there's a salamander in my slipper!

some more photos!

2010-04-22T18:42:00.001-05:00

Here are a few more photos from the month of April, including pics from Easter Sunday. To see them, click here!

photos from january-march 2010

2010-03-29T09:32:00.001-05:00

I have created a new photo album on Facebook with pictures from the first quarter of 2010, including my new haircut, Nick's birthday, etc. To see the album, even if you don't have a Facebook account, click here!

my poor baby

2010-02-10T12:14:00.003-06:00

To bring you up to speed if you don't know what's been going on, Nick has been pretty sick. He threw up several times on Saturday. He seemed much better on Sunday, but on Sunday night, he threw up in bed, with blood in the vomit. He also had a swollen eyelid and a rash on his face. We took him to the ER, and the doc there didn't really know what was wrong. He gave Nick Benadryl and Prednisone (thinking maybe allergic reaction) and an antibiotic cream for the rash (thinking maybe impetigo). While he was in the ER, Nick's "rash" spread rapidly, covering his forehead, between his eyes, and his nose, with some on his cheeks and chin. I felt really uneasy about his vague "diagnosis", and hated giving him the meds, not really knowing if he needed them or what was really wrong.

Yesterday, he had a follow-up appointment with a pediatrician (loved her!), and her best guess is that Nick has Henoch-Schoenlein purpura. This is pretty rare, and is a type of vasculitis (an inflammation of the blood vessels) thought to be caused by a faulty response of the immune system that can be triggered by any number of things - the trigger is often unknown. In Nick's case, it's possible that what he had on Saturday was just a stomach bug, and that triggered the later episode. Or, maybe the vomiting Saturday was part of the HSP. We just don't know. Anyway, the immune system ostensibly freaks out and causes small blood vessels in the skin to bleed, causing the purpura on the skin - Nick's "rash." The one thing about his case that is somewhat odd is that his purpura are on his face. Normally, they present on the lower body, but the doc said that facial presentation isn't unheard of. It can also cause bleeding of small vessels in the GI tract and the kidneys - this explains his bloody vomit; he obviously had a "bleed" in his stomach.

His case seems relatively mild; the doc is not 100% sure that's what it is, but she's pretty positive. It's the only thing that explains all of his symptoms, it's most common in children, and it's twice as common in boys as in girls. It's somewhat scary, because if bleeding occurs in the kidneys, it can cause kidney damage, and in rare cases, lead to kidney failure. After his appointment, Nick had to have blood drawn (That was a complete nightmare - he totally freaked out!) and have a urinalysis done. Luckily, these tests were all normal. They have to be repeated in 3 months and again in 6 months to make sure he's OK, because the kidney damage can appear later. But given the relative mildness of his case and the fact that these tests were fine, the doctor is quite confident that his kidneys won't be affected.

Apparently, this can last for up to 6 weeks, and it's possible that more purpura will appear on Nick's body. We also have to keep a close eye on his urine and stool for signs of blood. I have also learned that in the future, if he gets sick or his immune system gets "triggered" some other way, he could suffer a recurrence of HSP. I really hope that doesn't happen!

He's doing pretty well today. He's still tired and not 100%, but his purpura seem to be improving, and he has no other symptoms. So, he's back at school, and the nurse is keeping an eye on him.

If you're interested in reading more about this, here's a really good link:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/henoch-schonlein-purpura/DS00838

personal snow day

2010-01-29T09:16:00.002-06:00

Well, school isn't cancelled today, but I elected to keep Nick (and myself) at home. Brian isn't here to help me, so I really don't want to take any chances. That hill out of our neighborhood is just too iffy. Sigh. So, here Nick and I are, having a lazy morning. So far, it's been pretty nice, actually - we cuddled a bit, and I made him a special "snowfast", with a waffle with syrup and cereal with milk. (Usually on a school day, he eats his cereal dry.) It was nice not to have to nag him to hurry up and eat for once! :)

The falling snow is quite pretty. There's not much on the ground yet, but it's still falling, and it doesn't take much to make the roads slick. Later today, Nick and I will bundle up and hike to the mailboxes (they're at the entrance to the 'hood) to get our mail. I am bummed that my Dad won't be visiting, and I'm especially bummed that I won't be able to work out today. I have to miss Pilates class tomorrow, too. Even if I could get there, there's no childcare at the gym on Saturday mornings, and Brian will still be gone. :(

I did lose a pound this week, so I know I should be pleased and feel like I'm moving in the right direction. I'm just feeling kind of down about it, though, because I measured myself this morning and found that I have actually regained an inch in my waist, hips, and each thigh. And anyone who knows me knows that I hate the generous girth of my thighs, so even an inch back on them is pretty depressing for me. I think that taking my measurements was a reality check. I mean, it's one thing to see one's weight creep up a little on the scale, but to ascertain that one is actually physically larger is sort of a slap in the face. I know that an inch isn't much, but I just always feel like it's a slippery slope and that I'm *this close* to losing control of the whole shebang. It's hard to accept that I have to be so vigilant and careful to keep the weight off, but apparently, that's my fate. Why can't I be one of those waifs who couldn't gain weight if she tried? :)

Hope everyone has a nice day and stays warm and safe!

so far, so good!

2010-01-25T11:00:00.002-06:00

Well, so far I've been managing to do quite well with my eating. I've stayed right around 1600 calories each day, and have actually been slightly exceeding my goals of 30 g fiber and 70 g protein. Yay! It's tough, though - my stomach was not used to being limited to 1600 calories/day, so it's going through an adjustment period, and I've had to deal with hunger a few times. :( Hopefully, that will get better over the next week or so.

Over the past two weeks, I've managed to work out 6 days one week and 5 the next, which isn't bad at all! I know I need to step up my cardio, though, because I'm simply not getting enough of that. Blech! I hate doing cardio! :) Weights, I could do all day (well, until my muscles fail, anyway).

Here's a shout-out to my Patty-friend, who is also doing the whole calorie-counting, working out thing. You go, girl! I know you can do it, and I'm supporting you from afar. Keep up the good work!

another zinger from nick

2010-01-23T08:09:00.001-06:00

This morning, Nick came into my bedroom and pulled the covers off of me. I sleep in only a pair of underwear, so my hands quickly flew to my chest area, whereupon Nick said "Yeah - thanks for covering those up."

a big, fat post about food

2010-01-22T12:55:00.006-06:00

Hey, all! I know, I know - so far, I really haven't been making good on my goal of posting more often in 2010. Sorry! Hopefully, this post will redeem me a little bit. :)

So, over the past few months, I've been struggling with an extra few pounds. Now, don't get me wrong - I realize that a few pounds is really no big deal, and that I shouldn't complain. So, I'm not complaining! I'm simply going to do something about it. I would like to weigh about 5 pounds less than I do now. It might seem like a small difference, but I just know that I was satisfied with my weight when it was 5 pounds less, and now, I'm a smidgen dissatisfied. So, I'm finally going to do something about it. That something is comprised of continuing to work out most days of the week and limiting myself to 1600 calories most days of the week. Measuring food and counting calories works, but it happens to be a pain in the bohunkus, which is why I have resisted doing it again for some time. I have finally decided to just put on my big girl panties and deal with it, though, and today marks the first day of counting calories again.

On several occasions, people have asked me about what kinds of foods I eat and in what proportions. It seems like once you lose 60+ pounds, your eating habits develop a certain cache and become quite the object of intrigue! I will be the first to admit that my diet is not at all perfect - for one thing, I eat alarmingly few veggies. I would like to think that I make up for that somewhat by eating a lot of fruit and taking a multivitamin. :) Also, I don't really cook, and rely on a lot of convenience food. I'll just come right out and say that some of the food I buy and eat is downright exorbitant. I realize that this won't work for some people, who either can't or don't want to spend that kind of money on food. I came to the conclusion long ago, though, that while I'm VERY frugal in lots of areas, food is just one area where I am willing to splurge. If I will end up throwing away the whole grapefruit but will suck down the expensive jar of grapefruit sections, then to me, it's worth every penny to buy the jar. What it all boils down to is that I know myself, and I know that I'm sort of lazy when it comes to preparing food. I have made peace with that, and instead of constantly struggling to change it, I have just given in. If there is a convenience food that will make it more likely for me to eat a certain food group or get certain nutrients, then I'm going for it!

Other than maximum convenience, here are some things that I look for when grocery shopping: With very few exceptions, I buy only whole grain products. The only time I buy non-whole grain is when I can't find a whole grain version (For example, I can't find any whole wheat pretzels around here!). I always buy skim milk and low-fat cheeses, yogurts, and ice creams. When I buy meat, it's always lean, such as 93% lean ground beef. And when buying prepared/convenience foods, I always compare labels to try to get the lowest level of sodium, fat, and sugar that I can find and the highest level of protein and fiber. Yes, I do fork over for low-sodium and no-salt-added products. It's just another one of those areas where I am willing to spend the money. Interestingly, I am NOT willing to spend the extra money on organics, although that day may come. I do my very best to avoid products with high fructose corn syrup and/or hydrogenated oil, and in general, I try to buy products with the shortest, simplest lists of ingredients.

In my current weight-loss quest, I am limiting myself to 1600 calories a day. No one should ever go below 1200 calories a day, and even that amount would be hard to maintain. I am not, at this point, worrying too much about keeping track of sugar, fat, or sodium - I buy foods with lesser amounts of these to begin with, and I know that unless I eat out, I am staying more or less within healthy limits of these with the foods I keep in my kitchen. I AM keeping track of fiber and protein, because these are two hugely important factors in having enough energy, feeling fuller for longer, and staying regular. I am shooting for 30 g of fiber and 70 g of protein each day.

I thought that it might be neat if I actually posted the foods I'm eating today for everyone to see. This will definitely not be a daily thing, as that would be too time-consuming. but I might do it every so often, just to offer up a "slice of life" picture of my eating habits. So far, I have had breakfast, a snack, and lunch, which have totaled 1000 calories. Notice that I eat the majority of my calories by early afternoon. I've said it a million times, and I'll say it again here - you've got to eat a good breakfast!!! So many women I know don't have breakfast or have a tiny, piddling one - this is not good! It's imperative to have a well-rounded breakfast rich in carbs, protein, and fiber to stoke your metabolism for the day and give you energy. My breakfast comes in at about 450 calories, which really surprises some people. But, you'd be amazed at how much better you'll feel if you'll eat a big (healthy) breakfast and shift more of your calories to earlier in the day.

Without any further ado, I'll stop rambling and get to the actual food log:

Breakfast:
1 cup Cheerios w/ 1/2 cup skim milk and a small banana (This combo is a powerhouse of fiber, protein, calcium, whole grain, and potassium.)
1 Thomas' 100% whole wheat mini-bagel w/ 1/2 Tbsp. Promise activ margarine (This margarine is one of those very expensive foods I buy. I like it because it has plant sterols, which help control cholesterol. It also has no trans fats and is very low-calorie.)
a cup of instant coffee with 3 tsp. of flavored Coffee-Mate powdered creamer and 1 heaping tsp. of Metamucil Clear & Natural fiber supplement (adds 5g fiber to my morning!)
1 multivitamin, 1 1000-mg fish oil capsule, and 1 400-IU vitamin D supplement

This breakfast was 450 calories and had 13.5 g of fiber and 13 g of protein, for a very good start!

Snack:
1/2 cup Fage Total 2% Greek yogurt (This is packed with protein!! Some people eat the 0% fat-free version of this yogurt, but I don't like the taste, and I like a little fat in my snack - some fat is needed to help the body absorb other nutrients and to promote satiety. Warning - this yogurt is also very expensive.)
1/2 cup frozen peach slices
1/8 cup Trader Joe's High Fiber Cereal sprinkled on top (This adds a little fiber and crunch to the "parfait". One could also use Fiber One cereal or something similar.)

This snack was 120 calories and had 3 g of fiber and 10.5 g of protein!

Lunch:
2 slices Nature's Own Double Fiber Wheat bread (whole grain with omega-3s and only 50 calories and 5 g of fiber per slice!) with 1 pouch Starkist Sandwich-Ready Tuna Salad (another convenience food that I'm willing to fork over for, and packed with protein and omega-3s!)
1 serving Snyders of Hanover mini-pretzels (20 pretzels)
1/2 cup Del Monte Sunfresh red grapefruit (This is that expensive jarred grapefruit I mentioned earlier.)
1 Sargento reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese stick (only 60 calories and packed with protein and calcium)
1 calcium supplement with 600 mgs calcium and 400 IU vitamin D

This lunch was 430 calories and had 11 g of fiber and 28 g of protein!

ADDENDUM:
Sometimes I like to sort of split dinner up and have a couple of mini-dinners, spaced apart, so that I don't get too hungry in the late afternoon and evening.

First Mini-Dinner:
6 slices Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh shaved chicken breast (high in lean protein for satiety; unfortunately somewhat high in sodium, but it's a convenient, yummy way to get some protein, so I overlook the sodium in this case)
1/3 cup Coco Wheats hot cereal with 1/2 cup skim milk (the cereal is high in protein and iron, and has no sugar or sodium!)
1 fish oil capsule, 1 calcium supplement, and 1 vitamin D supplement

This mini-dinner had 285 calories, 1 g of fiber and 19 g of protein.

So far, I'm up to 1285 calories, 28.5 g of fiber, and 70.5 g of protein. I've basically hit my fiber and protein goals for the day, and I have about 300 calories left, so I shouldn't be going to bed hungry tonight - whoo hoo!

I'll wrap this up later after I've eaten the last of my calories for the day...

ADDENDUM:
Here's my final info:

Second Mini-Dinner:
1 cup Cheerios with 1/2 cup skim milk and a small banana
2 Dove Promises dark chocolate squares (Dark chocolate, in moderation, is actually good for you!)

This mini-dinner had 320 calories, 6.5 g of fiber, and 8 g of protein.

So, drum-roll please.........here are my final totals for the day.........:
Calories: 1605
Fiber: 35 g
Protein: 78.5 g

Whoo hoo!!!! I didn't end up working out today, which tarnishes my record a bit in my eyes, but I'm still pumped about my success at meeting my food goals. And I'm going to Pilates class tomorrow morning, which will redeem me a bit. :)

So, there you have it - a day in the life of my stomach. Hope it wasn't too boring!

housebound (and a recipe!)

2010-01-08T19:41:00.004-06:00

So, this was day two of being housebound with Nick after our snowfall and with freakishly low temps and wind chills. He has actually been fairly well-behaved, all things considered. More than anything, it's just been so incredibly BORING! Brian has still had to go to work, so it's just been me and Nick, and the days have been L-O-N-G. I have actually not had much to do. I've got domestic stuff fairly under control right now, other than the taking down of Xmas decor, which I'm saving for tomorrow and Sunday. So, I've been doing a lot of sitting around and reading, which is really exhausting! :) Seriously, I can't believe how tired I can feel after a day of doing nothing. It's so counter intuitive.

