a good month

not giving up yet

For lack of a better cliché, today I almost threw in the towel about eight different times. I wanted to give up on weight loss so badly. I’ve had a pretty bad last few days diet-wise. I haven’t gone completely overboard, but I really haven’t stuck to the plan by any means.

Today was the roughest. It’s not that I was surrounded by cookies and doughnuts or whatever, it’s just that it was another day of you know… life. Anyway, it’s the winter blahs I’m sure. The weather has just recently changed to make it seem more like January and it’s depressing. Plus I don’t have too much going on at work which is making me LAZY. I haven’t wanted to run and yada yada yada… I could go on.

But you know what?

I just totally ran 3.0 miles! I am psyched! It’s such a good feeling of accomplishment when you finish a good run like that and I’ve said it umpteen gazillion times since I started running again this time around that if I could bottle that feeling and have a dose of it every day I completely would. It’s amazing and rejuvenating.

So I’m almost half way to my 10K goal and I didn’t cheat on my diet all day today. Also, I'd been putting it off, but I finally tried on the bridesmaid dress for my sister-in-law's wedding today and it's definitely too big. Tell me how much I rock.

Now I’m going to sit my butt on the couch and watch American idol.

my plans for the weekend

to do:

• finish this book
• download & then upload recent pictures off the camera
• buy groceries
• fix dinner for another family that had a baby
• pick up and try on a bridesmaid dress for a wedding that's in 3 weeks (yikes!)
• get said bridesmaid dress altered if necessary (pray it's too big!)
• watch movies with the husband
• enter grades into online gradebook for work
• send lesson plans to principal
• run
• buy a baby gift for a friend
• fill out a letter of intent for work next school year (double-YIKES!)

positive thoughts for Friday

I just read this and now (if even for only a few minutes) I have renewed motivation. About ten minutes ago I would have eaten 30 chocolate chip cookies had they been in front of me. Anyway, if it takes me a year to lose the next 21 pounds then it’ll just have to take a year because I’M NOT GIVING UP!

I went out to dinner last night for ladies night out which is always fun. I had a great meal, but ate just a small portion and didn’t get dessert. I’ve lost a total of 13 pounds and I have 21 to go. Weekends are always so hard to so I have to get myself psyched up today to do well over the next two days. Oh well. The good news is that my BMI has dropped to 25.07 which is totallyabsolutelyfreakingawesome. Anything under 25 is “normal” weight; a BMI above 25 is “overweight.”

It’s all hard work, but I’m determined. I have made running a priority in my life over the last seven weeks. Surely if I have already done it seven weeks then I can do it seven more, right? And I only have to run 2.75 miles tomorrow and then 3 on Tuesday. I am thinking about extending my training for the 10K to repeat every week on the training schedule two times before moving up to the next week. This way it will take a lot longer, but I am excited about changing my lifestyle as a result of doing this over the long run instead of as a quick fix. I am hoping that as the author of that article said, the more running that I do, the more I will become a runner.

Fortunately (and unfortunately), I am not losing my motivation to run, but just my motivation to eat well. I just love food too much. It is such a large part of my life. BUT I also love control. I am a control-FREAK! (my family can attest to that) and I am trying to teach myself that if I can control my eating habits then that will be just as fun as controlling any other part of my life. It’ll be a good thing.

Hmmmmm… that’s all the thoughts I have for now. Thanks for the free therapy session!

ten months

Dear Julianna,

Wow! Times flies! You just turned ten months old and I can’t believe that in just two short months we’ll be celebrating your birthday! The first few months of your life you changed so rapidly. The next few not so fast, but now it’s like all of a sudden you are a true little… well… person. You’ve got your own way of communicating and a definite sense of unique personality. You’ve become such a big girl and it seems more and more that you’re no longer a baby.

This month you’ve been clearly expressing your wants and needs by pointing us in the direction you want to go or tugging on our hands and arms. You grunt and babble as a sure indication of what you want us to do and you don’t need to cry nearly as much to tell us what you like or dislike (except when it comes to food – you’ve started crying when we give you veggies and pointing at the fruit or yogurt – smart girl).

You’re sleeping eleven hours at night and two during the day. You’re drinking three bottles and eating three meals plus two snacks daily with milk or juice in a sippy cup (and yes, sometimes you crawl over and grab a piece of cat food or two, but mama tries not to let you). You’re 23 pounds and 29 inches. You’ve moved into a bigger car seat and bigger clothes (sometimes 18 - 24 months size). Plus, you’ve moved up to the big babies Sunday School class. You’re growing up so fast!

