Blogging in Safe Mode

I'm blogging in safe mode right now, as I try to download all my photos to Google + in a vain attempt to save them.  Luckily, I've downloaded most of them already (the best ones really) to Facebook.  For those of you who are friends with me on Facebook, you know I'm a photo posting fool. 

It feels SO good to be writing, even if it is only blogging at this point.  Our computer is on the fritz, and we have to restore to factory settings.  Hubby and I are trying to dump the data into anything we can get our hands on so we can save our precious pictures and videos of the kids.  I'm uncertain about the music.  It's on my phone, and I have the cloud.  Does that save it? 

This week has been good, but hectic as I'm trying to get back into the routine of three kids, a husband, work and life after a week of vacation.  Am I the only one who always feels a little bit down after vacation?  There's like a huge let down after coming back, a feeling of, "oh yeah, this is reality, not the life I was living last week." Although, I'm glad that my reality doesn't include six children and living in an one room apartment with two kids and sharing a bed with my Mom and sister.  That's the good thing about being home.  I do miss my family though.  It's always so good to have everyone in the same location (minus my brother this time and some of the kids). 

While I was in Nashville, I received a call from the Red Cross asking me to give blood.  I don't know if you remember, but I intended to give blood back in January, which didn't work out because my iron levels were too low (for their standards). So, I made an appointment and went on Monday, and SUCCESS!  My iron was high enough to give.  This is simply one of the easiest acts of kindness that anyone can do.  It took them SIX minutes to take my blood.  The questionnaire, etc. took longer, but once I was hooked up ONLY SIX minutes.  And that can save three people's lives. 

Then they gave me this nifty tee-shirt, and the friendly nurse even gave me two shirts for my kiddos!

 

 

I was glad to have helped, and it was a good feeling to give something JUST TO GIVE. 

In other news: My week off of running has come to an end.  My shin splint feels completely heeled.  We'll see how it feels after I run at lunch today.  It was hurting when I walked on it, but I haven't felt it at all in the last couple of days.  If it hurts while running today, then I'll take another week break from running and just stick to Taekwondo.  I want to make sure it heals completely so I can do my 5K in April. 

I am also officially a brown belt in Taekwondo!  I'm so excited.  This week we did some jump, spin, side kicks, and it was so much fun.  I feel like my balance and coordination has improved immensely since I started taking Taekwondo TWO years ago!

I hope to be able to blog a weight loss tips tomorrow.  Until then...

Stuck in a Book

I'm reading Underworld by Don DeLillo.  It has taken me a thousand forevers to get into this book, but now that I'm finally INTO it I don't want to put it down.  There are a lot of themes floating through the various people who pop up through this novel.  One such theme is the impact of an individual's history.  The sense that one person's history has a depth and reach that is inexplicable, even if they are not Martin Luther King or JFK or anyone other than some John Smith off the street.

DeLillo talks about shoes and what all the parts of a shoe are called: aglet, eyelets, laces, tongue, sole, heel, and then the ones I didn't know at all: quarter, vamp, outsole, welt, and cap.  The character in the novel says if they've been named then they must be important.  There must be a reason to learn all the words.  He references the word quotidian and says, "an extraordinary word that suggests the depth and reach of the commonplace" (Page 542-Underworld by Don DeLillo). 

This really made me think, as if I don't think enough.  Every single person has an impact on others.  Everything you learn and do has meaning.  It is ENOUGH just to be alive: smiling at someone, having a late night conversation over coffee, sharing a laugh, comforting a friend who has lost a loved one, seeing a smile appear on a baby's face for the first time...these are the moments to remember.  These are the moments that connect us to each other.  Your contribution could touch people that you don't even know it's touched, and that's an amazing thing.

As I was reading DeLillo, he described a scene about a glass of water with an alka-seltzer tab running down the side, watching the fizz, and I remembered my Dad used to have a water with an alka-seltzer.  I used to watch the tablet settle at the bottom, the bubbles coming up, and wondering why the heck he'd want to drink that!  A shared history.  We all have certain memories and moments that intertwine with each other, nuances that make us think about the people who are here and who were once here that we've loved...and hated. 

Quotidian: turn the ordinary into something extraordinary. 

And by the way, I'm still not sure there is an actual a plot in Underworld.  I'm more than halfway done.  This novel is more like a work of art: poetic, descriptive, and tied together.  He is an incredible author, and I'd strive to be only half as good of a writer as he. 