I feel like a total schlub, because in the past 2 1/2 weeks, here's all the working out I've done: one yoga class, one Pilates class, and one easy kickboxing class. That's it! I had a legitimate excuse (my illness) for part of that time, but not all. My problem is that I have become so dependent on my fitness classes that I have absolutely no motivation to work out by myself, at home. I mean, I have DVDs, weights, a stability ball, a resistance band, an ab roller, a treadmill, and an elliptical, but it's like if I can't get to class, I just can't work out. It's pathetic! I must develop more discipline. Actually, there is one more workout to add to the above list, because when my sculpt class had to be cancelled on Weds. night, I did actually come home and do the class myself, and let me tell you - it was a great upper body workout! My arms are still killing me. And it did feel good to work out, and I was like "Why can't I just do that more often?" Who knows? - the human brain (especially the female brain) is pretty jacked up. :)

I have also been slacking as far as controlling my calorie intake, and I know that all I need to do is to start keeping track and counting my calories again, but knowing that and doing that seem to be separated by a huge, gaping chasm. The upshot of all of this laziness is that I am up about 4-5 pounds from where I would like to be, and I hate that feeling! Yes, I know that 4-5 pounds is just a drop in the bucket, but for someone who used to be very overweight, it feels like it could be the beginning of a slippery slope, ya know? And today when I weighed myself and saw that I had gained another pound, that was just pretty demoralizing. So, what did I decide to do this evening? I decided to bake cookies. Makes sense, doesn't it? Why on Earth would I think that was a good idea? (Well, I never thought it was a good idea - I knew it was a bad idea and did it anyway.) Cookies are my #1 weakness - if they're around, I just can't resist them! I've already had like 6 of them, which is not at all helpful for my current plight. They're so yummy, though! Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Chunk & Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 scant tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 scant tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly spray two cookie sheets. In a large bowl, combine flours, baking soda, oats and salt. Set aside. Melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Add butter mixture, egg, and vanilla to dry mixture and stir until well-combined. Fold in walnuts and chocolate. Spoon by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets and bake for 12 mins. or until lightly browned and dry to the touch. Makes approx. 3 dozen cookies.

If you make these, let me know what you think.

In other news, Nick's reading skills are just blowing my mind! The child can really READ! I can't even wrap my brain around that. It seems like it just sort of happened when I wasn't looking. And when I hear his little voice reading and sounding words out, it just takes my breath right out of my chest. The child is also growing like a weed - all the jeans I bought him this fall are high-waters now, and his sleeves are even a little too short. I just want to freeze him and make him stop growing - not just to save money, but to keep my little boy from growing up. It's wonderful to see him grow and change, but it also hurts.

I think that I might try to spring myself from the 'hood tomorrow and go to Pilates class, and then the rest of the weekend will be devoted to the considerable task of taking down and boxing up my copious Christmas decor. There will be a break for my weekly Walmart trip, of course, and to watch the episodes of Mad Men that I rented.

I'm excited about various things that are coming up in the next month or so: I'm hopefully going to be having a visit from my fabulous cousin, Jessica (she lives in St. Louis), and a visit from Tim, Brian has some sort of surprise date planned for me, and I'm going to be doing some more fitness certification workshops. I'm also going to be renewing my CPR certification, which I'm not exactly excited about, but needs to be done.

Well, that pretty much sums me up for now. I guess I'll finally shut up and post this behemoth! :)

yummo!!!!!!

2010-01-04T18:20:00.003-06:00

I had some leftover ricotta that I needed to use, so I went trolling for recipes on the Kraft website. I found the following recipe and doctored it up a bit (I added the mushrooms, etc.), and it's AMAZING! And so very easy. Let me know if you make it, and how you like it...

Three-Cheese Spinach & Mushroom Pie

1 unbaked refrigerated 9" pie crust
1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 4-oz. can mushroom pieces and stems, drained ("no salt added" is best)
1/4 cup minced onions
1/2 tsp. dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups of your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce, heated

Preheat oven to 350 and place pie crust in a pie pan. (I used glass, and it turned out beautifully.)
Mix all remaining ingredients except spaghetti sauce, and spread in pie crust.
Bake 50-55 mins. or until nicely browned. Let stand 5 mins.
Cut into wedges and serve topped with spaghetti sauce.

latest pics, including christmas!

2010-01-02T15:47:00.002-06:00

I have created a new photo album on Facebook, with 18 new photos from November and December. There are some pretty good ones! To see the entire album, even if you don't have a Facebook account, just click here. Enjoy! Here are three of the photos....

2010: the year of the big change

2010-01-02T12:59:00.002-06:00

No, not menopause. At least, I think the odds of me entering menopause this year are pretty slim. But, if I do, I'll be sure to let you know. :)

No, the big change I'm talking about is that this summer, we will have the biggest upheaval in our lives since Nick arrived. Brian will retire from the Army, he will seek employment in the "civilian world", and we'll buy a house in Springfield. One caveat: if Brian can't find a good job in Springfield, our back-up plan would be for him to seek a government job on post and we would stay in this area a while longer. If that happened, I'm not sure if we would stay in our rental home or buy a house. But, let's just assume that Brian finds a good job and we're able to move to Springfield and buy a house: OH MY GOD. The concept blows my mind on many levels. On the one hand, it's exciting - I'm looking forward to living in Springfield with my family and best friend, and to the many opportunities that the town has to offer. And the thought of owning a home is exciting, too. I'm also excited at the thought of finally living somewhere where virtually everyone I meet does not end up moving away - it gets pretty demoralizing after awhile to make friends who always leave. I mean, I have an address book full of friends, but that's not enough, you know? I love all my far-flung friends, but I need peeps who are actually in the same locale as me. I'm looking forward to having more singing opportunities and more opportunities to further my education, should I decide to do so. I'm also pumped about having a Borders, a Target, and a mall! :)

But, even though this huge change is exciting on many levels, it's also terrifying on just about as many levels. Here, in no particular order, are the ways in which I'm feeling trepidatious about all this:

* I'm going to miss my gym! I seriously doubt that I will find a gym in Springfield that offers such a variety of classes for such a low price. Seriously! Just leaving behind Adrianne's kickboxing class alone makes me feel like I'm going to hyperventilate. I'm also going to miss teaching there, and the students and other instructors that I've come to know and love.

*I'm going to really miss shopping at the commissary - the prices on some things, like milk, are so low that they would knock the socks off of you civilians. For instance, a gallon of skim milk runs about $1.80 there right now.

*I'm going to miss my beloved gyn, Mrs. Hooper. I've been seeing her for 10 years now, minus the year and half we spent in IL, and I love her! We've developed a repoire that it will be very difficult for me to find again. And having a doctor who is not only female but also "gets" me is incredibly important to me. On a lesser level, I also really love my dermatologist here, and will miss him, as well.

*I will miss the incredibly accessible and inexpensive childcare we have here for Nick. I can call anytime and arrange for him to go to the Child Development Center on post for $3.50 an hour, including meals.

*I will miss being closer to St. Louis. When we live in Springfield, we'll be enough further away from it that we'll probably feel much less likely to take jaunts in that direction.

*I'll miss having totally free health care, lab work, and prescriptions. Duh.

*I'll miss my friends here.

*I'll miss Brian's job security. Mind you, I have no doubts about his employability and value as an employee, but let's face it: it could be hard for him to find a job, and even if he finds one, he could always get laid off later. In the Army, that just doesn't happen unless you do something really, really bad.

*I'll miss only paying income tax on part of Brian's pay, and getting a housing allowance.

*Previously, I said that the idea of buying a house is exciting. It's also HORRIFYING! You have to understand that I HATE moving. So, the idea here would be for us to buy our terminal home. That's no pressure or anything. Let's find a home that we'll enjoy living in for the rest of our lives, and that we won't regret later for one reason or another, and while we're at it, let's find all of that in our price range. Eeeeeek! Scares the crap out of me. Not to mention the financial scariness of being homeowners and having to pay for everything ourselves.

*And, believe it or not, on some levels, I'm actually going to miss small-town life. I know, I know! There are some things about it that I hate. But, since I've lived in small towns for the past 10 years, it has kind of grown on me. I like that there's no traffic and that I can get anywhere I need to go in 10-15 minutes, tops. I like how close together everything is - if it's not on one main drag, it's probably on the other. I like the lack of crowds. I gotta admit that when I drive in Springfield these days, it makes me crazy! I know I'll get used to the traffic there once we've lived there for awhile, but right now, I'm just wondering if I'll end up being OK with it. And yeah, there are a lot of neat things to do, but there are also a lot of people doing them. You sort of have to accept the bad with the good, I know.

Now, in summary, I would like to point out that despite all of these "negatives" that I've listed, I still feel like we're doing the right thing. It's just that I've got mixed emotions about it, and I need to sort through them and deal with them. I am excited about living in Springfield again, and I know that we're going to love it. But, it's hard to see an entire way of life come to an end, and to leave the "safety net" of the military. It's something we have to do, though, and I can only hope that things will work out well and that Brian will find a great job and we'll find a great house to buy. Please wish us luck and keep us in your prayers as we face these big changes. I'll keep you posted!...

happy new year, everyone!

2010-01-01T11:05:00.002-06:00

I know, I know - too little, too late. Rest assured, dear readers, that one of my goals for the new year is to actually start posting on my blog regularly again! This is just a short post to wish everyone a happy new year, but I plan to post sometime this weekend and talk about my thoughts and hopes regarding the year to come. Stay tuned for that! In the meantime, you can check out my goals for 2010 and upcoming events in my life, both on the sidebar. I always keep that stuff updated, even if I'm not posting regularly.

spitting nails

2009-12-08T21:19:00.002-06:00

I'm really angry right now, and I know I'm probably overreacting, and I should just let it go, but right now, that's not happening!

Tonight was Brian's last Army Band Christmas concert before he retires from the Army this summer. At one point during the concert, the M.C. started to say something about recognizing a very special member of the band who will be leaving, and I totally thought it was going to be Brian. I was all ready to clap and holler, and then he recognized a soldier who has served in this band for 5 years and will be separating (not retiring, just getting out) from the Army soon. Not a thing was said about my husband! He did not get the recognition he so deserves. He is RETIRING, after having served 20.5 years in the Army and 8 total years in this particular band.

I wouldn't have even given it a thought if nobody had been recognized, but the fact that they recognized this soldier who has far lesser accomplishments than my husband, and then DIDN'T recognize my husband, is just an insulting slap in the face, in my opinion.

I marched up to the commander of the band after the concert and asked him why that happened, and all he could tell me was that it had been an "oversight." Whatever. Not a good enough excuse, in my book. This was Brian's last public concert, and therefore his last chance for such recognition.

I'm just so mad! I know I'll calm down eventually, but right now, I'm spitting nails. (BTW, the concert was very good.)

i'm offline

2009-11-28T11:39:00.001-06:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that my home computer has apparently been infected by a virus, and is out of commission for the time being. :( My Internet access will be spotty until we get it fixed. So, if you need/want to reach me, call! Hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving...

'twas the day before thanksgiving...

2009-11-25T07:58:00.002-06:00

We'll be leaving later today to go to Springfield for Thanksgiving, and I'm really looking forward to being with my family and stuffing my face. :) I can almost taste my sister's sausage stuffing and my awesome pretzel-topped sweet potatoes!

I want to take this opportunity to say how thankful I am for my friends, including the ones who read this blog. You guys know who you are, and you know I love you! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, full of warmth, family, and yumminess...

new photo album!

2009-11-12T14:46:00.003-06:00

I have just created a new photo album on Facebook, with 25 photos from August-October, including Halloween! Here are a few of the photos to pique your curiosity. To see the entire album, even if you don't have a Facebook account, simply click here...

back from springfield

2009-10-25T20:51:00.002-05:00

It's late (for me, anyway), and I need to shower and get to bed, but I wanted to get on here and give you the weekend in a nutshell:

We had a lovely time on Friday evening, just hanging out at Dad's house. My brother and one of his girls came over, as did Tim. We had pizza and good convo, and just relaxed. Saturday was a gorgeous, sunny day for Tim's company picnic at a beautiful Springfield park. We went and had a great time! One of his coworkers is a talented amateur photographer and was taking portraits, with all the proceeds going to United Way. She took some amazing pics of Tim, Nick, and me. I can't wait to get my CD! I'll be sure to share. The best part of the picnic was when Nick won in his age group in the kids' costume contest! He was wearing a really cute train conductor costume, and he really was the cutest kid in his age group (and the only boy!). He got a great felt bat basket full of candy and trinkets. He was so proud and excited, and so were we! After the picnic, we ran around and did a little shopping. I got a new yoga mat, and also pre-purchased tires for one of our cars, which we'll have installed next weekend. We then returned to Dad's house to relax for a bit before we all headed out to a Chinese buffet for dinner. (Do you see how horribly I eat in Springfield?) Saturday night, it was early to bed for me, as I had to get up early today to sing at church. That went really well, and I thought I looked pretty spiffy in my dress and knee-high high-heeled boots. I swear I will share pics of all this stuff when I get a chance! Tim came to the early service and recorded me, and we then snuck out to Panera for a pastry and visit. After the second service, I returned to Dad's house, where we got mostly packed up and ready to leave. Then, I headed back to church to sing at the installation service for the new minister, after which we came home to St. Robert. We got back at 6:30 this evening. Whew! It was a whirlwind weekend, and it's good to be home...

pretzel-topped sweet potatoes

2009-10-22T21:36:00.003-05:00

This is BEYOND amazing! If you like sweet potato dishes, you MUST, MUST, MUST make this and let me know what you think. Frankly, I don't even know how I'm typing this post, because when I ate the sweet potatoes, I DIED!!! :) It's all about the crispety-crunchety topping with its complex mix of salty-crunchy pretzels, tart-sweet cranberries, and nutty pecans. Shut UP!!! OK - enough hyperbole. On to the actual recipe:

Pretzel-Topped Sweet Potatoes

2 cups coarsely crushed pretzels
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup cranberries
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup butter, divided and melted
2 tsp. cinnamon, divided
2 1/2 - 3 lbs. canned sweet potatoes, drained
1 5-oz. can evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, combine crushed pretzels, chopped pecans, cranberries, brown sugar, 1/2 cup melted butter, and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Set aside.

In another large bowl, beat sweet potatoes until smooth. Add evaporated milk, sugar, vanilla, and rest of melted butter and cinnamon. Beat well.

Spoon potato mixture into a 9 x 13" pan sprayed with Pam, and top with pretzel mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 mins. or until nicely browned and bubbly. Eat and DIE!!!

apparently, it IS whether you win or lose!

2009-10-20T16:07:00.002-05:00

Today on the way home from school, Nick informed me that his class had won a contest and thereby would get a pizza and ice cream party (Don't even get me started on the fact that apparently, school is all about seeing how much crap they can feed the children!). This contest was a "drink drive", in which parents were asked to donate bottled water or juice boxes or pouches. Ironically, our family had nothing to do with his class winning, as I refused to donate those things, since I don't believe in using them. Anywho, after announcing that his class had won, Nick shouted (with maniacal glee) "Victory is mine!" :)

a day out with thomas

2009-10-18T17:51:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, we sprang a great surprise on Nick! We piled into the car and drove the 2 hours to Granite City, IL, just over the McKinley Bridge from St. Louis, to spend "A Day Out with Thomas." We wouldn't tell him where we were going - just that it was a surprise and it would take a while to get there. As usual, he was great in the car, and even napped a little (The kid sawed some logs in that car seat!). We stopped at a Cracker Barrel just this side of St. Louis for lunch, and this was really where his fabulous day began, because he got to have his favorite - a pancake with a little baby bottle of syrup! :) The child loves those baby bottles of syrup. After lunch, we only had about 20-some more miles to go before we got to the event, and honestly, we couldn't have planned our arrival better: Just as we pulled into our parking spot, the real train, pulled by Thomas the Tank Engine, went chugging by in front of us, Thomas' whistle tooting merrily. When Nick saw this, he literally jumped up out of his booster seat and SCREAMED with joy and delight! He was absolutely beside himself, and covered us with kisses as he thanked us for his surprise.

Unfortunately, it was a bit too cold and windy for our taste, but we had a blast nonetheless. At the Imagination Station, Nick got to color and play at a Thomas table, and he got a cool tattoo of Thomas on his cheek. We also checked out a huge Thomas built with Legos, and Nick sat on and played around that for quite some time. There was a little music area where they had railway tunes playing, and a woman was handing out egg shakers and bells and helping the kids get down with their bad selves. :) There was also a big inflatable slide, and Nick had a great time on that! He got to meet Sir Topham Hatt, and also had his picture taken with the train conductor, who looked uncannily like Capt. Kangaroo. The prices in the gift shop were horrific, especially for a cheap-o like me, but we did concede to let Nick get two wooden toys - a special edition "Day Out with Thomas 2009" passenger car and Sir Topham Hatt's car. Of course, those two small wooden toys ran us $30!