The most exciting news this month is that you’ve begun to walk a few steps at a time – ten or twelve before you fall. Daily we can watch you become more and more brave as you willingly let go of whatever stable object you would have previously grabbed with a death-drip and venture out a few feet on your own. Yesterday you walked all the way across Nanna and Papaw’s office! Unfortunately, as a result of all the walking you’ve had lots of bumps and bruises this month, but you’re also certainly now a very independent girl.

You say, “Hey” and “Bye” and you may have even said "Papaw" a time or two. You can wave and clap. You’re just learning how to blow a kiss. We’re still working on the sign language. You can sign “more” and “milk” and you’re improving everyday. We’ve also gotten several adorable videos of you laughing this month. Your laugh is infectious and thank God you do it often. We love to hear you laugh!

You still absolutely love to work on the computer with anyone who will let you. But not long ago you somehow figured out how to turn Mama’s screen display upside down so we try to only let you play with it as a special treat.

Jules, you saw your first snow this month and you weren’t that impressed. One day soon you will understand the joy of that. I can’t wait for the day in the future where you really bask in the thrill of a “Snow Day.” You also celebrated your first Christmas this month and it certainly brought a new meaning to the holiday to your Daddy and I. (Your grandparents certainly do spoil you!) We all can’t wait to share Christmas with you next year when you understand it a little better!

You know what else you can do now? You can identify people in pictures when we ask questions such as, “Where’s Daddy?” You talk to Nanna and Papaw on the phone and smile. When Daddy comes home, you smile a great big smile, squeal with joy and either walk or crawl to him. We’ve had several special, “cuddly” moments with you this month when you’ve gently rested your head against our shoulders and just let us hold you. You don’t sit still much so it is such a special moment when it happens. We are enjoying every day with you, Julianna! We love you!

Love, Mama

why am i so sensitive?

Why am I so dern sensitive?! My feelings get hurt so easily sometimes that it’s even a little funny, if not sad. I get hurt when someone doesn’t put forth the effort to come see me when we’ve been trying to arrange a visit for months. I get hurt when people don’t want to stay at our place at the beach when we get a group together to go even though they’ll pay MUCH more by going somewhere else. I get hurt when someone makes a joke with which they intend no harm, but my ego still gets a little bruised. Why am I like this? I don’t want to be. It's not like it's any big deal what happens because life is busy and stuff just happens, so I shouldn't care one way or the other. When I think about things like this I often wonder if it a male/female thing or if it’s just personality types or what.

Anyway, I’ve been catching up on some school work this morning and putting away laundry. Now I have to go get some grades entered before the little girl wakes up… actually I hear her now…

Have a good day everyone!

which one?

This one,

this one,

this one,

this one,

or

this one?

There's too many choices! And I can't decide! I need some help!

We're spending a month at the beach this summer again and I need to get a bathing suit for little J. She already has a navy blue one piece sailor suit type thingy.

Anyone have a vote?

working on Saturday?

Remember that project that I was supposed to get done over Christmas break? Well, I finally finished it just now! Wahooo! Better late than never, no?

Unfortunately, I did have to pass up a trip to the Pottery Barn Outlet to get it finished this morning since I knew I'd been putting it off long enough and people at work were actually starting to ask about it.

Anyway, my mom and my sister are taking a day for shopping for lil sister's new house. The house is officially under contract now and she's closing before February 16th. Sniff. Sniff. Which means she's moving. Sniff. Sniff.

I better go get a kleenex.

results of Delurking Week

more goals and stuff

“The most radical, powerful act ever undertaken by any human being remains the act of committing oneself, beyond reservation, to a worthy personal mission.” -Christopher Childs

So I have a new goal.

This year I’ll be 29, right? I’ve decided that I want to run in at least one road race each year for the next ten years. Even if I have to run in the “One Mile Fun Run” I have set a goal to do one a year until I’m 39. Do you think I can?

I’m starting this year off with the St Leo’s School 5K in March. Most of you know that 5K is only 3.1 miles and I’m already running at least 2 miles three times per week so I know I can do that. My goal after that is a 10K but I’m not putting that one down on paper just yet…

Anyone want to join me? You can sign up here.

maybe we're finally getting caught up with the rest of the world

Did you hear this?

I only have one thing to say:

IT'S ABOUT TIME!

winter is FINALLY here

and the little girl has never seen snow!

in need of a fast, but good read?