A Long Trip

I'm back!  I took a break to go to Nashville to visit my sister and attend a ballerina party for my 3 year old niece.  Good times! 

My other sister came down from Massachusetts, and we had a great time hanging out.  It's always good to get home though, and I loved sleeping in my own bed last night.  I missed writing so much while I was away.  I felt a little directionless.  Now, I have to start revisions on work number one.  Today is the day to begin.  I am a little overwhelmed by the thought of this, but I know I can do it! 

While in Nashville, my sister Kels and I ran around the Greenway.  It's a 3 mile run.  The first time, I did it with minimal walking.  I DO NOT LIKE HILLS!  We don't really have hills in Alabama, and the hills killed me.  The first day we did the run in 32 minutes.  We skipped the next day, and then tried to go Thursday, but my shin was killing me (on my left foot), and I overcompensated by turned my foot a little bit.  So when I go to 1.5 miles, I stopped and let Kels go on without me.  I walked fast, and I still made the 3 miles in 38 minutes, so not bad.  Then I came back to Ali's house, and iced my leg.  I think running is out for two weeks, so I can try to heal it. In the meantime, I'm going to go to taekwondo, work on my strength training and walk.  I'm disappointed, because I was really getting to the point where longer distances were becoming much easier for me.  I'm still going to run the 5K in April.  I just need to let my leg rest, and then hopefully hit the ground running again (pun intended). 

We had an absolutely amazing time in Nashville though.  The twins have grown by leaps and bounds, and they filled the weekend with their smiles and laughter.  The ballerina birthday party was fantastic.  The little girls were so cute in their tutus. 

Number Two and I were able to escape one day and go to the movies.  We saw "Escape from Planet Earth," which was actually better than I expected it to be.  Kels and I took the little ones down to Vanderbilt on a freezing cold day and then we ate SATCO, which Number Two refused to eat because he was obsessing about Subway.  Big Daddy ended up taking him to Subway when we got back to Ali's house.  It was nice being with my sisters and my Mom and Dad, despite the fact that all the kids were just loud and noisy most of the time!  We missed my brother though.  It would have been nice to have EVERYONE all together. 

Darling Daughter and my sister's daughter get along splendidly.  I can't even believe how well they share and how sweet they are to each other.  My Dad described Number Two and my sister's oldest son as a pack of wolves!  I think that was a great description!

Hit the Road

I'm leaving for Nashville in about three hours with the Littles.  I was going to run this morning, but it is FREEZING cold. Yes, I'm making excuses.  Plus, I haven't packed yet.  I'm always procrastinating packing and cleaning.  Those are the two things I can't stop procrastinating about! 

I'm excited to go to Nashville and spend time with my sisters and my Mom (and my Dad too).  I can't wait to see how much the twins have grown and see my other niece and nephew.  My niece is having a ballerina party today, and I can't wait to see all the little girls in their tutus!

I'm also glad this is my last trip in the forseeable future.  I've been traveling too much lately, with meet season, and seeing the twins, and I'm ready to spend some weekends at home: resting and writing and spending time with the family.  I've always liked traveling, but there is a limit to how much I like it!

The coffee is still brewing, and I'm in bad need of it.  I had a major allergy attack last night, right before I tested for my brown belt.  My nose was running, my eyes were watering, and I was sneezing. 

Speaking of testing: it went really well!  I was nervous about my form for some reason.  Maybe it's because it has a ton of spins.  It is an easy, quick form, but I couldn't remember the name of it last night.  I know it now: Do San! 

At lunch yesterday, I went to the park and ran.  I did 1.90 miles in 20 minutes.  It was a beautiful day-no clouds in the sky and 67 degrees, and I like how the trail there has some small hills.  I need to really work on hill running, because I find it so hard.  I think it's because Montgomery is mostly flat. 

When I get home from Nashville next week, I'm going to work on revisions on my novel.  Plus, I am about 50 pages into my 2nd novel, and I need to keep writing it so I don't lose connection to my characters.  This will take up a lot of my free time, and I may not have as much time to blog. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

There's nothing like the love of a child for his parents:

Weight Loss Tips # 15: Move It to Lose It

These photos are from February 2012.  Time for some new TKD pictures!

