, 2009

Filed under: What I'm Reading, What no one else has told you..., What's going on... — mnim @ 11:46 pm
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I’m an Aldi shopper.  Can I admit that here?  Yes, yes, I think I can.  Cause it’s my blog, and whaddya gonna do?

I’ve been an Aldi shopper for a few years.  I can admit to avoiding it earlier in our marriage, but for no other reason than it was unfamiliar to me.  I’m an Air Force Brat.  You want groceries?  Go to the commissary.  Then Bald Man was working at Meijer, and we’re nothing if not brand and store loyal.

Well, we were.

A friend of mine was doing the Aldi thing and loving it.  Saving lots of money.  I’m not sure how she got me to try it out, but maybe it was serving Aldi stuff to me at her house.  And, guess what?  It wasn’t gross.  And if she hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have known.

Years and many shopping trips later, Aldi is a regular stop in our weekly shopping.  Lower prices.  Food tastes good.  And the kids don’t care about name brand cereals, pop tarts, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, peanut butter, jelly, juice, bread, hot dogs, etc.  As long as it’s not yucky, they’ll eat it.  (Okay, can I say that I do feed my children food that requires actual preparation, and not just the stuff listed there?  Kthx.)

In fact, my friend told me that when she was little, she didn’t like the name brand stuff.  Her family shopped at Aldi, that was the food she grew up with and was used to, and the name brand stuff was the weird stuff.  Who knew?

So, if you haven’t tried Aldi, yet, or are curious about some of their products, head on over to Aldi Food Review.  It’s a blog by the brother of a friend of a friend (although that friend of a friend is also a friend now, but that’s more detail than you really need).   Good reviews, I agree with all that I’ve tried, and he’s funny.

Like he says, you’re not going to get everything you need there; they just don’t carry that much variety.  But, for the staples, you will save quite a bit.  I’ve gone through spurts of shopping there.  Whenever I had a baby, I went there much less often.  I needed lots of baby stuff, which they don’t carry, and I didn’t have the extra energy to make all the extra stops.  But we’re there often now, and it’s great for our budget.  You might even save enough for a night out for yourself.   See how smart you are? ;)

 

Not the outcome I expected… April 5, 2009

Filed under: Life — mnim @ 10:36 pm
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The outcome of quiet.  For real quiet.  The silent kind of quiet.  And I’m slightly disturbed by it.

I’m always saying I want quiet.  There is constantly noise around me.  Usually it’s name is Jake, though his siblings and the dog help, too.  And loud noise.  Loud, loud, loud.  People call me on the phone and they’re all, “What is all that noise?” and I’m all, “Jake” and they’re all, “Oh yeah.”  :P

Okay, it’s not always Jake.  There’s the TV and the video games and the dishwasher and the computer and the dogs in the yards around and the other kids and their friends and the phone and the toys and the voices in my head and their friends, too.

So, like most moms and other caretakers of young children, I often say that all I want is a moment of quiet.  Real quiet.  Silent quiet.  Just a moment.  That’s all I want.

And then I got it.  And it was deafening.

It happened a couple of weeks ago.  Bald Man had taken Samantha to dance.  My friend or my mom had the boys.  I was headed to a photography class at the library.  Only, there was a 45 minute window where I was the only one in the house.  Really.  Okay, the dog was here.  But that’s it.

It was quiet.  Truly quiet.  No computers on, no TV, no toys, no phone, no dishwasher, just nothing.  So, so quiet.

Other than that instance, I don’t remember that last time I was truly alone.  And, like I said, the dog was even there that time.  I occasionally get time alone in the car.  And I often don’t even turn on any music because I just enjoy the quiet.  No one in the backseat asking me questions.  No two other people in the backseat trying to yell over the other one trying to ask me questions.  Just quiet.  But, even then, there’s the hum of the tires on the road, and other cars driving by.  There’s always something.

But, back at home, in that 45 minute window, there was nothing.  No hum that I could discern.  No voices.  No nothing.  And it FREAKED ME OUT.  And I’m not sure why.  Other than that it just felt like something was wrong.  Very, very wrong.

Here, I was living my dream!!!  For 45 minutes at least.  And I almost couldn’t stand it.  How disappointing.

I’ve never lived alone.  I went from my parents’ house, had an apartment in college with a friend for a year, and then back to my parents’ for a year until I got married.  I never wanted to live alone.  I knew I never wanted to live alone.   Maybe, intuitively, I knew that I couldn’t truly handle the quiet.  Or maybe I was just afraid.  One of those.

So, I’m thinking the truly, truly quiet and I lasted together for about 10 minutes.  That was it.   Then I stomped on the dog’s tail so he would bark and it would be loud and I would feel better.

Kidding.

But I think I did decide then that I could go ahead and leave early and get to the library and just read until my class started.  Because, really, have you ever been in a library that’s truly quiet?  Me neither.

So, the next time you hear me saying that all I really want is some peace and quiet, remind me that a dull roar is about the most quiet I can handle.

 

Insomniac’s Dream April 4, 2009

Filed under: What's going on... — mnim @ 3:55 am

Have I mentioned I have bouts of insomnia?  I think I have.  I’m too lazy to go look it up.

Anyway, the insomnia has at least had the good manners to become somewhat predictable.  Always nice when a pesky annoyance does so.

Soooo, I was so happy to have come across a commenter’s blog filled with quotations to keep me occupied into these wee hours here.  Blogtations.  I read them.  All.  Yes.  All.  Because time?  It’s what I have on my side on nights like these.  Energy tomorrow?  Not so much.  But time tonight?  Enough time to read 600 some blogtations, and many that literally made me laugh out loud.  And really, if you can’t sleep, you might as well be laughing, yeah? ;)

 

Dating a Student April 3, 2009

Filed under: Life, Lovin' Life, Momentous Occasions — mnim @ 9:22 pm

I’d forgotten what it was like to date a student.  Of course, the last time I dated a student, we were both single and without kids.  We had full time jobs that required little to none of our gray matter.  We had a bit of expendible income, and, seemingly, all the time in the world.