You should read this series. (Especially if you have a tween/young teen at home) I'm only on page 40 of the latest book, but so far so good! Unfortunately this is the last book in the series as the girls are in college and I have a pretty strong feeling that this one will be a tearjerker. Anyway, back to my book. Cross your fingers for snow tomorrow so that I can curl up on the couch and read. :)

she's into everything

My little girl is into EVERYTHING! I can't take my eye off of her for a second. Yesterday she ate cat food and while I've caught her playing in it a lot, yesterday she actually ate a piece. Then she decided to crawl up on the hearth on her own. I watched her quietly and this is what I saw:

(yes, her hand is indeed on the gas logs)

a note from little J

Dear Nanna,
I know you made this pillowcase for Aunt WaWa, but I really like it. It is so soft and fun to pull off of the couch and lay down on. Thank you for letting me share it. I love you!
Love,
Jules

two trips

Now I have two trips to save money for.

Yesterday little J and I traveled 205 miles and back to see a couple of my old college roommates. It was a lot of fun just hanging out and catching up, especially since one of them had never even seen Jules before. We all will be turning the big 3-0 in 2008 so we vowed to start saving our pennies to go on a four or five day cruise. I am super excited! What fun it will be to have a girls trip for our birthdays! And what is more fun than a cruise?

Now I need to make sure I can look super stunning in a new bikini and I've only got a year and a few months to do it.

any more lurkers out there?

Well, it looks like i'm going to have to donate at least $9 to girlsinc.com which really is nothing. that is $9 unless a lot more people de-lurk by tomorrow.

Are there any more lurkers out there? Say, "Hi!"

Meanwhile, look at my cute baby:

fat girl running

do you remember Steve Vaught? he was the guy who decided to walk all the way across America to lose weight.

well, he made it.

he also gave me a lot of inspiration. it was unimaginable to me that someone would have the kind of dedication it took to quit their job and totally commit months of their life to get healthy. i would read his online journal pretty regularly to see where he was in his journey and basically just sit in awe of his coolness.

every once in a while i still check back at his website to read his latest thoughts and see his ongoing progress. and besides everyone who has ever lost weight knows that the hardest part is living a regular daily life at home trying not to put the weight you've already lost back on - just ask Erik of The Biggest Loser (another of my heroes).

anyway, my weight loss goals are moving along. as of this morning i've lost 10.5 pounds since the middle of December. i'm back to running three times a week and i have a 5K and a 10K on my calendar. yesterday i ran 2.25 miles straight! i like to think of myself as the Fat Girl Running! :) i just want to be able to run the whol 5K without stopping to walk and i am satisfied with that as my first goal.

i still have about 24 pounds to lose to get to my big goal, but my first goal is to just get back to my pre-baby weight before Julianna's first birthday. that means i've got to lose another 6.5 pounds over the next 2.5 months. i can definitely do that!

well, now my sister is getting closer and closer to moving out and it makes me really sad. she has been the biggest encouragement to me to start running and keep running and eat healthy. maybe if she buys this house she's looking at then i can run on over and see her sometime. it's only 11.4 miles!

she can now officially walk

i'm going ahead and declaring that my daughter is now officially walking. she can willingly take 8, 9, or even 10 steps on her own across the room. she inevitably falls, but hey! she's still walking. she will let go of whatever she's been holding on to and just stand in the middle of the room for 3 or more minutes at a time before she decides to sit down and then immediately go crawling off, but lately she's been standing there for the 2 or 3 minutes and then deciding to venture out with a step or two. with some encouragement we can get her to walk all the way across the room.

WAH! WAH! WWAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

sometimes i tear up thinking about how fast she is growing up and changing!

i never thought i would be the kind of sappy mom who cried over dumb stuff like this, but it really tugs on my heart when i think about how last year this time she was just a little softball- sized wiggleworm in my belly.

start spreading the news

i'm leaving today.... errrr.... in October...

the hubby and i have been planning (well, more like contemplating) our five year anniversary trip this October. it will be our first overnight trip without little J and we're planning on going to NYC for three nights. *sigh* i don't know how i'll do it, but at least i have 9 months to think about it.

plane tickets have been coming down so we're excited about that because we've been counting on spending no less than $2500 on everything for those three nights. we hadn't really talked about hotels or anything like that but then yesterday one of the students in my class gave a power point presentation on NYC and she told all about the hotel her family stayed in on one of their visits. i was mostly just listening and grading her presentation until i heard her say there were eight Starbucks in the hotel - one on each of the first eight floors. that got me curious to say the least. so last night we looked up that hotel and it looks really nice. restaurants and shopping on the first few floors and then very nice looking rooms on the forty or so floors above that. it's a four-star hotel right on Broadway and the rates aren't too terribly expensive, so i'll be keeping that one in mind.

anyway, we've got lots of details to work out with the little girl. where will she stay? how will we get her there before we have to drive to the airport? etc.

i am excited about the trip, but i know i am also going to worry like crazy about jules!