I've had a hard weight loss week month.  We have been traveling a lot with Number One's team.  I've been doing a lot of sitting and not as much moving.  This week and last week, I've tried to incorporate exercise and eating right back into my life.  It's hard when you fall off the wagon to get back on, but adding the exercise back in really is a HUGE step for me and usually all the other positive choices follow.

This week, I ran on Saturday then it rained for three days and is still raining, so I didn't run again, BUT I went to Taekwondo on Monday and Tuesday.  My arms sort of feel like they're going to fall off, because our instructor has been push-up happy this week (and crab walk happy, which apparently takes a lot of arm and shoulder strength and makes me feel like I've returned to 1st Grade). 

Does exercise really help you lose weight?  My answer is YES.  Studies vary.  BUT...one thing about exercise is it will make you feel so much better.  You will feel fit, and you will start feeling good about yourself and what you can achieve, and this can help you make other positive changes in your life.  Exercise can help speed up your metabolism.  Exercise can burn off calories.  Also, recently I read those who exercise regularly have an easier time of burning off extra calories when they overeat!

The key to losing weight is using up more energy than you store.  If you add a regular exercise routine to your day, then it's likely with a few diet changes too, that you will start losing weight.  The diet changes are important.  You can't exercise and keep overeating.  You have to overhaul it all, but you can always start with one change and slowly add the others.

In the winter, a lot of people complain they can't exercise, but there are TONS of indoor exercises.  Here's a list:

• TAEKWONDO: Of course it had to be first on the list, because it's my favorite. 

• RUNNING: On a treadmill.  I don't like this, so it wouldn't be my first choice. I love running outside.





I'm not doing such a good job blocking here!

• WALKING: On a treadmill.

• EXERCISE VIDEOS: Jillian makes a great one, even though you tend to hate her by the end of it, and when she says, "This is only 30 minutes, so you don't get a break." 

• DANCE: Zumba, Latin Craze, Ballroom Dancing, Ballet--Whatever your cup of tea is, dance is a great way and a FUN way to exercise.

• INDOOR SOCCER: Soccer involves a lot of running, and it's a great way to burn calories.

 

• GYM: Go to the gym!  Hope on the Elliptical, use the weight machines, the treadmill.  If you have a good local gym, then sign up. There are some inexpensive gyms out there, without the frills.  Try one today!

• FENCING: I don't really know anything about fencing (but my niece does).  I hear it's great exercise.

• INDOOR TENNIS: I don't know if we have any facilities here, but when Hubby and I were living in Maryland there was a great indoor tennis facility.  We used to play USTA doubles there.  So much fun!

• BOXING

• EXERCISE BIKE

• MARTIAL ARTS (of any kind)

• PILATES

• YOGA

This is obviously not an all inclusive list, but it may help you to see this and be aware of all the choices you have in being able to exercise indoors this winter. 

 

THE MORE YOU MOVE, THE MORE YOU LOSE!!!

 

CHECK OUT LAST WEEK'S EDITION

 

 

 

 

Procrastination

I am tired today.  So tired.  My allergies are acting up, and Alabama has been a pit of rain for two, going on three days.  I stumbled down to my coffee, sat down, put on my ear buds and Pandora, and opened up Facebook.  It took me almost all the way through Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to realize that my Pandora was on the kid's Lullaby station.  Wow. My mind at work. 

I have always been a procrastinator.  I've always been one of those people who'd rather do one thing over another, putting off the "other" thing eternally because I just don't want to do it.  I am still that way, because procrastination goes hand in hand with perfectionism, and I'm that too: a perfectionist.

Every day there is something I put off: making dinner, signing papers, CLEANING, a project at work, Yearbook: any number of things.  Procrastination doesn't help though: it makes it worse.  When you procrastinate, and it is something that absolutely has to be done, you end up rushing and this leads to stress and anxiety.  I used to think that I worked best under a close deadline, but as I've gotten older I've realized if I plot my time out, and I have enough time to do what I need to get done then I feel better about the accomplishment.

I still procrastinate CLEANING.  A part of my brain says, "Why bother doing that?  Those kids who live with you are just going to mess it up again."  A part of my brain says, "Why can't we just hire a maid?"  Excuses to not do what I'm supposed to be doing.  There is a reason inside for every single thing you procrastinate.  You just have to explore that reason, find out what it is, and then address the issue. 