Nick got to ride on a little tractor-pulled train, but the main attraction was, of course, the 25-minute ride on a real train, pulled by Thomas the Tank Engine himself! The passenger cars were double-decker ones, which was pretty cool, and of course, it was imperative to Nick that we sit on the top level. Even though the scenery was anything but scenic, that train ride was by far the highlight of the day for Nick, and for me, as well, because he actually sat on my lap and snuggled with me! He never sits on my lap anymore, so I really cherished that, and soaked it up! I think Brian enjoyed the train ride a lot, too - partly because it got us out of the wind and chill for awhile.

It was a wonderful time altogether, and we were so glad we did it, even though we basically drove 4 hours round-trip to be there for about two hours. On the way home, we stopped at Panera in Rolla for dinner (Yay! I love Panera, and don't get to eat there often enough.), and as the capper to his day, we let Nick pick out a huge chocolate cookie to take home. Later at home, he enjoyed it with a glass of milk. And he slept like a log last night!

Here are a few pictures from our wonderful day:

Nick and Mommy on the train

Nick and Daddy on the train

Nick with the train conductor (See? Totally Capt. Kangaroo!)

Nick with the rather jowly Sir Topham Hatt

kindergarten pumpkin patch trip

2009-10-18T17:43:00.002-05:00

Here are some photos from the Partridge Elementary Kindergarten class' recent trip to a pumpkin patch:

Nick and Mommy on the hayride

Nick with his best school-chum, Benjamin (or as Nick calls him - Benjer-man). Check it out - his smile is so big that he's got the double-dimple goin'! That doesn't happen very often.

He picked a great pumpkin!

Photo op! Photo op!

look what we made!

2009-10-11T15:49:00.003-05:00

Last night, I got out Nick's Mr. Potato Head parts, and we made pumpkin-heads! I think they turned out really cute.

what a wonderful week!

2009-10-07T11:13:00.002-05:00

This has been my week, apparently, when it comes to getting random compliments from strangers! Today at the commissary, a woman complimented my hair color (thinking it was dyed) - she went on about how it was the perfect shade of red, etc. When I told her it was actually my natural color, she gushed even more. Made my day! It was also a reminder to me that when I think something nice about someone, I need to open my mouth and say it! So often, we fail to do that. What a nicer place the world would be if we vocalized every nice thought we had about others....

i'm STILL smiling!

2009-10-05T18:48:00.003-05:00

So, today, I went to donate blood at the Red Cross Bloodmobile at Walmart. As I approached the mobile, an RC guy greeted me, saying "Hello, young lady." Well, that just about made my day, as I don't get called that much anymore. A bit later, when I was sitting there doing the donation, the song "Don't Stop Believin'" was playing on the radio. I was singing along softly, and a young man (maybe late teens?) who was also donating asked me what the title of the song was. I told him, and then turned to the RC worker next to me and said "He's not even old enough to know that song!" We shared a chuckle about our "advanced age", and I said "Well, I'm just thrilled that the guy outside called me "young lady", as I don't hear that much anymore." The young man then piped up and said, in a very respectful, non-creepy way, "Well, you're very beautiful." Well, blow me down! It was completely random and unexpected, and totally made my day!!

nick's kindergarten picture

2009-10-03T18:46:00.001-05:00

Here is Nick's school picture, taken in September 2009, at age 5 1/2. Look how grown up he is!

another way in which Nick is atypical

2009-09-03T13:23:00.002-05:00

So, my child loves going to the dentist. He basically gets this attitude from me, because my parents took me to the dentist twice a year throughout all my childhood, and this habit continued into adulthood. I've never been afraid of the dentist, as so many people are, and I've really never had a bad experience there. This might be tied to the fact that I've never had a cavity, and therefore never had to endure scary drilling. Even so, though, I tend to be very practical about such matters, and I'm not bothered by them. So, anyway, my son thinks the dentist is the cat's pajamas. What may surprise you, though, is the DEGREE to which he enjoys the dentist. Here's what he said to me yesterday, when I told him that he would be going to the dentist after school: (screaming with glee) "Mom!!! This is the best day of my LIFE!!!" :)

tattoo #2!!!

2009-08-29T19:24:00.002-05:00

I got my second tattoo today - Nick's initials and birth date, with a blue star, on the inside of my left forearm. I love it! Dave at Show Me Skin Art was my artist, and he was awesome! I highly recommend him and anyone else who works there. Tim came with me (he was visiting for the day) and ended up getting his very first tattoo - a red and black nautical star on his upper left arm. We had a great time!

my sweet, sensitive boy

2009-08-20T20:15:00.002-05:00

Today, Nick and I drove by an accident on the highway. It looked very bad, and a helicopter was taking someone away from the scene. Nick was full of questions, and I explained to him that the person in the helicopter must have been hurt very badly. He looked at me forlornly and then buried his face in his hands and sobbed, for quite some time, for that poor injured person!

check out my latest photo album!

2009-08-16T17:26:00.006-05:00

Everyone,

Click right here to view my latest photo album on Facebook, including pics from Nick's first day of Kindergarten! You don't have to be "on" Facebook to view the album. Enjoy!

Here are two of the 16 photos, to whet your appetite :):

nick is in kindergarten!

2009-08-13T10:23:00.003-05:00

I know, I know....you thought I would never post again! And I'll admit, I had gotten rather lax about the ol' blog. But if anything is momentous enough to warrant a blog post, it's my baby's first day of Kindergarten! Yep - that's where he is right now, and where he'll be until 3:30 (!) this afternoon.

I'm really excited for him. His teacher, Mrs. Kelm, is awesome! She's just so patient and kind, and is spoken of very highly by other parents. And his classroom is great! It's very big and welcoming, and is full of neat stuff for the kids. There's even a Smartboard! And there are bathrooms right there in the room, which I think is awesome for the little ones. No scary solo trips down the hallway. The K kids get two recess periods each day (wonderful for Nick) and a short rest period, and they get to do P.E., art, music, computers, etc. One thing that kind of annoys me is that they only get 25 minutes for lunch, and his class eats at 10:45. He'll be starving by the time he gets home! But, there's nothing I can do about it, so I'm trying not to worry about it.

I took some good pics this morning, which I'll share one of these days soon. That's on my to-do list, along with cleaning my house and a million other things. He is wearing a cool new shirt that his Uncle Tim sent him, and new sneakers, too, and has a shiny new backpack and lunch bag. Who doesn't love back-to-school? :) I packed him a healthy lunch this morning, and off we went. When we got there, he sat right down at his table and started working on a worksheet that Mrs. Kelm had put out. He seemed right at home! I think his preschool program last year really put him in good stead to excel in Kindergarten. After leaving him to his work, I stopped by the teachers' lounge to partake of the "Boo Hoo Breakfast" that the PTO provided for K parents. A really nice touch, I thought! There was lots of yummy fresh fruit and various bread products. I lingered a bit longer than I had planned to, eating and chatting with other moms. I was also stalling on going home - not because I didn't want to go home to an empty house, but just because I didn't want to go home and have to get things done! :) And I'm still not getting anything useful done, unless you think this blog post is useful, which I guess it is, in a way.

On a side note, I just want to say that I had a blast buying school supplies for the first time. We had to get a trillion glue sticks, liquid glue, crayons, erasers, scissors, markers, watercolors, paper, Kleenex, a nap mat, etc. It was such fun! And I can't believe how cheap stuff was - 25 cents for a box of 24 crayons or a 2-pack of glue sticks! It was heaven for this cheap mom. :) We were able to drop off all of Nick's supplies yesterday evening, when the school had its "Meet the Teacher" event. We went and took all the supplies to Nick's classroom, and then headed to the cafeteria for an oh-so-healthy meal of a hot dog, chips, cookies, and lemonade. Hey, free food! Beggars can't be choosers, I guess. I've gotten two free meals at Nick's school in the space of 16 hours, so I can't complain. :)

His school is just great - it's small, which I like, and Nick already knows all the staff from his time there in preschool. Seriously! He knows the principal, counselor, librarian, custodians, etc., all by name. The kid's amazing. He totally knows his way around, and is very comfortable there. I just have a really good feeling about this school year, and I think it's going to be a lot of fun! I plan to go to PTO meetings and try to get involved in stuff, and I hope to be able to help his teacher, too. I'd really like to put together a contact roster for the parents of Nick's class, so that we can all get in touch with each other and share info. I'll see what Mrs. Kelm thinks of that idea.

Am I sad? Well, I am finding that I am a bit melancholy. It's funny - during the summer, I had pretty much convinced myself that this wouldn't be that much of a big deal, since he already went to that exact school last year, four days a week, for preschool. The thing is, I don't think that it really hit me, until just recently, what a big difference there is between 3 hours, 4 days a week and 7 hours, 5 days a week! Even as I sit here typing, I can't believe that it's still almost 5 more hours before he'll be done! I'm afraid it's going to be quite an adjustment for him, too, as he had still been taking a daily nap all summer. Now, that's out the window, and I'm afraid the poor little guy will be quite tired for a while, until his body adjusts. I think the biggest adjustment for me is going to be in making sure I use my time wisely. You know how sometimes having MORE free time makes you use it LESS efficiently? I'm afraid that I might fall victim to that, at least for awhile. With the whole day yawning ahead of me, I fear that my tendency will be to slack off instead of really getting stuff done. But, I'm going to make lists and try to stick to them. Next week, I'm planning to actually dust my house! Wow!

I think that more than sadness, I'm feeling guilt for not spending enough quality time with Nick when I had the chance. I'm one of those people who has a really hard time just being with her child, down on the floor, playing. I always feel like I should be getting something done. So, I might be near Nick and technically with him, but I'm not really with him, ya know? And now that he's gone 35 hours a week, I really feel terrible as it hits me what an idiot I've been not to spend more quality time with him. But, I'm actually hoping that Kindergarten will be my salvation, and will improve my relationship with my son. Sounds counter intuitive, but I think that even as the quantity of potential time together decreases, the quality of the time we do spend together can increase. Since I have 7 hours a day, 5 days a week to get stuff done, I should be able to get all my domestic chores taken care of when Nick is in school, so that after school and during the weekends, I can really just relax and be with him, with no distractions. Now, I know that it won't be quite so cut-and-dried, and it's hard to buck those ingrained tendencies, but I'm going to do my damnedest. I know that it will pay off for both of us if I can buckle down during the day and then let it all go when we're together, so I'm going to really try my hardest to make that happen. I don't want the limited time I have with Nick now to pass me by with nothing to show for it. So, that's my big goal for the school year - to use my alone time wisely so that I can get the most out of my Nick-time. Wish me luck! And wish Nick luck as he embarks on the first day of the first year of school!

it's nice to see results!

2009-07-24T12:56:00.002-05:00

As most of you know, the science of weight-loss is anything but scientific, and often our efforts are met with inexplicable stasis or, even worse, weight GAIN. Well, I'm happy to report that my efforts over the past couple of weeks have actually worked, and I am once again down to my "happy weight," having lost 4.5 lbs. over the past two weeks. I put myself on a 1500-calorie diet and wrote down my calories, and stepped up my workouts a bit, and it did the trick! I think I'll stick with the 1500 calories for another couple of weeks and see if I can drop another pound or two, and then I'll take it back up to 1800 or so to maintain. It's nice when X + Y really DOES = Z!

update

2009-07-20T14:58:00.001-05:00

So, just by mentioning my lack of babysitter in a status update on Facebook, I got one! What a happy surprise in the middle of a poopy day. :) Thanks to Brandy and Brianna...

aaaaarrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh!

2009-07-20T14:00:00.002-05:00

So, I had a very frustrating morning with Nick. See, he's sort of a pansy when it comes to getting in the pool, getting his face wet, etc. He's rather afraid of it all, more than other kids his age. It's probably our fault, because whereas neither of us are afraid of the water, we are both non-poolish people - we can go the whole summer without getting in a swimming pool, and that's just fine with us! So, we've probably done Nick a disservice by simply not exposing him enough.

So, we did the Level I lessons last summer - this was just a 5-day thing, 45 mins. each day. He didn't do very well, so we repeated them earlier this summer. Brian took him to those lessons, and said that Nick did OK. So, we decided to go ahead with Level II lessons - this session lasts 10 days for 45 mins. each day, and therefore costs twice as much as Level I. Today was the first lesson, and it didn't go well AT ALL.

[Before I get to the story of the aborted swimming lesson, I have to tell you about the embarrassing/hilarious thing that happened at the pool. We got there and walked out next to the pool. Nick had on sandals and swim trunks. I took off his sandals, and then turned my back and walked over to a chaise lounge to put our stuff down. When I turned around, Nick was standing behind me, COMPLETELY NAKED! Mind you, there were quite a few people there, and they all witnessed this. When I realized he was naked, I was just incredulous, and exclaimed rather too loudly "What happened to your trunks??!!" He said he didn't know. I asked a couple of people nearby if they saw what had happened, and they said they hadn't. His trunks were lying several feet away. He swears he didn't take them off, so I don't know if they just fell off or what! (This is a distinct possibility, as they had been riding rather low on his hips.) It's still a mystery. A lifeguard saw the trunks and brought them over, and I got them back on Nick as fast as I could.]

OK - back to the lesson from Hell. It's time for the lesson to start, and the teacher has all the kids get into the 3-ft. end of the pool and line up against the wall. Nick is the last one in, and it takes FOREVER. He doesn't want to get in, and he totally holds up the lesson for probably 5 minutes. He's the ONLY kid with a problem. Then, when the lesson finally starts, Nick is the ONLY kid who won't do what the teacher is asking - putting their heads under the water, an assisted front float, etc. He just refuses. Then, after about 10 minutes, he gets out of the pool and refuses to get back in, so we leave. I was so angry, which I know is irrational, but I couldn't help it. We had gone straight from the gym to the pool, so I had spent time last night thinking of everything we needed and getting all packed up, and then I lugged all this stuff to the gym. Then, at the gym, I spent all this time getting us into our swim gear and getting us all coated in sunscreen (which I hate!). Then, I drove us on post to the pool where the lesson was supposed to be, only to find a sign telling me to go to a different pool. So, back into the car we got and drove to the other pool (thereby wasting even more gas) and waited around for the lesson to start, all for NOTHING! When we got into the car to leave the lesson, I just ripped into Nick, putting him on a total guilt trip. I know, I know - it's awful! I know that! I was just overcome by my frustration, and it was not a proud moment. He was pretty upset, but still says that he wants to quit and not go back again. I'm going to let him quit, because frankly, I don't want to waste another morning like that. I don't know if we can get our money back, so there's $30 down the drain. Grrr. I'm feeling calmer about it now, but I feel pretty guilty for the way I handled it. I just don't understand why he's the ONLY kid who can't deal with it and who can't just get in the water and do what the teacher asks. Why does he have to be so afraid? I'm ashamed to even admit this, but I was kind of embarrassed that the other parents were seeing my child be the only child to refuse to cooperate and to quit the lesson. It was just very frustrating.

Then, when we got home, I found out that the two people I had asked about babysitting for me this coming Saturday can't do it, so I'm back at square one with no babysitter. (There's a membership drive "event" at my gym that I need to go to, and Brian has a gig at the same time.) I hope I can find someone, but at this point, I'm not banking on it. And ya know how when you're already having a bad day, the tiniest, most inconsequential thing can just be the icing on the cake and totally piss you off, even though it completely doesn't matter? See, Nick had this toy bin with suction cups in the tub, but it kept falling down. So, yesterday at Walmart, I got a different one that had more suction cups and seemed like it had a much better chance of staying up. Well, when we got home today and right after I found out that I didn't have a babysitter, I discovered that the new bin had fallen already! That just about put me over the edge. Ridiculous, I know, but I have a feeling that you guys will understand.