UPDATED - the going's on during delurking week

I had a great weekend, but I really don't know where the time goes. We had nothing to do really this weekend and then it was just POOF! Over! We went to the grocery store, also to a funeral visitation, watched Pirates of the Caribbean, I did a little school work and some cleaning. Saturday we even spent some time outside at the park. It was a beautiful day and I was getting a little bored with the treadmill so we decided to go to the park. Julianna enjoyed it I think. It's unusually nice for January.

Anyway, this week will be another busy one. I have two meetings after school this week. I have to take a meal to a family in our SS class that had a baby. I have an appointment at Dream Dinners. Two nights I have to run and I have to get a baby gift sometime for a friend who's pregnant that I'm going to visit out of town on Saturday.

And I realized that I've never mentioned our goals for January (you know I've always got to have goals). We're trying to put aside my pay check each pay period and see how well we live off of only big J's. We've planned to eat out for dinner only two times a week (major cut-back for us), eat lunch out only once per week for each of us, and spend one night each week gathering and posting some old collectible stuff and recent bridesmaids dresses on Ebay. This means a lot of cooking at night and packing lunches for me. We've also changed our phone service to Vonage to save a few bucks each month. We'll see how it goes at the end of the month of course.

You know what else? My baby's growing up. She's moving up to the older babies sunday school class. They don't want her to be pulling up on everything and get hurt (translation: pull up and then walk on another baby). She also moved into a bigger car seat this weekend. I cannot believe how fast time goes by!

One last thing. Today is the start of Delurking Week. That means that if you read a blog regularly but hardly ever comment, you are considered a “lurker” and this week you need to change that. Don't worry though, there are many of us that lurk regularly, myself included. (Especially with the popularity of feed readers like Bloglines and Google's fabulous reader services). I read 10+ blogs daily, but only leave comments on a few of them. Therefore, I too am going to set a goal to make sure that every blog I read today gets a comment. I hope you will join me. To encourage you to comment here, I will follow Zoot's lead and donate $1 to charity for every comment that I get on this post. As she says, "If you don’t have anything to say to contribute to the entry you’re commenting on, just say, 'Happy De-Lurking Day from a Lurker!' Or maybe, 'You’re totally hot and smart and brilliant!' That always works too." :)

I'll give $1 for each comment to Girls Incorporated - a "national nonprofit youth organization dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold."

words

These are all words that Jules knows. She hasn't really said any of them except maybe hey, bye, ma ma, and da da. We know she knows these words though because she does respond appropriately to them. She probably knows dozens more, but we just don't know it.

kitty	no	eat	ma ma
light	window	bite	da da
fan	bye	wave	Wa Wa
milk	up	book	Nanna
baby	juice	hey	Papaw
sunshine	bird	truck	treehouse

pictures of little Jackson

another video of my kid

laundry list

My list of things to do this week:

• Run tomorrow and Saturday.
• Visit the new baby.
• Finish transferring dates to my new calendar.
• Finish a major project for school that I started over break.
• Go to the grocery store.
• Pay some bills.
• Catch up on some reading. (I'm way behind on a book I started at Christmas.)
• Get the Christmas decorations up to the attic.
• Turn in new tax forms at work.
• Catch up on grading projects and posting grades.

And today is the first day back with students! I hope I get at least one or two things done.

it's a boy!

Jackson arrived at 6:05 pm last night weighing in at 8 pounds 8 ounces and 19 inches in length. Mom and baby are fine, both just a little sleepy but adjusting to their new world. I'll post pictures soon!

a note from little J

Dear Nanna and Papaw,
Thank you so very much for taking me to the Children's Museum last week. I enjoyed it so much and I kept trying to tell my mama about it but she just didn't understand so I gave up. It was a really cool place though and I want to go back again soon. It was really nice of you to spend some time with me so that mama and dada could go see a movie and have lunch. You are wonderful grandparents and parents! I love you!
Julianna

the year of the baby

Apparently 2007 is going to be the year of the baby. I know no less than 9 people who are currently pregnant. Most of those are having boys. My sister-in-law is due on Wednesday and may be induced tomorrow. It is making me think a lot about having #2. My obsessive-complusive nature regarding calendars/planning/dates is already calculating sibling distance, etc. Why am I so weird?

Anyway, love the babies. Hate all of this school work I have to do. I hate that tomorrow is basically a Monday. I hate that today is the last day of break.

So.

I'll leave you with a few of my goals for 2007. Keep in mind that I didn't say they weren't going to be original.

• Eat less.
  
• Exercise more.
  
• Run a 5K and then a 10K.
  
• Cook more.
  
• Spend less money.
  
• Save more money.
  
• Scrapbook more.
  

Fun times ahead! I can't wait!