I know what it is about cleaning that bothers me.  It makes me feel obsessive compulsive.  Once I start, I have a hard time stopping.  I want it to be PERFECT (and we all know there is no such thing as perfect).  I don't like the way it feels while I'm doing it, but I do like the outcome.  Because of this, an unfair burden of housework falls on my husband.  Plus, I am ALWAYS procrastinating doing the housework, but he makes a list daily and generally crosses items off his list.  These are his daily goals, and they keep the house clean, the kids fed and dressed, and the household moving forward.  As he says, "Well, someone has to do it," and by that he means, "It sure as hell isn't going to be you!"

I've learned this year how to stop procrastinating (a little bit, and obviously not in the cleaning arena yet).  Routine helps procrastination end.  I don't procrastinate writing anymore, because my routine calls for me to work on my novel from 5:30 AM to 6:15 AM every morning.  I don't procrastinate at work, because I don't have time to put anything off.  Mostly, it's just an at home thing now.

It's something I'll probably need to work on the rest of my life, but not now: I think I'll read right now, or write, maybe play a game on the computer, or watch television...

Random Rambles

There's this amazing thunderstorm going on right now.  All of the North is buried in 2-3 feet of snow, and we had mild weather this weekend.  We took the kids to ASF (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), and we ran around in tee-shirts. 

Yesterday evening the cold front came in and overnight the thunder was loud, theatrical almost in its booming.  I was surprised when I woke up, and we still had electricity.  I truly love underground power lines. 

I'm listening to Jamiroquai, and it's reminding me of the time that Phil and I went to see them at Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  I didn't even know who Jamiroquai was then.  It's funny how you can listen to a song, and it can take you back to a moment, standing there dancing and loving the beat.  Thinking you'll be young forever: stuck in a moment. 

I have to work on finishing up the collages for the 2nd Grade Yearbook.  This is actually something I like to do, using my creativity to format it and making memories.  Plus, when you're doing the Yearbook, you get to make sure your child is well represented! One of the pluses!

This post is just a ramble.  I need to work on my novel, and I'm procrastinating.  I dreamt about my character last night.  There she was standing larger than life in my dreams, as if she really exists outside of my mind.  What a strange feeling, to create something, and then see it vividly. 

I told Hubby the other day that it's funny, because I create these whole little worlds in my head, then other people read it and they "see" it differently than I do.  Their imagination fills in the extraneous details that mine already did without the "telling."  That's one of the things I like about writing: sharing the creativity. 

Disappointment

Yesterday was the day.  The letter came in the mail.  The letter from the magnet program, telling me whether or not Number Two would go there. You can probably tell from the title of this post, that he did not get in.  I'm disappointed, but I know he will do fine at the public school near our house. 

I do worry about him. He has an April birthday, so he won't be 5 until then.  Number One was almost six when he started Kindergarten.  I guess we'll just play it by ear next year, see how K goes, and then decide after K what to do.  I really do love the public elementary near our house.  I just worry about middle and high.

Number Two's a lot like me.  He is laid back.  He's super imaginative.  He can play for hours with his Ninjago guys or in the play kitchen.  He makes up stories.  He has a wonderful sense of humor.  I just hope he didn't get my lack of motivation, but it seems like he did.  My lack of motivation plagued me for years. 

When I was young, I didn't understand why I couldn't pull off all As like my older sister.  I'm thinking now, it probably had something to do with the fact that she actually studied, while I barely cracked a book.  I was absorbed in my own little world, and I see that in Number Two also. 

It's not necessarily a bad thing, but we live in an age and time where schools don't reward imagination.  Schools have less and less play time, less and less music time, less recess, less art and MORE tests.  Tests, Tests, Tests.  Our kids will be good at following the rules and taking tests, but will they be able to creatively solve a problem and think outside of the box?  I think Number Two will be able to because those are his natural abilities.  He'll just need to find a purpose and a goal, and afterall that took me 33 years to realize.  He still has some time at 4. 

Completed: One Virtual Run for Sherry

This morning I did the Virtual Run for Sherry.  I wrote about the virtual run for Sherry a few days ago. 
 
Here I am before the run, in the nice warmth of my car:

 

I forgot to print the bib from the site, so I didn't actually wear it while running.  I ran in New Park, and there were a ton of runners out this morning!  The weather was a balmy 34 degrees, and I forgot my clothes (that would have been hilarious, but I actually forgot my gloves!!!).  My hands warmed up rather quickly though so it wasn't a problem!