So, today has not been great so far. But, I'm calmer about the swimming, and I know that none of it really matters in the greater scheme of things. In fact, just writing this blog post has helped to put it all into perspective. Hope you enjoyed my asinine ranting! :)

not very bloggish lately...

2009-07-10T15:33:00.002-05:00

Hmmm...I've realized that I've not been very bloggish lately. I don't know what's up with that. I wonder if the ability to do quick little status updates on Facebook has made me lazy in regards to my "real" blog. Could be. Summer probably has something to do with it, too. Just not as much to talk about.

But, here I am, blogging today, finally! It's very gloomy outside, which is putting me in a rather melancholy mood - never fails. In a couple of hours, I'll be leaving to go to Springfield for the weekend by myself (!). I'm going to do some shopping and mostly spend a lot of time with Tim, working out, talking, making dinner together tomorrow, etc. I'm really looking forward to it. I'll miss my boys, but it's only for the weekend!

I'm still up about 4 lbs. over my "happy weight". I'm not freaked out about it, but I do want to drop those pounds. After everything I've accomplished, I know that I have the capacity to do something about it, and I need to just buckle down and do it. So, my plan is to resume counting calories next week. I figure that if I do that, I can easily knock those 4 lbs. off within a month. Wish me luck! It really sucks to count calories, but it's what works. It's going to be hard to discipline myself and feel hungry, given the way I've let go lately and overindulged, but I know I can do it! After losing 65 lbs., 4 ought to be doable. :) And who knows? Maybe I'll drop a couple more and actually get under 140. We shall see. Baby steps.

And that's pretty much all I have to say right now. Catch ya next week!...

more fun than should be legal!

2009-07-05T10:10:00.004-05:00

We drove up to Fenton, MO yesterday afternoon to spend the day with some of my relatives on my Mom's side of the family. The main family involved were the Klinglers, and I love them! Uncle Jim is my mom's brother, and then there's Aunt Karen and my cousins Jessica and Brian and John and Sarah. There were various other peeps there, including another cousin of mine named Mike who is a serious hoot. We were also joined by Tim and his friend Brian (three Brians at the same party!), which served to seriously ratchet up the hilarity level. :) I don't think I've had so much fun since college! At one point, I was sitting at the basement bar with "the guys" and Jessica, and we were all being so incredibly bawdy and laughing so hard that I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I'm so glad we went. Nick had a great time playing with his little cousins Claire and Evan (whom he called "Kevin" for most of the day), and we just all enjoyed the family, good food, and good times. Ironically, we didn't really get to partake of the fireworks, because by the time those were started, we were all exhausted and Nick was rather scared of the loud noises. So, we decided that we should go ahead and make our way home, since it's a drive of an hour and 40 mins. We didn't get home until almost 11:30! We poured Nick into bed and then poured ourselves into bed for blissful slumber. What a long, great day! Hope everyone had an equally faboo 4th of July!

And now (drumroll, please) for the quote of the day (when discussing the merits or lack thereof of various kinds of underwear): "I don't mind a gentle wedgie, such as the one I'm experiencing right now..." - Amy Hoogstraet ;)

skirting the issue :)

2009-07-01T09:41:00.002-05:00

So, I had a couple of embarrassing moments during the trip, which I thought I would share with you. I have this skirt that I got for $14 at the PX (Post Exchange, for those of you who aren't military), and I have really fallen in love with it. It's just a simple soft knit flouncy knee-length affair in a goes-with-anything grey color, and it's beyond comfortable. I decided to wear it on the drive, because it's just so comfortable, non-binding, and "easy." It didn't give me any trouble on the trip to VA, but for some reason, on the way home, I had some issues with it. First, we had stopped at a rest stop to go to the bathroom. I did my business and came out of the restroom to wait for Brian and Nick. An older lady who was passing by me on her way into the restroom tapped my shoulder and said "Your skirt is tucked up in the back, dear." !!! Yes, my skirt was tucked up into my granny panties! I wanted to die. Thank goodness that woman told me before I had gone on that way any longer. The second incident happened at a gas station, and I was once again wearing granny panties. (I do actually have cuter, sexier panties, but didn't see the point in wearing them on the trip and was only concerned with comfort. ) It was quite blustery, and despite my attempts to gather up my skirt in my hand and hold it against myself, the unthinkable happened. I was squeegeeing the windshield, and a gust of wind came along and completely blew my skirt up, exposing my granny panties (once again) to everyone at the gas station. I quickly retreated into the car, red-faced. :) Thought those anecdotes might brighten your day - after all, what's the point of an embarrassing moment if you can't laugh about it and share it with your friends?

eleven days later...

2009-06-30T15:39:00.002-05:00

We're back from VA, obviously, and the trip went really well! I have discovered that I really don't mind a long road trip. Now, mind you, I realize that this has a lot to do with having Brian with me. If I had to do that all by myself, I would probably mind it very much. :) Also, having only one kid doesn't hurt. I have to say, though, that I actually enjoyed the long drive, and am glad that we once again chose to drive rather than fly.

Nick was great in the car. We had purchased a portable DVD player for the trip, and even though he chose 10 movies to bring along, he proceeded to watch Cars THE WHOLE TIME, OVER AND OVER. Seriously. Hey, whatever makes him happy, I guess! He is just such an adaptable kid, and had no problem with sitting in the car for hours on end. We did take pee stops and stop at rest areas and to eat, but actually stopped a lot less than you might think. The whole drive, to and fro, went smoothly and uneventfully. I would rather not eat at a Denny's or a Cracker Barrel again for quite some time, though. :) We spent the night both coming and going at the Holiday Inn Express in Huber Heights, OH (outside Dayton), and it was very nice, with a great breakfast and a very reasonable military rate. Yay! And that pretty much describes the actual trip.

As for the visit with Brian's parents, it went well, too. Mind you, it was somewhat boring and unexciting, but we knew that going in. Mostly, we just sat around the house enjoying each other's company. Nick seemed to have a blast, even though his activities were largely comprised of playing on the floor and watching TV. We did go to a really neat pool, which he loved. And he just enjoyed basking in his grandparents' love - likewise, they enjoyed basking in his cuteness and precociousness. :) One day, we went to a neat historic movie theater in downtown Leesburg to see "Up" - good movie! We got to spend a little time with Brian's sister, too, which was nice. She took me out to Trader Joe's and World Market, so we got to have a little female bonding. I worked out almost every day I was there (yay!) at a really nice rec center close to my in-laws' house. The classes were pretty good! It was a bit spendy, but I figured it was worth it.

All-in-all, it was a very nice trip, but it's good to be back in our own home. I'm so glad we went, as it had been 2.5 years since our last visit. It was high time that Nick spend some more time with his grandparents. I don't know when that will happen again, since we will have major upheaval in our lives next summer (what with Brian retiring, etc.), and because Marv and Anne are getting pretty old. Now that we're back, I have so much to do and wade through that I'm feeling rather overwhelmed. I'm just plugging along, doing one thing at a time - what more can one do?

Oh, something kind of neat is that I brought home a really cool, retro quilt that was made by Nick's great-grandmother - Brian's dad's mother. It's really neat - it's very colorful, with lots of pink, blue, and green, and some really retro, kitschy fabrics. I currently have it draped over my couch. I also got a very retro, rectangular lampshade that looks great on one of my living room lamps. Everything old is new again! Marv and Anne are purging big time, in preparation for their move into a small apartment in a retirement community next month. So, pretty much anything I wanted was up for grabs. I didn't take much - just the aforementioned 2 items and a handful of kitchen stuff, like a tube pan, mixing bowls, etc. As far as decor goes, my taste doesn't really jibe with Anne's, so there wasn't much in the house that I wanted. :)

I've really gotta get to work on tomorrow evening's strength class, not to mention Thursday's yoga class - I got a call while in VA asking if I could sub for it, and said yes. Ack! I'm off...

shocked and horrified

2009-06-19T08:52:00.002-05:00

I have somehow managed to gain 4 lbs. in a week!!! I'm pretty upset to be up to 145, because I have been maintaining my weight around 141 for months now, and haven't weighed 145 since September! It just kills me that in one week, I'm back to what I weighed 9 MONTHS ago. Drat. Ack. Bah, humbug. It's ironic, because while I was sick, my weight held steady, but the first week that I've gotten back to the gym and actually worked out at all, it's up! I know it has to do with all the non-working out I've done over the past few weeks, and with the fact that I HAVE been eating pretty crappily lately. There's just something about feeling like hell that makes it seem OK to have some McDonald's, ya know? I just never would have thought I could gain 4 lbs. in one week. That has NEVER happened, during my whole weight-loss endeavor. I guess I just have to really buckle down and start eating better, and hope that getting back into a regular workout schedule will help get those 4 lbs. back off. Of course, going on our trip tomorrow isn't going to help matters at all, eating-wise. I'm just feeling pretty upset and freaked right now. :(

As I just said, we are leaving tomorrow for 10 days, and my Internet access will be spotty to nonexistent. So, I probably won't be blogging again until July. "See" you then!

meet me in st. louie, louie...

2009-06-14T18:00:00.002-05:00

Tim came for the weekend, and we had a great time! We got going around 9 Saturday morning and headed for St. Louis. Our first stop was the Cathedral Basilica, which we have visited a few times and will visit many more times, I'm sure. It has the largest collection of mosaic art in the world (basically, the entire interior of the cathedral is decorated with mosaic tiles), and is absolutely breathtaking. I highly recommend a visit to any local peeps reading this!

When we had had our fill of the pulchritude (and our tummies began to rumble), we walked the three blocks or so to St. Louis' Central West End, which is a neat little neighborhood with many restaurants, shops, etc. We enjoyed burgers for lunch, and then made our way to The Cupcakery for scrumptious, delectable cupcakes - Tim had peanut butter chocolate, and I had strawberries 'n' cream. YUM!

Then, we walked back to our car, enjoying the cute row houses along the way, and headed to the Brentwood area to hit two of our favorite stores - Trader Joe's and World Market. We also went to the Target that was right there, because, really, how could we not? :)

On our way home from St. Louis, we stopped in St. James to dine at Sybill's, which is this absolutely amazing restaurant that I've been telling Tim about forever. He was very pleased to finally experience its wonder. Our food was amazing, from the salads to the pork chops to the chicken piccata and right down to the Bailey's chocolate creme brulee!

We got home around 9 p.m. and watched Baby Mama (pretty funny!) before pouring ourselves into bed. What a wonderful, exhausting day! Today was more low-key. We stuck glow-in-the-dark stars and planets on Nick's bedroom ceiling, I clipper-cut Tim's hair, and we went to Walmart for various and sundry items. Tim left a couple of hours ago, and I'm just getting a few things done around the house (and the Internet). That was my weekend! 'Twas a good one, and a healthy one, knock on wood...

feeling better...

2009-06-10T12:52:00.002-05:00

Well, I almost hate to say it out loud for fear that I'll jinx it, but I'm feeling quite a bit better today. Still rather tired, but better nonetheless. I even put street clothes on for the first time since Sunday! And so far, I've managed to stay out of bed since I got up this morning. I'm still taking it easy. Brian's going to keep taking Nick to school for the rest of the week, but I think I'll pick him up tomorrow and Friday, to give Brian a break. And I've made the decision to not even think about working out again until Monday. Sigh. I can't believe how much I HAVEN'T worked out over the past month. It's horrifying. But, the last thing I want to do now is overdo it and push myself too hard too soon. Tim is visiting this weekend, and I'm really excited about just having some fun with him and continuing to feel better, knock on wood. Next week, things will really kick into gear again - in addition to resuming working out and chauffeuring Nick around, I'll have a lot to do as we prepare to visit Brian's parents in VA.

sick of sick

2009-06-08T19:54:00.003-05:00

So, I've been very ill, again. This illness has included pink eye and another throat infection, plus fever, chills, and generally feeling like complete and total crap. There has been much crying and despair, and not one, but TWO visits to the ER, both yesterday and the day before. Yesterday when I was there, my fever reached 104, and I was given some lovely morphine due to my splitting headache. The upshot of it is that I have been given a different antibiotic and am now hopeful for a recovery. Wish me luck!

in a nutshell

2009-06-02T14:59:00.003-05:00

So much has happened, and I'm so tired and have already given the whole story to so many people - therefore, I'm just going to do a nutshell update here (Of course, my nutshells tend to be rather large - I'm just a wordy person!):

Nick rallied Saturday morning, so he and I went ahead and went to Springfield. By Saturday night, though, he had gone downhill again - high fever, still not eating, etc. Sunday, I took him to a pediatric urgent care clinic in Springfield - they were wonderful! We found out that Nick had lost 2-3 lbs. since Friday. :( He had blood work done and ended up with 2 injections of a strong antibiotic. They said to nix the Amoxicillin, since it obviously wasn't working. They wanted us to follow up the next day, so we spent an extra night in Springfield. He was still feverish and not feeling well. Monday, we went back to the clinic. By this point, his ears were red and he had white stuff on his tonsils, in addition to the completely congested sinuses. The doc prescribed a 10-day course of a better oral antibiotic than Amoxicillin. When we left the clinic, it was the middle of the afternoon, and we were both tired and Nick still didn't feel well, so I decided to spend one more night in Springfield and return home this morning. Happily, Nick's fever finally broke yesterday evening and hasn't come back! I think he's finally responding to the meds and turning the corner. His appetite is still quite puny, but he's feeling a lot better, aside from the complete sinus congestion. We got home today around noon, and here I am, frantically trying to get caught up on life. :) He has a follow-up appt. at the Ft. Wood hospital tomorrow, and he can hopefully (finally!) start summer school Thursday, a week late. It will be nice to get back to "normal" life, finally, and be able to work out regularly again, etc. Between my illness and Nick's, life has been 18 shades of messed up ever since May 11!

i know i've been quiet...

2009-05-29T14:15:00.003-05:00

For the majority of the week, I just didn't have much to say. I've just been getting back into the swing of normal life. I'm feeling 100% better, luckily! I got back to the gym Tuesday and Wednesday, and taught a great class.

Yesterday, though, everything was derailed by Nick being sick. Poor little guy has missed the first two days of summer school, and is absolutely pathetic! He ate a banana and a waffle yesterday morning around 8 or 9, and has literally not eaten anything since, as of 2 p.m. today. He's been running a fever between 100 and 103, and has been very lethargic and sleeping a lot. We have kept him sipping Gatorade and water, which is good, but he just has no interest in food. He's been complaining of a headache, and ended up throwing up twice yesterday. This morning, when his fever was still there and he still felt awful, I decided to seek medical attention. I couldn't get an appointment at our hospital or at any of the local clinics where I was authorized to go, so I took him to the ER. Luckily, it was quite empty and we were in and out of the hospital in 2.5 hours, including getting X-rays and waiting at the pharmacy for his meds! Not bad. The doctor suspects a sinus infection, which is really odd, since there has been absolutely no snot. But apparently, his sinuses are swollen and the sinus X-ray looked "cloudy." So, he was given Amoxicillin and Zyrtec (which, oddly, is an allergy med - so does the doc think it's an infection, or allergies, or both?). The medical care here is spotty at best. Though I haven't officially worked out today, my arms and back have gotten quite a workout because I've had to carry my 48-lb. child all over creation. He just didn't want to walk, so I carried him all over the hospital and from the hospital to the car. Yes, I'm quite the She-Ra. :)

Now, we're back home and he's in bed, dozing and still not eating. He still has a fever, but it's down around 100 now. Wish us luck that he feels much better tomorrow and can go to school on Monday!

new photos!