Well, I happen to be dating the same student.  He is, however, married and has three kids.  Our three kids.  And married to me.  Expendible income?  Time?  Jobs that didn’t require a brain?  What was that all about?  And how do we get that back?

As of this week, Bald Man is once again a college student.  He has decided he’s had enough of the pension world, and wants to persue his passion, teaching.  And so, 12 years after graduating with a finance and economics degree, he is going back for a degree in education.  And he has to go to class.  And study.  And read.  And do projects.

And, btw, did I mention he’s still working full-time?  And being a husband and father?  And other stuff?

But this isn’t his blog, it’s mine.  And, so, how does this affect me?  Well, it means I have to step up at home.  Not that being a SAHM is ever easy in the first place, nor a homeschooling mom.  But, the truth is, I’ve had it about as easy as it can be while being at home and teaching.

While working full-time, Bald Man still has his share of chores around the house.  Not that I’d ever give him any, mostly just things that he’d prefer to do b/c I’m rather sucky at them.  Pretty much anything that involves putting stuff away.  (Clothes, dishes, kids.)  I’m not so good at putting stuff away.  Yes, even the kids.  For several years, he’s been Bedtime Daddy.  He’s just better at it than me.  And I’m not kidding!!!  Whereas it’ll take me 45 minutes to get them all ready and in bed, he’s got them done in 15—and has ready a story or two to boot!!!!  Not sure how he accomplishes that.

All that help around here is probably going to be a thing of the past.  With so much now on his plate, I need to be better about what’s on mine, including bedtime.  I’m hoping he has them in a good enough routine with that that they can just guide me through it all. ;)

I am so glad that he is finally persuing his passion.  He really is a great teacher, and I’m full of joy that he’ll be able to spend his days in ways that truly fill him up and that students will be able to be taught by a teacher who has a true passion for the subjects they’ll be learning.

Only one life, peeps.  If you know what you want to do, start doing it now.  Whatcha waitin’ for?

 

Cowboy March 2, 2009

Filed under: Kid Stories — mnim @ 9:26 pm
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Setting: Just before bedtime.

Characters: Bald Man, and 3 year old Luke

Luke: Dad, there was a toy and it’s up in the fan and I need you to make a wasso (lasso) so I can catch it and get it down.

Bald Man: There’s a toy in your fan?

Luke: Yeah.

Bald Man: Did you throw it up there?

Luke: Yeah.

Bald Man: Are you allowed to throw toys in your room?

Luke: No.

Bald Man: Go get ready for bed.

You gotta love the problem solving on the front end of the whole conversation.

 

Biggest Loser February 1, 2009

Filed under: Life, Weightloss — mnim @ 10:30 am

Do you watch the show?  I do.  Not every season, but I’ve been pretty good at keeping up this season.  It’s pretty inspiring, especially if, like  me, you have more than a few pounds to lose.

You can see over there on the right that I’m doing the pound-for-pound challenge.  Within certain dates, you can pledge to lose a certain number of pounds.  Then you submit your results.  For every pound lost, Biggest Loser contributes a pound of food to a food bank (up to a certain number of pounds).  See how I’m not much of a details person? ;)   You wanna know more, go check it out.

So, anyway, I’ve resolved to lose the weight this year.  My cholesterol is high, my weight is high, my knees and ankles aren’t happy with me, and I have no excuses.  Well, it’s hard, that’s an excuse, but no longer one that I’m going to let stop me.  This year, I have to do it this year.  It’s my own marathon of weight loss.  That’s what I remind myself each day, this is a marathon and not a sprint.  This is a life change, not a fad.  This is a minute by minute choice, not a sudden transformation.

My goal is to lose 8 pounds a month, working out 4-5 times a week, eating healthy food in reasonable portions.  A few weeks I did great on all fronts.  Last week, I only worked out twice and had more than my share of Nutter Butters.  But today is a new day at the start of a new week filled with opportunities to make new and good decisions.  Wish me right decisions.

 

Lack of Creativity… January 30, 2009

Filed under: Ah...memories, Tagged — mnim @ 10:13 am

or time….or motivation….something…

Haven’t forgotten you all out here!!!  My brain’s just too tired to put “pen to paper,” so to speak, when I actually have the time to do it.  Thus, I’m posting a tagging of sorts.  Saw Gill’s post this morning and looked interesting, so decided to do it myself.

Sixth folder in your photos, sixth photo in your sixth folder.  Could I have made that sound more difficult?

Turns out, I only had 3 photos in my sixth folder.  Not sure why.  I think these folders were randomly thrown together.  So I just counted them twice.  Here’s the photo:

No kids section.

No kids section.

This photo was taken when Jack and I went to visit my Aunt Lynn and Patrick in South Carolina last April.  No kids.  Just a quick vacation with other adults.  This was how beautifully the table was set each night for dinner, lavishly adorned with the meal lovingly prepared by Chef Patou (Patrick).  Well, there was the one night when we had a picnic on the beach and saw dolphins swimming offshore, but this was our usual table. :)

I’ve never regretted having kids, ever.  But it is nice to get away and just be an adult once in a while.   A table set with beautiful crystal (ready to be filled with beautiful Kir Royales!!!), candlelight, and conversation uninterrupted by trips to the potty and fights over who wants which color bowl (maybe that’s why Lynn sticks with all black place settings? ;) ), it’s something everyone should be treated with every once in a while.

Thanks, Lynn and Patrick, for a relaxing experience and great memories. :)