 

And--I completed my first 5K, even though it wasn't an organized race.  I ran 3.2 miles in 32.58 minutes!  So proud of this huge accomplishment, and I'm glad I did it for a cause.  I kept thinking about running for Sherry every time I wanted to stop, and it kept me going. 

 

Did you run for Sherry?  If so, post your stats in the comments section!!! 

 

 

Lego Wars

Legos are the thing in my family: specifically Ninjago Legos.  Both my boys LOVE Legos.  They love Ninjago, and they want to collect every single little Ninjago guy that exists.  Let me tell you: Lego is making a KILLING off of parents like me. 

They have the right plan: put the tiny guy (which is really the only thing your kid wants) in a set of Legos that cost between $20 - $200 and the profits will come pouring in.  I think the only place you can actually buy a figure is on Amazon.com.  They certainly do not carry them in Toys R Us or Target.  I haven't checked Kazoo Toys, though I am dying to get into that store and check it out, as everyone around has said it's awesome.  I seriously wish I had created Lego, or the idea of it anyway.  What a great money making scheme. 

These little Legos cause wars in my family though. 


My normally adorable sons...

start to become monsters,

artwork found on Google.

fighting over whether they have the red Ninjago or the blue one.  I still don't know all their names, which is crazy, because the show is on in my house every.single.night.  Somehow they know which little golden sword or weapon goes with each little figurine they have.  They both have multiple red guys, but they know EXACTLY which one is theirs, and with Ninjago THERE WILL BE NO SHARING! 

I wonder if Lego knows how many wars they've started in my household.  Also, I wonder if they know how much money they've taken out of my pocketbook.  I think our family has single-handedly funded them this year.

That is all!

Weight Loss Tips #14: Get Back on the Horse

I have bad luck with horses.  When I was about four or five years old, my family went to my Dad's nurses' house.  She had a lot of horses.  I wanted to ride one! Judy's husband Doug put me on a big horse, bare back, and the horse took off: bucking across the little ring they had put us in. 
 
I held onto the mane for dear life, and when Doug was able to stop the horse and pull me off I said, "Can I ride again?"   I did ride again, but the next time I was safely in a saddle with Doug sitting behind me.  My Dad used to tell this story to everyone, "Let me tell you about the time Lauren rode the bucking bronco and wanted to go again..." 

Then at 15, my Dad decided we all needed to take horseback riding lessons, because he was going to a Dude Ranch with some friends.  He signed us up, and we began taking lessons at some horse farm off of the Northern Bypass.  Things went swell at first, until one fateful day.  Dad and I were riding near each other, and I took my horse up towards Dad, sidling up too close. His horse apparently had a grudge against my horse, and the horse kicked me HARD.  My horse took off with me clinging tight, at a full gallop.  I held on, and I was eventually able to corral him back to the barn. 

Tears were streaming down my face as Mom and Dad helped me off the horse.  I couldn't place any weight on my right leg.  They took the boot off and my sock was completely drenched in blood.  I had a puncture wound on my right leg from where the horse kicked me.  Dad and Mom took me to the hospital, and Dad sewed me up.  Luckily the leg was not broken!  The scar is still there today.
 
And I even decided to go horseback riding after that happened!  I just waited awhile to face my fears again.
 
So what's the point of this blog, you may be asking yourself?  Persistence, facing your fears, and getting back up when you've fallen down.  These are all traits that can help you succeed in weight loss and any other endeavor you might wish to undertake in life. 
 


Bucking Bronco, Frederic Remington, 1908

If you are struggling to lose weight and you've had a bad week eating everything under the sun (kind of like my weekend in Panama City Beach), then just start over.  Throw that week away in your head, and get back on the horse, even if you're afraid, just do it.  You'll be happy you did, and you'll be healthier in the end. 
 
Most of the time the only person holding you back is yourself.  As a child, I could have been scared to death of horses, but I wasn't.  I faced my fears, I was persistent, and I always got back on.  This is what it takes to lose weight.  It takes looking one bad day or one bad week in the eyes and saying, "I'm going to start over.  I'm not going to let that destroy me. I'm not going to let my fear of change drive my health or my eating habits."  Positive self talk, and the ability to know that if you've failed once you can always try again. 
 