2009-05-24T20:02:00.005-05:00

Click here to view my latest online photo album, with pictures from the past month. There are some good ones!

Here are 3 of the 14, just to tease you...

feeling better

2009-05-21T08:07:00.002-05:00

So, I taught my sculpt class last night, and it went pretty well. There were a couple of things I couldn't keep doing - moves that were more "cardio" in nature. I just had to quit and keep counting for the students. But, I made it through the whole class, and did almost everything. The only other incident was at the end when we were stretching, and I got a pretty bad head-rush and felt faint. But, I stopped what I was doing, and I was OK. So, I consider the class a success! It was good to be back up there teaching, and it felt good to work my muscles. After class, I was pretty tired, but still felt a lot better than I have lately.

And this morning (knock on wood), I daresay that I feel WAY better! I stopped taking the antibiotics yesterday, like I said I would, and I really do wonder now if they were what was making me feel so awful. This morning, I haven't had any nausea or lightheadedness, and I feel a bit tired, but much more like my usual self. Could this be the light at the end of the tunnel? I sure hope so.

Brian has gone to work today, for the first time since this all started, so it's a bit weird that I'm on my own today with Nick. But, I think we're going to have a good day. I'm not going to go to boot camp class this morning - as the name indicates, it's pretty strenuous, and I don't want to push my luck right now. But, I might take Nick to the gym and just use the treadmill or elliptical for awhile. As for the rest of the day, I'm not sure what we'll do, but I'll figure out something. I just hope that I don't hit a wall today and end up exhausted again. But, I'm optimistic that that won't happen. And I'm beside myself with excitement, because tonight is the season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance - the most faboo show ever! :)

another day, another episode

2009-05-20T12:10:00.002-05:00

So, I was hoping that this would be the day when I would feel much better. I had such high hopes when I woke up! I took stock, thinking, well, I'm a bit tired, but I feel generally OK. I got out of bed, put some clothes on, and went in the kitchen to make my breakfast. As I was making it, I was feeling a little nauseated. Sometimes I feel mild nausea when I'm hungry, so I figured that was it. It kept getting worse, though, and I kept having to stop and just lean on the counter during my preparations. By the time I sat down at the table, I entered into a full-blown attack of the most horrible nausea you can imagine. I broke out in a sweat over my entire face and body, and I literally felt like I needed to either barf right that minute or just die - there was no other viable alternative. I hung my head over our "barf bowl", crying and whimpering. (I've mentioned that I'm a total pansy when I feel awful.) Eventually, I began to feel better, and I managed to eat my breakfast. (Never did barf.) I no longer feel nauseated, but I just feel generally weak, tired, and "not right." Grrr. My high hopes have been dashed, once again. I'm really hoping that the nausea is a side effect of the antibiotics, as nausea is actually listed as one of the possibilities. As for the tiredness and weakness, I'm just not sure, though my brother (a drug rep) confirmed for me that I'm taking an awfully high dose of an awfully strong antibiotic. So, even if tiredness and weakness aren't listed, I guess it's possible that in my case, those could be side effects. It would, of course, be highly preferable if all of this is caused by my meds, rather than being indicative of something else wrong with me. When I talked to my doc two days ago, she wanted me to stop the meds three days early (which would be today). This makes me really nervous, as my worst nightmare would be that there are resistant bacteria left in my body which would regroup and cause an even worse infection, but the doctor seems confident that 7 days is plenty to avoid that. Ten days is the gold standard for antibiotics - the CYA duration, if you will, but she thinks that 7 days is more than enough to have eradicated the bacteria. I had been waffling about whether to take her advice or finish the course, but after this morning, I think I'm going to take my chances and take her advice. I just feel like I need to know if it's the meds causing all this, and the sooner I'm off of them, the sooner I'll know and the sooner I will have relief if it IS the meds. Does all this make sense? So, it's a gamble, but I'm going to stop the meds today. I'll let you know what transpires...

After much agonizing, I have also decided to go ahead and teach my class tonight. I know I probably shouldn't, but I really need to get back in there and do something. And since it's a sculpt class, I can always stop doing the reps and just count for my students if I have to. I just really hate to miss two weeks in a row, ya know? And I'm not stupid - I will NOT keep pushing myself if I start to feel terrible. I'll let you know how it goes...

baby steps

2009-05-19T20:49:00.002-05:00

After another day of being exhausted, I decided I had to do SOMETHING, so I decided to try going to step class this evening, after 10 days with no workout. I knew that it would be hard and I might not be able to get through it, but the reality was still sobering and frustrating. I managed to get through a half hour, and that was pushing it. And I wasn't even doing it "all the way." If I had really gone whole hog, I probably could have gotten through 10-15 minutes, max. The worst part was that I didn't have the energy to do any real jumping jacks - I had to modify them. This from a woman who can do jumping jacks for a couple of minutes if I have to! I'm glad I went and worked out a bit, but it was pretty depressing. :( At least now I know where I am right now, and what I'm up against. And before you start yelling at me for going, I believe it was the right thing to do, I DID listen to my body and modify my movements, and I wasn't in any danger, nor did I ever feel like I might fall or pass out. So there. :) I'm still undecided as to whether I should teach my sculpt class tomorrow evening. I guess I'll see how I feel. I can always stop doing the moves if I need to, and just count while the class does them. We shall see. Lordy, I hope I don't have mono - I won't know until next week....

well, crap

2009-05-18T11:47:00.002-05:00

Here I was, all rarin' to go today, thinking I was going to get back into the swing of things and have some semblance of normalcy again. I was going to take Nick to daycare and go to step class. And then this morning, it happened: I felt like I was going to pass out again, and have felt weak, tired, lightheaded, and queasy ever since. I have once again spent the morning in bed, and am beyond frustrated. Apparently, the doctor now thinks I could have mono, and I'll be going in for a blood test later today. Great. That's all I have to say right now.

a nice visit

2009-05-17T18:34:00.002-05:00

We had a good time in Springfield, celebrating my niece's college graduation. I was quite tired on Saturday, and slept the whole car drive there, but I managed a quick shopping trip to JCPenney, where I scored a fabulous little dress to wear to the grad party. We made our way to my sister's house, and much fun and laughter and love were had by all. I love my niece so much, and am so sad to see her leave, but I'm excited for her as she embarks on the rest of her life. She's heading to Florida to pursue a master's and her dream of becoming a marine biologist. We ended up playing UNO until quite late at night, and boy did my bed (at Dad's house) welcome me when I finally slipped into it!

We got home today around 2:30, and here I am. I'm really feeling a lot better today - yay! It's sort of weirding me out that "normal life" starts again tomorrow. Everything sort of went on hold and entered some strange parallel universe this past week when I was so sick, and now it's going to be business as usual. I'm a little nervous about going to step class after 10 days of not working out, but I'll just listen to my body and won't push myself - promise! I'll let you know how the week goes...

update

2009-05-15T10:48:00.002-05:00

I think the antibiotics are finally starting to conquer this infection, though I'll admit that I'm surprised and disappointed at how slowly I'm improving. I'm still very weak today, and my throat still hurts, though it is a bit better. I'll probably still spend some extra time in bed today, but I'm still really hoping to make the trip to Springfield tomorrow for my niece's graduation. I had another sweaty, restless night last night, and continue to fluctuate between feeling temperate and being sweaty and clammy, but the dizziness and faintness are gone, and I'm just feeling a lot more like my usual self. I guess I just thought that almost 48 hours after receiving the first antibiotics, I would be feeling even better than I am. This really must be some nasty infection - I'll be interested to get the results of the strep culture next week. Knock on wood - I haven't developed any side effects from the antibiotics yet. I've been eating a lot of Dannon Activia yogurt, which will hopefully help me to avoid diarrhea. That's about the full report at this point. Thanks again to all of my friends and family who have been so caring and concerned - it means more than you will ever know. I feel so loved! My hope and plan is to be back on track as of Monday - I'm going to go to the gym Monday morning and do the class, and I'll just quit early or dial it back if I need to. Don't worry - I won't overdo it, and will listen to my body. I really hope to re-enter the land of the living next week, and to talk to and see my friends! Wish me luck...

slowly emerging...

2009-05-14T15:29:00.003-05:00

OK - the plot thickened considerably with my illness, but thank God, it finally seems to be thinning out, and I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It was a lot more serious than I could have known. I guess there's nothing to do but start where I left off...

So, Tuesday, I continued to feel really crappy. I ended up spending most of the day in bed and felt very tired and weak. My swallowing pain continued to worsen, and the lymph node seemed to get even bigger. Luckily, Brian was able to take Nick to preschool before work in the morning, and was then able to pick him up and bring him home on his lunch break, so I could just stay home and in bed. I continued to have a headache, and to have a fever on-and-off, and alternated between being cold and feeling like I was having hot flashes. If you're wondering why I didn't seek medical attention Tuesday, I guess I don't have a really great answer for that. For one thing, our ER is useless, as you're going to spend at least 5 hours waiting there. And for whatever reason, I just kept thinking I had a virus (even though my throat hurt, it didn't hurt badly enough, at this point, to make me think of strep), so there was no point in going to the doctor. I just figured I'd rest and sleep, and it would take care of itself. Stupid! I ended up having a milk shake for dinner Tuesday, as eating solid food had lost its appeal at that point. One thing that really sucks about me is that I never lose my appetite when I'm sick. So, all this time, I've had to eat, and it's been excruciating! Every swallow is torture. I had a pretty crappy night Tuesday night - I slept OK, but sweated a lot and woke up a few times.

Things really came to a head Wednesday morning. I woke up and my throat pain had worsened; the lymph node was still just as big. At this point, I started thinking maybe I had strep, and I figured I'd call for an appointment as soon as I got out of the shower. About halfway through my shower, I was suddenly overcome with an indescribably terrible feeling, and came *THIS CLOSE* to passing out. I simply could not remain in an upright position any longer. I didn't actually black out, but I ended up collapsing, lying in the tub with the water streaming over me, crying and calling for Brian. Since he was across the house and the door to the bedroom was shut, it took quite a while for him to finally hear me, and I was pretty upset by the time he got in there. All I can say is thank God he didn't go in to work early Wednesday, as is his usual custom. He didn't have to be in until 9, and had decided to stay home until 8:30. If he hadn't been here when that happened, I don't know what I would have done. He helped me out of the tub, and without even drying off, I just collapsed on the bed. I stayed there for awhile, until I had a bit more strength. Going to the ER was still a bad option, as I mentioned before. Getting an "acute care" appointment still seemed the way to go. So, I called the hospital and was given authorization to go to the local off-post St. John's clinic. I called the clinic and was told to come as soon as I could, and they would fit me in. In the meantime, my dear husband called work and explained what was going on so that he wouldn't have to go in.

I got to the clinic and only had to wait about 45 minutes, which is a lot better than the ER. The doctor who saw me seemed very nice and competent, and she also seemed pretty alarmed. They did a rapid strep test, which only tests for strep A, and that was negative. But, there are several strains of strep. The doctor told me that she thought I had a peri-tonsular abscess, which is pretty serious and beyond the scope of that clinic. She thought that my huge lymph node was, in fact, an abscess (basically, a pocket full of infected pus). She explained that these can grow very quickly and can obstruct breathing and become quite serious, and that it would probably have to be drained in addition to being treated with antibiotics. Well, I certainly didn't see all of that coming! She sent me directly to an ENT in a clinic 20 miles up the interstate. So, off I went to the clinic. After waiting for 2 hours in the waiting room and feeling ever-crappier, I finally saw the ENT, and I think it was worth the wait. In fact, I shudder to think of what might have happened if I hadn't seen an ENT, or had seen someone less experienced.

She, too, seemed quite alarmed as I described my progression of symptoms and mentioned almost passing out and being unable to stand up. She looked in my throat and said she was sure that I had some strain of strep - they did a complete strep culture, the results of which I won't know until next week. She then determined that I have a very serious, very nasty infection on my tonsil, which was heading for an abscess, but wasn't quite there yet. She said that had I not sought treatment that day, I could very well have been dead the next. She explained that she was 100% sure that if left untreated, my infection would have led to an abscess within 24 hours, and that a peri-tonsular abscess can very easily be fatal if not caught soon enough. The abscess can drain into the body, leading to sepsis and death. She actually told me that she has seen people die from this. You can imagine how I was feeling listening to all of this. She was very serious and told me that I was a lot sicker than I even realized. Wow. Even though the doctor in the first clinic had been wrong in thinking I had an abscess at that point, she had possibly saved my life by sending me directly to the ENT, who knew the potential risks of my condition and knew the right kind and strength of antibiotics to use.

The ENT explained that she was going to give me two shots (one in each hip) of two very strong antibiotics, followed by a 10-day course of very strong oral antibiotics. She said that she hoped we had caught this in time and would stop it from abscessing, but cautioned that she could not guarantee that it wouldn't still progress to an abscess, even with the antibiotics. Apparently, it was THAT close to being an abscess. OMG. She gave me a list of symptoms to watch for, which would prompt a call to her, no matter what time of day or night, and a free pass to the ER. Needless to say, I was not having a good day, and this was all very scary and sobering. To add insult to injury, she pointed out that these extremely strong antibiotics could cause a yeast infection (sorry, guys) and/or really bad diarrhea. Yay! She told me to also call her if I developed bloody diarrhea. This just kept getting better! Then, in came the nurse with the injections. And boy, did they hurt! Not the needles themselves, but the drugs entering the muscle. And even now, over 24 hours later, those areas are still very painful.

Luckily, Brian was able to get all day off yesterday, in addition to today and tomorrow, when he explained to his superiors how sick I was. I honestly don't know what I would have done without him during the past couple of days. He's been awesome. He said there was no way he was going to work. The worst thing about yesterday, to me, was that I had to miss Nick's end-of-year preschool program, which just about broke my heart. The kids had been learning these songs and working on them so hard, and it just killed me to miss it. Also, I missed having the chance to thank and say goodbye to his teachers. But, Brian took Nick to the program, and took the gifts I had prepared for the teachers. He also got some video and photos, which won't be the same, but it's better than nothing. I also had to bow out of teaching my sculpt class last night, and it's killing me that so many days have gone by without working out. I hate the thought of backsliding at all. Another big disappointment has been missing the final MOPS meeting of the school year this morning. It was a spa day, with manicures and massages, and yummy food, of course. And most importantly, it was possibly my last chance to see the three MOPS ladies who are moving away this summer. :( But, I was still way too weak to even consider going. I did get to talk to our coordinator, Leigh Ann, yesterday, and she was so kind and caring, and prayed for me, which really meant a lot and cheered me up. If you're reading this, Leigh Ann, thank you!

Apparently, the ENT wasn't kidding when she said that this is a very strong, nasty infection. I don't have a lot of personal experience with illness, infections, or antibiotics (the last time I needed them was 4 years ago), but I know that usually, antibiotics work very quickly and cause a marked improvement within 12-24 hours of starting them. And I figured that since I had been given not one, but TWO, very strong antibiotic shots, I could hope to start feeling better within a few hours. Well, I was wrong. I got the shots around noon, and by 7 p.m., I was running a fever again and feeling very faint and dizzy every time I tried to get up. And my throat pain with swallowing had WORSENED. Every bite I take, even today, is hell. I know this sounds over-the-top, but well, it's all true! At one point, we became somewhat concerned, because my ear was starting to hurt (one of those symptoms she had said to watch for), so Brian called the doctor. She had him look in my throat and asked a lot of questions, and she didn't think I was in danger. I went to bed last night and sweated so much that the sheets were soaked this morning. Ewww.