Many people eat out of fear, out of emotion, out of a desire to fill some void inside them.  Simply because eating is emotional, these people are afraid to face their demons and change their habits.  Change your habits, face your fears, get back on the horse.  You'll be happy you did it!

 See Last Week's Edition-->Right Here!

 

Just Write

I set a date (in my head), in order to start my revisions on my first draft.  I'm still trying to come up with an appropriate title for the work.  My original title, "What Could Be," does not really fit with the outcome of the book. 

I'm at the point where I want to pull it up and really dig into itwork on it: correcting grammar, fixing mess-ups, and just doing a total revision, but I'm holding off for a few more weeks.  I'm setting the day of the 24th, after my trip to Nashville, and when meet season is (almost) over; when I can actually concentrate on revising the way it needs to be done.

Then, I need to dig further into Writer's Market for possible agents.  Actually, my goal is to do that over the next few weeks: research agents, find agents that will accept unsolicited works, read up on query letters, and formulate a query letter.  Yes, this is like having a second job.  There simply are not enough hours in the day for me to do everything I NEED to do. 

I'm also hard at work on my next piece. I've already written 15,000 words, and I'm just getting started.  This work is different from my first finished work, and I'm going to have to dedicate some serious hours to research and reading, that I simply don't have time for this month.  Did I mention I also have my nose stuck in a 700 page book right now? Underworld by Don Delillo.  I'll probably owe the library $10 by the time I finish it, because I keep forgetting to renew it.  There's no excuse for that either, because I can renew on line: pure laziness on my part! I need to finish it so I can look into the list of history books my friend Scout provided me.  It pays to have a history professor as your friend! 

This second piece is sticking with me more than the first. Sometimes I pull up "What Could Be," and I marvel at the fact that I actually wrote it.  I remember writing it, but it almost seems I was outside of myself when I did it.  I know that it all came from me though, my subconscious, my thoughts, but it just seems so surreal that I put all that down on paper.  I don't feel the same with the second work.  I feel more connected to it.  Maybe because I finished the first work, I'm feeling more confident in the second one. 

Winter on the Beach

This weekend, we all hopped in the car and went down to Panama City Beach for the Winter on the Beach gymnastics' meet.  Originally, only Number One and I were going to go, but I convinced Hubby it would be a fun family trip, and we all went. 

So what did we do there?  We ate A LOT.  We spent A LOT of money.  We had a FANTASTIC time. 

We arrived around noon on Saturday, and we ate at Back Porch at Pier Park.  Panama City has grown up a lot since I last visited.  The last time I went was in college, so you know I wasn't so interested in the touristy aspect of the city.  In fact, I don't remember much of that trip and that parts I do remember are too wild to be shared! 

After lunch, the kids wanted to go down to the beach.  We took a detour and paid $9 to walk down a pier first.  Everything cost in Panama City Beach.  Everything is some what of a rip-off.  Once you realize that, you just pay and don't worry about it (until you get home and realize how much money you've spent!). 

Then we went down to the beach, and the kids just could not help themselves.  They ran right into the water, even though the outside temperature was 60 degrees, and the water was freezing!

 

 

 

 

 

After our romp on the beach, the kids were frozen solid.  We stripped them at the car, and we put them in their bathing suits (yes, would have been a good idea to have in our bag to begin with!), and then checked into the hotel. 

 

We all wanted to take a nap, and I did not feel well from eating fried pickles at lunch!  (That will teach me to eat fried food!).  The kids were slap happy though and too excited to sleep, so Hubby took them to the playground and let me sleep.  So nice of him! 

 

That night, we went to dinner at Reggae J's.  I had a great grilled shrimp salad, and the service was impeccable.  Actually, the service at every restaurant we went to was great.  Montgomery waiters/waitresses could learn a few things from their peers in PCB, Florida.

 

 

 

After dinner, we stopped by Kilwin's, a wonderful chocolate shop at Pier Park.  We ran into Cara, who used to work at the kid's daycare!  She works and lives in Panama City now, and it was a wonderful surprise to see her.  We all had homemade ice cream, and I marveled at the chocolate high heels that Cara's boss makes:

 

 

 

 

 

After that, we all hit the hay.  We're such night owls!  The lights were out in the hotel by 8:30!!!