Today, my throat pain is still no better, and my hips are still quite sore, but I'm feeling more myself. I have even laughed a couple of times! I'm still very weak, but haven't felt like I would pass out. I took a shower, and apparently, standing for even that long was too much, because afterwards, I had to lie down for a while - I simply could not stand any more. That's pretty sobering. I mean, that must be one doozy of an infection, ya know? But, I feel like I'm finally turning the corner, and I'm sure that the risk of an abscess is gone now. The lymph node finally feels a little smaller, and now I'm just praying that my throat pain lessens soon. I'm going to stay home for the rest of the day and probably spend more time in bed, and see how I feel tomorrow.

I know this has been INCREDIBLY long and possibly quite boring and too detailed. Sorry! :) At least you know the full story, though...

goin' back to bed...

2009-05-12T08:17:00.002-05:00

So, I'm sick. And pathetic. It all started yesterday morning, when I noticed that I had an enlarged and tender lymph node (and when I say enlarged, I mean freakishly so - you can see the hideous bulge in my neck!) in my throat with accompanying internal throat discomfort. Plus, I felt tired. Otherwise, I was pretty much fine all day, until about 7:00, which is when all hell broke loose. And of course, this was the evening when Brian had his final master's class and didn't get home until almost 9:00. Ack! By 7, I was feeling feverish and had chills, and just had that terrible "I'm sick and I feel REALLY bad" feeling. My throat was killing me every time I swallowed, and it felt like I had an obstruction in there, due to the lymph node. If I so much as pressed gently on the node, it killed! I could even feel the protrusion in my throat if I so much as turned my head - yuck. I also developed a pounding headache. Poor Nicholas was understanding, but I just felt terrible that I was a useless mom to him all evening. I was feeling so bad and sorry for myself that I even cried a little. I have a tendency to do that when I'm sick, because I get sick so rarely that when it happens, I just can't handle it. It completely destroys me! I left several desperate messages on Brian's phone, telling him to please get home as soon as possible so that I could go to bed, and ended up in a useless heap on the couch, shivering under a blanket as the fever/chills thing really got under way. I got Nick into bed and went to bed myself, which is where Brian found me when he got home, shivering under the covers as my head burned with fever. I had a pretty miserable night, but the fever finally broke somewhere in the wee hours. Today, I'm still feeling quite poorly, and the node is still larger than life, along with the throat pain. Luckily, Brian was able to take Nick to school and will also pick him up and bring him home. So, I'm going to go back to bed when I'm done here. I feel so guilty - this is the FOURTH day in a row I haven't worked out, which is unheard of! I just hope I'm better by tomorrow, as I have a lot going on. I need to go grocery shopping, Nick has his end-of-year school program, and I have to teach my sculpt class. Wish me luck!

an action-packed weekend

2009-05-11T15:25:00.002-05:00

Nick and I had a really good time in Springfield this past weekend! Friday evening, we went with my Dad, my brother, and my 6-year-old niece, Gina, to Chuck E. Cheese's. Not to make you jealous, Rebecca, but it was rather empty at the time, and not too loud at all! And the pizza was actually pretty good. We three adults just sat at the table for the most part, letting the two kiddos run amuck. Amuck, amuck, amuck! :) Nick blew through his tokens with alacrity and had a blast. The rat made an appearance while we were there, and Nick rushed to give him a big hug. :) After leaving Chuck's, we walked a few stores down to the PetSmart, where the kids had a ball running around and looking at the animals. I really enjoyed spending some time with my brother and talking with him - doesn't happen nearly enough, and I always enjoy it when it does! After that, Dad, Nick, and I went to Target, where I found a cute pair of shoes for Nick. It's funny - buying new shoes for Nick is almost as thrilling for me as buying them for myself!

Saturday, we got going fairly early (for a Saturday, anyway) and made our way to Branson, where we went to the Dinosaur Museum. This place has life-size replicas of many dinosaurs, along with lots of facts about them. It was pretty cool! Nick's favorite part was the bounce-house, of course. After that, we started to make our way to the new Branson airport for this big air show they were having, but soon changed our minds as we saw the traffic headed that way (it was copious and stationary - not a good sign). In retrospect, we made the right decision, because the next day's newspaper had an article about the air show which said that at one point, it was taking people 2 HOURS to go the 10 miles from the highway to the airport. OMG. My sister and her husband went and they said it was amazing, but I still think we made the right decision. And all was not lost in that respect, which I'll get to in a moment.

So, when we decided to put the ix-nay on the air show, we figured we should do something else fun instead of just going home. We toyed with going to the IMAX theater, but then my Dad suggested the Branson Scenic Railway, which is a real train ride through the beautiful Ozarks countryside and into Arkansas and back. It takes about an hour and 45 minutes, and I'd always wanted to do it. We decided on that, and arrived at the station only to learn that we had just missed the 11:30 train and would have to to wait until 2:00. To kill the time, we went to Branson Landing, which is a beautiful new-ish shopping and dining complex on the banks of Lake Taneycomo. We rode the trolley which takes people up and down the brick promenade, walked around a bit, and ended up at Romano's Macaroni Grill for lunch. Because it was such a lovely day, we decided to dine al fresco on the balcony overlooking the lake. Lovely! The food was excellent and decadent, and it was a very nice, relaxed meal. We finished just in time to head to the train station for our railway adventure, about which Nick was virtually hyperventilating at this point.

We boarded the train and got to sit in one of the VistaDome cars. This is a car with a lower and upper section, and the upper section has windows that wrap up onto the ceiling, thus giving one a fabulous view. All the cars in the train were built in the 1950s or so, and were really neat! Nick had an absolutely wonderful time, and Dad and I really enjoyed the ride as well! And here's the reason that all was not lost as far as the air show - we actually got to see some of it from the train! This almost blew Nick's mind. :) We actually had a wonderful view of a stealth bomber, and even got to see several stunt plans doing twists, spirals, and loop-de-loops. It was great! Not as great as seeing the whole air show, to be sure, but the best of both worlds, in my opinion. The train ride took us through a couple of tunnels, which Nick loved. He charmed the heck out of all the older folks on the train with us - he just chatted with them the whole time, and was quite entertaining. The best part for Nick, though, came when the conductor came through our car to punch our tickets. He took Nick's ticket and held it behind his back, pretending to punch it there, and then he punched a letter "N" in it, a la The Polar Express. Nick about died! It was the icing on the cake of a perfect day.

By the time we got back to my Dad's house, we were all pretty exhausted. I needed to do a bit of shopping, though, so I headed to the mall to do just that. As usual, I scored some amazing deals at JCPenney by combining sales and coupons. I got a $36 pair of jean shorts for $3.69, and I got two shirts for Nick for $6 total. At Bath and Body Works, I got $50 worth of stuff for $24 - not bad! They have a new scent, white citrus, which is very nice. I got back to Dad's in time to put Nick to bed, and I followed not long thereafter.

Sunday morning, I ran out briefly to get the car washed and gassed, and then returned to Dad's house, where I gave the car a really good detailing - beautiful! In the early afternoon, we met my sister, brother-in-law, and two older nieces for a Chinese buffet. It was yummy, and it was wonderful to see my nieces and talk with them. Caitlin, the oldest, will be moving to Florida in a couple of weeks, which makes me very sad. I'm happy for her as she embarks on her dream to become a marine biologist, but I'll miss her sorely!

After lunch, Nick and I headed straight home, and here we are! It was a wonderful, whirlwind weekend, but it's nice to be back home. And we'll be heading back to Springfield this weekend for Caitlin's college graduation. Meanwhile, my baby "graduates" from preschool this week, and I have my last MOPS meeting of the year - it seems to be a week of endings, and of new beginnings...

happy mothers' day!

2009-05-08T11:14:00.003-05:00

Well, Nick and I are going to head to Springfield this afternoon, and I'll be offline all weekend, so I wanted to go ahead and wish all the mommies who read my blog a very happy Mothers' Day! You all deserve to be celebrated and pampered, so I hope you get your due!

For anyone who's wondering, we survived the severe weather that passed through here this morning. Nick and I were actually at the gym, and we had to take shelter in the bathroom, but all we got there was heavy rain and strong wind. No damage to our house, our cars, or ourselves. It made for quite the interesting morning, though!

Now, we're back home and preparing to get on the road. The weather has passed over, so our trip to Springfield should be uneventful. Brian is going to stay home this weekend and work on his master's project and some stuff around the house. Nick's and my plans in Springfield include a visit to Chuck E. Cheese's, a drive to Branson to go to the Dinosaur Museum and possibly the air show at the new airport there, seeing loved ones, and a bit of shopping and dining out. :) Should be a nice weekend!

My weight holds steady - yay! I've decided that 142 must really be my "happy weight."

Have a great weekend, everyone...

my "surprise class"

2009-05-06T19:06:00.003-05:00

Since I had to teach a class on my birthday, I figured I'd use my birthday as a gimmick for the class - seemed like a good idea! So, after we got warmed up, I turned to the class and announced that today was my birthday. I then said "Since no one has ever thrown me a surprise party, I decided that you guys are going to give me a surprise class!" I had each student, in turn, name a body part to work, thereby making the class a surprise even to me. It worked out really well! And I made us do 35 reps of everything, thereby working the birthday gimmick even more. And, we did a couple of 35-second cardio bursts. We ended up working the whole body and getting a really well-rounded workout, and the students really seemed to like the format. In fact, I only had to come up with a couple of ideas myself, because in addition to just naming a body part, most of them named an actual exercise to do, taking all of the work out of my hands. I was even able to work in a few age-related quips. For instance, when we were getting ready to do shoulder presses, I cautioned them to use lighter weights, since the shoulders tire so easily and 35 reps is a lot, saying "I would hate for anyone to get injured because I'm so old." :) I also told them that I expected a cake at the end of class. The other benefit to this class format was that I memorized all the students' names, which is great!

The best moment came, though, before I had revealed my age. I was about to reveal it, and said "I'm not very happy about this birthday..." and one woman, Laura, said "Are you 30?" When I said I was 35, her jaw totally dropped and the look on her face was priceless. I LOVE HER! Totally made my day. :)

So all-in-all, I've had a very nice birthday, what with the cards, the phone calls, the good class, and the disbelief at my age!

so, this is 35

2009-05-06T15:36:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm 35 now. Hmmm. Don't love the number (or the wrinkles), but I still feel like I'm about 25. And according to Rebecca, I have Linda Hamilton (in Terminator) arms. :) So maybe the arms cancel out the wrinkles somehow - that's a comforting thought!

I've gotten so many cards, Facebook wishes, emails, and phone calls that I'm feeling very warm, fuzzy, and loved right now. I have the best family and friends! You all know who you are, and I love you.

Not really doing anything special for my Bday. Brian gave me a card and some mint chocolate truffles this morning, but other than that, my day has been pretty ordinary. I am teaching my class tonight at the gym, just like any Wednesday. I guess you reach a point where birthdays are just no big whoop (BTW, Rebecca - your card is a SCREAM! Every time I read it, I laugh out loud. Thanks for that!). OK - now that I said that, I guess I should share, so you're not all like "What is so funny about this card? What does it SAY?" So, it's got a picture of a doleful-looking basset hound wearing a party hat on the front, with a thought bubble that says "It's your birthday. Whoop-dee-freakin'-do." Then on the inside, it says "When they took his testicles, they took his spirit." :) :) :) If that's not funny, then I don't know what is.

Happy Birthday to me!

it's certainly been a day

2009-05-04T14:46:00.003-05:00

Today is.....different. First of all, I'm exhausted. I haven't been sleeping very well lately, and I'm not sure why. I keep tossing and turning and just generally not sleeping. And last night, the overly bright clock display on our new VCR/DVR didn't help. Ack!

This morning was marred by a (thankfully brief) scare about my Dad. The man is 73 and lives alone, and my siblings couldn't get ahold of him, on either of his phones, this morning. You have to understand that this is very unusual, and caused us all to jump to the worst kind of conclusion. I was going out of my mind, thinking my Dad was dead! Finally, my sister called to tell me that he had left the house early (unheard of!) to help pack up after a Friends of the Library book sale. And of course, he left his cell phone in his car. He just doesn't get how worried we get if we can't reach him! When my sister told me he was OK, I just started crying with relief. And this was all before noon.

With a much lighter heart, I went to get Nick from preschool, whereupon we ran around signing him up for summer school and then going to a different school (long, boring story) to register him for Kindergarten in the fall. Nick was very good while I filled out the endless paperwork, so I treated him to lunch at Wendy's. Oh, I also found out that I did win something at the carnival auction after all, since the winner turned it down and I was next in line: 4 tickets to the St. Louis Museum of Transportation for $10! This place is very cool - we've been once before, and Nick loved it. So, we will definitely make use of those tickets.

Now, here I sit while Nick naps, and I'm really hitting the wall and wishing I could just curl up and sleep for a good long time. I only hope that I'll be so tired tonight that I'll sleep well. Wish me luck!

a nice day, despite the persistent gloom

2009-05-02T16:15:00.002-05:00

We have had a very nice day so far! First, we went to Nick's school carnival. It was sort of lame from an adult perspective, but Nick had a blast playing all the games and winning piles of cheap crap that will litter our home. :) He also enjoyed the bounce house - what kid doesn't? Plus, he got an awesome SpongeBob SquarePants tattoo on his cheek. We had a cheap and oh-so-healthy lunch there, consisting of a hot dog, Doritos, cookies, and Capri Sun. Sheesh. I didn't end up winning any of the silent auction items, because I'm simply too cheap! :)

We then proceeded to the Hampton Inn, where child development specialist and children's musician Jim Gill gave an intimate, interactive concert for a small but very appreciative audience. Nick had the time of his life! He smiled and laughed more than should be legal. :) Jim is incredibly animated, silly, and energetic, and the kids (and parents, too!) just ate him up. Nick and his classmates from Mrs. Tate's class were already familiar with several of Gill's songs, as Mrs. Tate uses one of his CDs in class. Everyone had a blast dancing, singing, jumping, and clapping. We ended up buying one of his CDs and getting it autographed, and we got a picture of Nick with Jim. They had door prizes, and we won a free two-topping pizza from Papa John's. Given that the day is already a nutritional bust (see lunch description above), we decided that we shall get said pizza tonight and just write off the whole day. I will start afresh tomorrow, and plan to be good for the remainder of the week.

Now, we're back home having a quiet afternoon and chilling out. Tonight's plans include eating pizza :), watching Lawrence Welk, and working on my next body sculpt class - I'll actually be teaching on my birthday, so I have to come up with a good way to torture my students so that they can suffer right along with me. :)

yet another recipe!

2009-05-01T20:35:00.003-05:00

Hey, all! I just made this tonight, and it's pretty tasty:

Pineapple-Cheddar Corn Bread

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 14.75-oz. can cream-style corn (I bought no-salt-added, so decided to increase the salt in the recipe to 1.5 tsp.)
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease and flour a 9 x 9" baking pan and set aside.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt with fork. Set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture on low speed just until combined. Stir in corn, drained pineapple, and cheese. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake about 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and top is golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack.

I also found another faboo-looking recipe that I plan to use for the next MOPS meeting - peanut butter & jelly bars. If it turns out well, I will share it, too!

Not a whole lot else to say. I'm really sick of this gloom and rain, and tomorrow looks dismal - it's only going to get up to around 50! Blech. Nick's school is having a carnival, but I think they'll move it inside if it rains, so I guess it'll still be a go. They're having a silent auction, and there are several things I'm interested in (like tickets to attractions and meals at restaurants, a night in a jacuzzi suite, etc.); wish me luck with my bidding!

After the carnival, we're going to a concert given by a cool children's musician named Jim Gill. Nick's teachers use Gill's music in class, and the kids love it! I think his CDs are available on Amazon - you should check them out if you have kids!