 

The next day we woke up early and had breakfast in the hotel, then Number One and I headed out to his meet.  Hubby took the other two to the playground to enjoy some time with them (there's no way they would sit through the meet!).  Number One did okay.  He came in 8th All Around.

 

 

 

His scores of the day were as follows:

 

Floor: 6.6 (usually his best or second best event, but he went out of bounds) -- No Place

Pommel: 6.7 (messed up on mushroom) - No Place

Rings: 9.9 -- Best Event of the Day.  Came in 4th.

Vault: 8.0 -- We'll take this after last meet. His form looked great.  7th Place.

P-Bars: 8.9 -- 7th Place

H-Bars: 8.7 -- 7th Place -- Coach Ken said something about him not being as polished on H-Bars this time.

 

I told Number One he needs to really work on pommel and H-Bars, and he said, "No, I need to work on Rings.  It's my favorite!"  So funny! The boy knows what he likes, and he excels at what he likes!

 

 

 

After the meet, we met up with Hubby again and enjoyed lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings.  Yum!  Then the kids and I went walking around (because they were restless), and we stopped in a t-shirt shop where I spent a fortune on crappy t-shirts, because the guy talked me into it.  Hubby says I am a sucker, and he is right!!! 

 

Then we said goodbye to the beach, and by this time all the kids were exhausted, especially Darling Daughter, who hitched a ride on Hubby's shoulders, and I took these priceless photos of her!

 



 

 





 

Goodbye Panama City Beach!  We had a great time!!!



Virtual Run for Sherry

I know I said I wasn't blogging this weekend, but I lied.  I'm waiting until the sun comes up so I can go for my run, and I wanted to post quickly about this virtual run for Sherry.

One of my "virtual" friends, who has been in my life for NINE years now (I'll have to tell that story another time), posted on her blog about a virtual run.  Of course, I was intrigued, since I had to cancel my 10k.  

The virtual run for Sherry is held on February 9, 2013 this year.  Check out the webpage that tells you why you may want to run for Sherry: Shut Up + Run: 2nd Annual Virtual Run for Sherry. 

If you choose to run this virtual run, please post in comments how many miles and how long you ran! 

Random Rambles

I've been slacking in the running department this week.  Yesterday, I swore I would wake up today (Friday) and go for a run, and I didn't.  Last time I ran I had a horrible shin splint, and I thought I would just rest it.  Well, I haven't run since last weekend.  It's not like I haven't been active though.  I went to Taekwondo on Monday and Tuesday and then kisado on Wednesday.  I skipped yesterday and went out to Mexican with the family instead. 

I know that with running, I really need to keep it up for my mileage.  I was disappointed this week though.  I had intentions of signing up for the Shamrock Shuffle.  I even blogged about it: Right Here.  Well, I double booked.  I can't run that day, because Number One's State Meet for gymnastics is that day in Birmingham.  It's more important for me to support Number One than to go run a 10K.  I think the disappointment led to me making excuses about why I couldn't run this week.  I just need to get myself back out there.  No excuses, right? 

Darling Daughter woke up early this morning too, at 4:45.  Right now she's parked in front of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse playing with her beads and her Mardi Gras money.  I told her if she wakes up that early she needs to be quiet so I can write.  I have my headphones on, and I'm listening to "Skinny Love," by Bon Iver over and over again.  I love this song.  There's something about his voice and the pure emotion that emanates from the song that makes me want to listen to this song over and over again.  The loss of love, something turning out the opposite way of what you expected, everyone in the world has had those feelings before.  I can relate.

Anyway, I totally digressed and this blog is just one big ramble so I'll just keep going with it. Yesterday I tried some of Darling Daughter's summer clothes on her.  I went a little crazy buying for her this year, because I haven't bought clothes for her in about a year (or just a few clothes to fill in where we didn't have hand-me-downs).  Hubby took this fantastic photo of Darling Daughter and me last night, and I just love it.  I never realized how much she and I look alike, but we totally do.  Two peas in a pod.  My sidekick.  My shadow.  I love this girl so much.

I think I'm going to end my reckless ramblings and go work on my novel for an hour before it's time to get ready for work, and make it through Friday.  I won't be blogging this weekend, because Number One has another meet, and we'll be out town.  A Florida meet, so the competition will be even harder than Georgia.