I was slightly cheered up today by the cute little skirt I bought for $14, but then I depressed myself by eating a totally unnecessary, evil chocolate muffin with a cream cheese center at Starbucks. Ack! I wasn't even hungry. So, it was a roller coaster of a day. :)

For anyone who watches Private Practice: How frustrating was that cliffhanger on the season finale? I can't believe I have to wait all the way until the new season to find out Violet's fate! It's killing me.

My 35th birthday is a mere 5 days away, and I'm alternately horrified and underwhelmed by the prospect. Bah, humbug! :)

Hope everyone has a nice weekend!

gooey bars

2009-04-28T14:57:00.003-05:00

Here's that recipe, for anyone who's interested:

Gooey Bars

1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup (two sticks) salted butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
chocolate chips or other topping, optional

Preheat oven to 300. Blend together with a hand mixer the cake mix, one egg, vanilla, and butter. Spray 9 x 13 pan with Pam. Pour mixture into pan and spread to all edges. In separate bowl, mix together remaining two eggs, cream cheese, and powdered sugar with hand mixer. Pour this mixture over cake mixture and spread to all edges. If desired, sprinkle chocolate chips or other topping on the top. Bake for 45-50 mins. or until toothpick comes out clean.

I will warn you - this dessert is very decadent and very addictive. Enjoy!

my first 5K: a personal triumph!

2009-04-26T14:50:00.003-05:00

So, I've had quite a busy and exciting weekend. It all started on Friday evening, when Rebecca and I went for dinner at a new Japanese place here called Kyoto. We were seated at a tiny table in a corner. My view was down the hall to the ladies' room, and Rebecca got to look at a wall. :) It also took forever to get our food. But, when we did get our food, it was really good! We had bento boxes with such items as gyoza, shrimp and veggie tempura, chicken terriyaki, rice, salad, miso soup, etc. We also tried some fried tofu with a hot and sweet sauce. It was all pretty good. Our waitress also brought us out some extra free food - edamame and more tempura. We weren't sure if this is something they do normally, or if she did it for us because it took so long to get our food. Either way, we stuffed our faces until we wanted to undo our pants, and we had a great time talking and laughing. Love my Rebecca-friend!

Even though I was still very stiff and sore on Saturday morning, I dragged myself out of bed, slathered myself in sunscreen, and proceeded to the 5K on post. It was warm and also freakishly windy! I was met there by my gym friend, Michaelle, who ended up being my savior. She is much more of a runner than me (I'm virtually a non-runner. I jog once in a blue moon, and have never gone more than a mile), and could have gone faster than me, but she chose to stay with me to be my personal cheerleader. I honestly don't believe I could ever have jogged the whole thing without her encouragement. I never even planned to jog the whole thing - I went into it thinking I'd jog about a mile and then walk for a while and see if I felt like jogging any more. Never in a million years did I think I could jog the entire 5K without stopping or walking, but that's exactly what I did! It damn near killed me, but somehow, I found the strength to keep going, one foot in front of the other, all the way to the end. There were times when I didn't know how I'd do it, but I did! And when Michaelle told me that we had gone over halfway, I figured that I'd never forgive myself if I didn't try my hardest to jog the whole way. Granted, I didn't jog terribly fast, but who cares? We don't know exactly how long it took us, because there was no time announced at the beginning or when we crossed the finish line, but we estimated that it took about 30-35 mins., which would mean I jogged about a 10-12 minute mile. Not too shabby for a non-runner! We were by no means the last to finish - people were finishing way, way after we did. The most amazing thing started to happen as we approached the finish line. This 5K, which had been something fun for me to do, a challenge for me to see how hard I could push myself, suddenly turned into something very momentous and meaningful to me. I actually started crying a little, and I said to Michaelle "Two years ago I was a fatty, and now I'm jogging a whole 5K! I just can't believe this!" I got very emotional, and though I had told Brian and Nick to stay at home, I ended up being really sad that they weren't sitting there to watch me cross the finish line and cheer me on. It also would have been really nice to have a picture taken of me with my number on right after I finished. When I rounded the bend to the final short straightaway before the finish line, I summoned up all my strength and sprinted - and I mean SPRINTED - to the end. I was running so hard that my feet were hitting my butt. I came to a stop and caught my breath, incredulous, while tears ran down my cheeks. And that is the story of my first 5K. I still can't believe I did it.

Tim and Jaimie showed up a little while later for their visit, and though I was bone-tired, we ended up having a very fun afternoon with lots of laughter and silliness. We went on post to shop and so that T and J could ogle cute soldiers :), and then we went out for dinner to Mizeki - another Japanese restaurant! Yes, I ended up eating pretty much the same dinner two nights in a row, with equal amounts of gluttony. I can't even imagine the amount of water I'm retaining right now, what with all the soy sauce I've consumed over the past couple of days. Oh, and in addition to that, we also baked up a 9 x 13 pan of gooey bars (an amazing, decadent dessert bar), the entirety of which we polished off before they left to head back to Springfield. Disgusting, I tell you. (I'm hanging my head in shame.) But, who cares? I jogged a 5K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today, I slept in a bit and had a very slow, stiff morning. I headed to Walmart for some stuff, and have since been getting little things done around the house. In a little while, I'm finally going to watch the TV I recorded on Thursday night. And that's my weekend...

this and that

2009-04-24T10:44:00.003-05:00

So, my quads are so sore today that it sometimes takes my breath away. That might have something to do with the 100 squats and 90 lunges (on each side) that we did in my sculpt class Wednesday night! :) I'm planning to do a 5K tomorrow, and I'm somewhat worried that this soreness will hamper me, but I'm still going to go for it - I just might end up walking more than jogging. But, it will still be fun and good for me! Because of the acute soreness and the 5K coming up, I decided that it might be wise to skip working out today and just rest and stretch my legs. My weight keeps flip-flopping between 142 and 144, which is kind of frustrating, but then again, maybe it just means that I'm right where I'm supposed to be and I shouldn't worry about it.

I ended up crazily teaching yoga class last night, because the regular instructor couldn't be there. I was petrified, but I put together a solid series of flows, and it ended up going really well. I did a "warrior flow", where you typically start facing one way and do it on one side, and then you switch sides and repeat the whole thing on the other side of your body. Well, I realized this morning that I forgot to do it on both sides last night! Oh, well. For all my students knew, I did that on purpose to avoid running out of time. And my class did end up filling the hour, plus a couple of minutes, even without the missing poses. There were a couple of other little mistakes I made, but all-in-all, I'd say it went very smoothly for a first yoga class. My transitions all seemed smooth and to "make sense", and I kept my composure and didn't do anything idiotic. :) So, yay!

I'm excited about tomorrow, because in addition to the 5K, we're going to an Earth Day thing on post, with vendors, food, and activities for the kiddies. And best of all, my Timmy friend and his zesty friend (and mine) Jaimie are coming up to visit us! Yay! We're going to go out for Japanese for dinner. I think I'm turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese...

And can we talk about this fabulous weather? I'm completely loving it. Today, I'm wearing a sleeveless top, a skort, and sandals, and I couldn't be happier. Now, if only it could stay just like this instead of getting into the humid high 90s later in the summer. :(

That's about all for now, folks...

a very rainy day

2009-04-19T16:43:00.002-05:00

It has been raining almost nonstop here today. Blech! We figured we had to get out and do something, so we decided to take Nick bowling on post. It was pretty fun! I did better than I thought I would, given how long it had been since I last bowled - I got a 135, which included one strike and several spares. Brian beat me by 7, and Nick held his own (with the help of bumpers) with a 74. He was very excited to go bowling, and apparently had a wonderful time! :)

We also went to Walmart and picked up all the pics I had developed (145!), in addition to a bit of shopping. I got a couple of cute tank tops, and we got a couple of tank tops and new shoes for Nick. We also picked up a new cordless phone, as one of ours was on the fritz. And, I picked up a new kind of wrinkle cream, in my never ending quest to stave off the ravages of time. :)

It was nice to come back home, though, to our nice cozy house. Since getting home, I've been putting photos in the album, reading the Sunday paper, talking to my Timmy-friend and wishing him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!, etc. After I'm done online, I've GOT to get to work on my next sculpt class - I'm totally slacking on that. Ack!

Hope everyone's having a nice weekend...

random babbling and a recipe!

2009-04-18T18:19:00.002-05:00

Hey, folks! I guess I should do a bit of a "real" post, finally. I don't have anything really exciting to say, but I AM going to share the faboo recipe I made for dinner this evening.

I've ended up having a pretty productive day. I've washed all of our bedding and am still washing all the throws, bathmats, kitchen rugs, etc. We vacuumed and flipped our mattress, and put on a new zippered hypoallergenic mattress cover, to see if that helps me - I tend to wake up congested every morning, and I've decided that maybe it's because of dust/dust mites. We shall see. We also vacuumed under the bed and took down the heavy (and disgustingly dusty) drapes that are right behind our bed and laundered them. I don't know if any of this will actually help my congestion, but at least our bedroom will be cleaner! :)

I also talked to my friend Katherine today, which was very lovely. She always makes me laugh and lightens my mood. Thanks, girl!

Also, I got all of my latest digital pics on CD to take to Walmart for printing, and Brian vacuumed the whole house and I mopped the kitchen and bathrooms. Wow! I really have done a lot today, haven't I? There's something about seeing it all in print...

In addition to all of the above, I managed to find time to whip up a very quick, simple, delicious dinner: spinach and black bean egg rolls - they're sort of an east meets southwest kinda thing. I have two words for you: Me gusta! Here's the recipe:

Spinach and Black Bean Egg Rolls

2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, drained (I left these out.)
4 green onions, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
20 egg roll wrappers
Pam
salsa and/or ranch dressing

1. In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Place 1/4 cup mixture in the center of each egg roll wrapper. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel while you work.) Fold corners in one by one, making an "egg roll" shape and moistening final corner with water before pressing down to seal.
2. Place egg rolls seam side down on cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. Spray tops of egg rolls with Pam and bake at 425 for about 15 mins., until nicely browned and crispy. Serve warm with salsa and/or ranch dressing, if desired.

I mixed up the full amount of filling, but decided to just assemble and bake 10 egg rolls this evening. I refrigerated the remaining wrappers and filling, and that way I can make them fresh next time, instead of reheating existing ones. Seemed like a good idea! I thought they were very good - if you make them, let me know what you think!

Tomorrow, I shall do my usual Walmart run, and Brian and I are going to take Nick bowling and then possibly go to a couple of furniture stores and see if we can find a headboard for Nick's bed.
I also have to design my next class. It's shaping up to be a pretty good weekend! Hope yours is, too...

new photos!

2009-04-17T21:07:00.002-05:00

I have added new photos to Facebook, in three separate albums. Here are public links to those albums (you can view them even if you're not "on" Facebook). Enjoy, and let me know what you think!:

Nick's 5th birthday

Operation Big Boy Bed

Miscellaneous pics from March/April

a good weigh-in

2009-04-17T11:37:00.002-05:00

I'm very happy to be back in my target weight range, despite porking down last night on a big Southwestern salad with tortilla strips, sour cream, and pico de gallo. :)

I'm also happy to report that I'm finally in the process of processing the 100 digital pics that have accumulated on my camera, so I should be doing a post very soon with some new pics - yay! So, Rebecca, just hold on a little bit longer. :) I would ask you why you're not posting, but - oh, that's right! - you haven't even STARTED your blog, you wench!

Happy Friday, everyone...

we're back from easter weekend...

2009-04-12T19:45:00.001-05:00

I'm just on here long enough to say that we're back home after our Easter weekend in Springfield. We had a very nice time, and my singing went well. Right now, though, I feel like I have 8 million things to do and I'm somewhat overwhelmed. So, I may not be posting for a few days. Bear with me! Hope everyone had a nice Easter...

a wonderful, moving true story

2009-04-10T12:45:00.003-05:00

I just finished reading The Year My Son and I Were Born: A Story of Down Syndrome, Motherhood, and Self-Discovery, and I highly recommend it to anyone, not just parents or those who have a child with Down Syndrome. It's incredibly moving and eye-opening, and is just a wonderful read. I can almost guarantee that you WILL cry in certain parts, and from joy, not sadness! If you read it, let me know what you think. I checked it out from my library.

come on, amy - time to rein it in!

2009-04-10T10:31:00.002-05:00

So, over the past two weeks, I've gained two pounds, and I'm now outside of my "comfort zone" of 140-143. Not by much, but this means that I've got to get my eating under control so that I don't keep going in that direction. Why I've gained those two pounds is no mystery - I've been eating fairly crappily, and it's got to stop! This weekend is already doomed, because we're going to a big Easter brunch, but come Monday, I've got to buckle down and get some discipline back into my diet. Wish me luck!

We're off to Springfield this evening. Tomorrow, I'm going to spend some time with my Timmy-friend and see his new house (!), and Sunday I'm singing at church and then brunching with my family. I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend...

the end of an era

2009-04-07T18:38:00.002-05:00

We just got done setting up a full-size bed in Nick's room - he is now the official owner of a big boy bed! It's a pretty big step, as he was sleeping in a "toddler bed", which was simply his crib with a side rail removed. But, he was just about too long for it, so we decided it was time for a bed! I didn't want to mess with a twin bed, because I feel that when he's a teen, it would be too small for his comfort (I remember how much I hated having a twin bed as I got older.), and I didn't want to have to start with one size and then switch to another. Plus, we already owned a full-size bed, which we were using as our guest bed. We simply gave it to Nick, and we will move our full-size futon back up from the basement to use as our guest bed. So, it works out great, and all I had to buy was new bedding for Nick. He's really excited to sleep in his bed tonight, so we'll see how it goes. I'll share pics eventually...

miscellany

2009-04-02T15:53:00.003-05:00

Regarding the recipe for oat, almond, and cranberry breakfast bars - I just made another batch and substituted applesauce for the oil, and I would NOT recommend that. They're OK, but rather different and not nearly as good as with oil. I'm so disappointed! Alas.

Went to the dentist today for my check-up, and all was well. I finally asked about closing the gap between my bottom front teeth, and found out that I could have some bonding done, and my co-pay would be rather reasonable! Yay! So, it's scheduled for next week. I'm thrilled; I just wish I had asked about it a long time ago. The gap doesn't show when I smile, as it's on the bottom, but it does show when I speak or sing, so I'm pretty self-conscious about it. Wish me luck that the bonding turns out well and looks natural.

Because of my dentist appointment, I didn't go to the class at my gym this morning, but I had enough time between the dentist and picking Nick up from school to head there and use the treadmill for 30 minutes - better than nothing! I jogged for probably half the time, so I got a pretty decent calorie burn.

Today is Peanut Butter and Jelly Day (apparently), and one of the community centers on post hosted a free PB&J lunch. I picked Nick up from school and took him there, and it was fun! Granted, it wasn't the healthiest lunch ever (no whole wheat bread, natural PB or no-sugar-added jelly in sight), but it was free, and Nick loved it! We each had a sandwich and a bag of chips (Cheetos for Nick and Fritos for me), and a cookie for dessert. They had crafts for the kids to do, and Nick had a blast. The woman in charge happened to be the yoga teacher at my gym, and it was nice to sit and talk with her - we discussed the idea of me being able to sub for her when needed, and she thinks I'd do fine, which makes me feel good.

Brian was supposed to meet us for the lunch, but on the way, he suffered a flat tire (well, his car did, not him personally). :( The tire couldn't be fixed, so he had to have a new one put on. Ack! It wasn't too expensive, though, so all's well that ends well. He's had a pretty bad day on several counts, the poor guy, between the tire and some stuff at work.

We'll finally get to see him pretty soon, because Nick and I are getting ready to leave to head to Nick's school for parent-child night, where we'll meet up with Brian. They're having some sort of "multicultural" theme, and then there will be more free food :), including my underwhelming applesaucy bars. I hate to subject the other families to the results of my experimentation, but whatareyagonnado? I don't have time to make anything else. :)

That's all, folks! Gotta head out...

i did it!

2009-03-29T20:15:00.002-05:00

I finally went through my closet and got rid of the remainder of my too-big, unwanted, outdated clothes! Yay! It was quite the bloodbath. :) Now, everything in my closet is something that fits and that I will actually wear. And no, there's not much, but that's OK - now, I can start building it up again. You wouldn't believe the amount of empty space in that closet now. I feel so liberated and unencumbered. In addition to two large garbage bags full of clothing, Brian will also be taking one bag full of hangers to Goodwill - it's insane how many hangers I had!

I had a fairly accomplished weekend, all-in-all. I went through my next sculpt class, working out the kinks and finalizing it for Wednesday, went to Walmart (got some new tank tops, nail polish, lip color, etc.), did laundry, cooked and baked, dusted the house (somewhat), cleaned the toilets, rehearsed my Easter solo, painted my toenails, gathered and packed up a bunch of kid clothes and toys to take to a resale shop, ordered a new bed-in-a-bag for Nick, gathered the documents Brian will need to have our taxes done, etc. Whew! When I see it all in print like that, I really feel like I got a lot done. Brian was also quite helpful this weekend - he set up our new printer (The old one finally gave up the ghost, but we had had it for 10 years!), vacuumed the house, took stuff to Goodwill, and generally kept Nick occupied while I got stuff done.

The week ahead is busy as usual. I'll be chauffeuring Nick to school, working out, going to a Love and Logic class, doing laundry, grocery shopping, paying bills (including the first payment on the Caliber - blech!), teaching my class, going to the dentist, attending parent-child night at Nick's school, going to Rolla, etc., etc. My niece is supposed to be visiting next weekend, which I'm looking forward to very much.

Hope everyone had a great weekend, and I wish you a good week ahead...

more yummy goodness!

2009-03-28T12:36:00.003-05:00

I just made these today, and they are absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS! I highly recommend that you make them as soon as possible. :) They do have oil, honey, and sugar, so are not exactly health food, but they're also full of really wonderful, healthy things, like oats, almonds, wheat germ, and whole wheat flour, if you use that. Also, I would imagine that you could substitute applesauce for the oil - I didn't have any, so I didn't try that. Enjoy!

Oat, Almond, and Cranberry Breakfast Bars

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 lg. egg
2 cups old-fashioned oats, uncooked
3/4 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup Craisins or raisins
3/4 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 x 13" baking pan and set aside.
2. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, stir oil, honey, vanilla, and egg until mixed.
3. In a large bowl, with fork, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, almonds, wheat germ, Craisins, and salt until combined. With a rubber spatula, stir honey mixture into dry mixture until blended and moistened; scrape into prepared pan. With a wet hand, pat mixture evenly into pan.
4. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

chicken and spinach stromboli (serves 6)

2009-03-27T19:22:00.002-05:00

I made this recipe for dinner tonight, and it turned out great!

1 lb. chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into strips
1 pkg. (11 oz.) refrigerated Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza Crust
1 cup pasta sauce, divided
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup shredded Colby/Monterey Jack cheese blend
milk
grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oven to 400. Boil a cup of water in a large skillet, add chicken and return to boiling. Cover and simmer 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool, then chop.
2. Spray a large cookie sheet with Pam, and unroll pizza crust into a 12 x 14" rectangle on the cookie sheet. Spoon half of the pasta sauce down the center, leaving 3" on either side. Layer spinach, chicken, and shredded cheese over sauce. Cut 12 strips on both sides of crust. Fold strips over filling so that they overlap in the middle. Brush with milk and sprinkle with Parmesan.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until nicely browned and crisp. Serve with remaining pasta sauce.

utter and total mortification

2009-03-25T20:40:00.002-05:00

OK, so I'm not going to go on quite as much about tonight's class, because I don't want to annoy anyone. :) Suffice it to say that it went great - I was confident, poised, and in control, and I led my students through a very good strength workout. I had 18 (!) students, and I even stood around after class and talked with a few of them. So, there I was, feeling the endorphins again, really happy with how the class went, feeling very good about myself. Then, I came home, and my husband kindly pointed out to me that I had A HUGE CHUNK OF SPINACH STUCK BETWEEN MY TEETH. Seriously. Could I be more of a cliche? A really big chunk of bright green spinach, right there, front and center. While I stood in front of 18 people for an hour and taught a class. While I talked with people after class, in close proximity. In that moment, when Brian told me about the spinach, I absolutely wanted to die. It was as though I were a balloon and someone had stuck a pin in me. I completely deflated, and I was horrified. Now, my memory of that class is completely tainted, and I am red-faced even now as I type about it. I mean, why does no one tell you when you have spinach in your teeth? I ACTUALLY WANT SOMEONE TO TELL ME! But no one will, because they don't want to embarrass you. Instead, everyone was just probably inwardly amused the whole time, and felt embarrassed for me. Aaarrrggghhh! I know I'm making a really big deal about this, but it's how I feel, however ridiculous that makes me. I wonder if they think I have questionable personal hygiene. I'm just so incredibly embarrassed. What I really need right now is for someone to say something to me to make me feel better about this. Please?

i was a rock star!

2009-03-24T20:05:00.002-05:00

Brace yourself. I'm going to sound very full of myself in this post. But. I. Don't. CARE!!!! My step class was frickin' amazing! I cannot get over how perfectly it went. It was virtually flawless. I never once lost count, lost my place, or had a misstep. I never forgot to cue or cued late. I never lost my cool. I had the class by the balls the entire time, from start to finish. The whole thing went so smoothly and I had such poise! I did a really good warm-up and then got into the stepping, and a couple of minutes into the first combo, I just knew it was all coming together. Between step combos, we did one-minute bursts of intense cardio, and they loved it! I was sure to get their heart-rates down properly, and I always made sure to show low-impact options, as I had a couple of older ladies in class. At the beginning of each combo, I demonstrated the less basic stuff (Charleston, I-step, mambo-cha-cha-cha, for example, for those of you in the know). I explained things as we went and explained what body parts we were stretching at the end of class and made sure everyone had proper form to get a good stretch. It was just all good. People, do you know what a feeling of power it gives you to tell people to do something unpleasant, like jog really hard for a minute, and they actually DO IT? Just because you told them to? Shut up! It's awesome! :) You have probably guessed by now that I'm on a serious high. It's almost like I've done drugs or something (not that I'd know). I just can't get over how well that went - way better than anyone's first class should ever go. You know - I realize that the second time I teach, I might completely screw up, and right now, I don't even care! Right now, I'm on top of the world. OK - I think I'm done. Oh, one more thing - after class, a couple was being shown around the gym, and I started talking to them and telling them about the classes. It was so cool to shake the lady's hand and say "I'm Amy. I'm an instructor here."

what am i thinking???!!!

2009-03-23T14:14:00.002-05:00

I have apparently gone insane - I just hope it's temporary! :) I have volunteered myself to sub for the step instructor at my gym (she's got strep - she's a streppy stepper) and teach step class tomorrow night. This is happening before I even teach my first regular body sculpt class on Wednesday! Part of me is excited and part of me is terrified. But, I think it's going to be good for me. The head instructor jokingly said to me this morning "Wanna teach step class tomorrow night?" We had a good laugh about it, but as the day went on, I couldn't get this niggling thought out of my mind - "Maybe I DO wanna teach step tomorrow night!" I think I know what I'm doing enough to get through a simple class, and if I make it through, then my first regular sculpt class will be a cake-walk. I think I'm looking at this as a way to prove myself and to stretch myself and work through my fears. So, wish me luck!

it's official!

2009-03-21T15:09:00.002-05:00

I am now a certified group fitness instructor! This certification was a sort of "quickie" one, done through an online test, in order for me to begin teaching this body sculpt class next week. In the fall, I'm going to be completing a much more rigorous certification workshop, which I'm really looking forward to! I might even complete a kickboxing certification. We shall see. For now, though, I'm legit to teach, and I'm really excited about getting started. I think I'm going to do a good job, and as I'm very passionate about women doing strength-training, this class is right up my alley. I've got my first class all ready to go...wish me luck!

just a tidbit

2009-03-17T15:29:00.002-05:00

I have not even been home today until just now, and I feel like I have a million things to do and my life is spinning out of control. You know the feeling? Why on earth did I think it would be a good idea to take on tap class, teaching at the gym, etc. all at the same time? I'm most stressing about the fact that I have to teach my first class in 8 days, and need to finalize my class plan! Wish me luck.

Anywho, Nick had his 5-year checkup today, and it went fine (except for his behavior). He has a small heart murmur which is apparently nothing to worry about, and he seems to manufacture way too much ear wax. :) Other than that, he's all good. He weighs 47 lbs. and is just under 44" tall, putting him in the 70th percentiles for both. The nurses spent a really long time irrigating his ears, for which I was thankful. He was pretty awful, especially anytime we were alone in the room. At one point, I chastised him quite harshly, and he broke down, exclaiming "You're a monster! I don't even know who you are anymore!" :) Thought that might make you smile for the day...

More later.

a super-lame post

2009-03-16T13:40:00.001-05:00

Hey, peeps! We survived the big wedding/birthday party/portrait weekend, and it went great! I'd love to tell you all about it, but for some reason, I seem to have 8 million things to do this week. So, posting might be sparse for a bit. Bear with me! Life is very good, but very busy. Should calm down a bit mid-April. :)

two funny things nick said today

2009-03-10T13:23:00.002-05:00

1. We were in the car, and all of a sudden, Nick started asking about Santa Claus, out of the blue. He asked how he can fit down chimneys, even when they're really small, and I said "Santa can fit through any space, even tiny ones, because he's magical." Nick replied "I find that hard to believe." :)

2. A little while ago, I told Nick to do something, and he said "Yes, your majesty!"

interview with my son

2009-03-08T19:27:00.002-05:00

People have been doing this quiz on Facebook, and I did it and then thought it would be fun to post it on my blog, too. I'd love to see the answers from some of my readers' kids! Grab your kids and do the quiz...

1. What is something mom always says to you?
I love you.

2. What makes mom happy?
when I hug her

3. What makes mom sad?
when Miss Jutta went to Germany

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
by making silly jokes

5. What was your mom like as a child?
a princess

6. How old is your mom?
13 (I'm all about seeming younger than I am, but come on!)

7. How tall is your mom?
Nick was very scientific on this one. He made me stand up and then he went and got his little tape measure. I had to hold one end at the top of my head and he pulled it down, but it wasn't long enough. So, he asked his Dad, who told him the correct answer: 65".

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
hug me

9. What does your mom do when you are not home?
paint her toenails

10.If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
for being a princess

11. What is your mom really good at?
measuring things

12. What is your mom not good at?
flying up in the sky

13. What does your mom do for a job?
working out at the fitness center

14. What is your Mom's favorite food?
frozen dinners

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
when she fixes things

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Wanda on Fairly Oddparents

17. What do you and your mom do together?
play games

18. How are you and your mom the same?
We have the same painted eyeballs (We both have brown eyes.)

19. How are we different?
She's big and I'm small.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
because when she's mad at me for doing something bad, she still loves me

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
They're friends.

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
bowling (What??? We do this maybe once a year.) :)

miscellaneous pics

2009-03-06T21:27:00.002-06:00

Here are some miscellaneous pics from the past couple of months. The first is from our first significant snow, at the end of January. I love the way Nick is imitating his snowman!

This picture was taken in the library at Nick's school last month. There was a "pajama party", where we wore our PJs to the library to read books together and eat popcorn. Nick had a blast!

Here is a picture of the 9-10" snow we just got last Saturday. Of course, today our high temperature was in the 80s. Gotta love the Midwest!

Nick had a blast playing in all the snow last weekend in his new winter coat.

my new wheels

2009-03-06T21:17:00.003-06:00

Here, finally, are some pics of the new car. I'm really enjoying it! It's got a distinctive look about it, and I like the shape and lines of the exterior. The interior is a comfortable fit for Nick and me, and I like that it sits higher than most sedans. I love the sunroof, and the hatchback is great, too.

in my family, sarcasms kicks in at a young age

2009-03-06T18:54:00.003-06:00

Earlier today, I emitted a little burp, to which Nick responded "Oh, Mommy - you're such a charmer." :)

I finally washed my new car and took pictures of it, which I will be sharing here in the very near future. Stay tuned!

For dinner tonight, I made the following recipe. It's really good, and couldn't be easier! It's not exactly low-cal or low-fat, but it's high in fiber and protein and contains some nutrition power-houses. And rinsing the beans cuts down on the sodium.

Spinach Tortellini with Beans and Feta

1 9-oz. package refrigerated cheese-filled spinach tortellini (I used Buitoni Spinach Cheese Tortellini.)
1 15-oz. can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed (My store didn't have these, so I substituted great northern beans.)
1 4-6 oz. package crumbled garlic-and-herb flavored feta cheese (I had to substitute tomato-basil feta cheese.)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large tomato, chopped
ground black pepper
1 bag fresh baby spinach leaves

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and return to cooking pot. Add drained beans, feta cheese, and olive oil to the pot, and stir gently until cheese is melted and beans are hot. Add tomato and cook 1 more minute. Sprinkle with pepper to taste. Place desired amount of spinach on 4 dinner plates (I didn't use all of it.) and top with tortellini mixture.

Enjoy!

i forgot one!

2009-03-05T13:45:00.002-06:00

Another change that I'm really pumped about is that I hope to be getting my second tattoo within the next few months. I want a cascade of stars on my right shoulder blade, but I hadn't been able to find a design I like. So, my niece, Madeline, is working on a design for me! How cool will it be to have a tattoo designed by her? She's even going to work her signature into it. Lately, it just feels like Christmas, ya know?

the winds of change are blowing...

2009-03-05T13:33:00.003-06:00

...and sending a frisson of excitement down my spine! This just seems to be a year of new things and progress for me. I'm thrilled to have gotten almost my whole house purged, and I've gotten a very respectable start on getting my holiday decor into plastic tubs (This might not sound very exciting, but for the likes of me, it is!). And of course, I just got a new car, which I like more every day. I finally have some great sunroof weather, and I'm lovin' it! And, though I hate to spend the money, I'm sort of excited about buying yet another new spring/summer wardrobe and showing off the "finished product" of my weight-loss to the world. I've been cooking more and really enjoying it (not the clean-up, though) - tomorrow evening's dinner will be spinach tortellini with beans and feta. Even though it will be somewhat expensive, we've pretty much made the decision to visit Brian's parents this summer, and they will be thrilled! Nick and his grandparents need a chance to spend time together. We may have to sacrifice a trip to Germany this year, but that's OK - this is more important.

The biggest excitement for me, though, lies in the fitness arena. I'm just loving my classes, and excited at the prospect of having some personal training, and I also think it's really cool that Brian is going to be joining me for yoga from now on. I was thinking about taking a tap class, but it would make me miss yoga, and I've decided that for now, yoga is more important to me. There will always be another chance to take tap, at a time that doesn't interfere with something else I love. I'm so thrilled lately at the sculpting and definition that I see in my muscles - particularly my shoulders and arms! I just feel very strong and vital, and like I could take on the world. The most exciting development lately is that it looks like I might be getting my fitness instructor certification and teaching a lot sooner than I thought. I had been planning on putting it off a little longer, but my gym really needs someone to fill in for the Monday night cardio/core class and the Wednesday night strength class, and it's possible that that person could be me! I need to get certified quickly, which I'm looking into. So, I could be teaching really soon! It's scary, but also very exciting. I'll keep you posted...

not exactly the response i was looking for...

2009-03-02T14:05:00.001-06:00

Whilst Nick ate his lunch today (fish sticks with ketchup, canned peaches, flappy dairy, and Goldfish, in case anyone was wondering), we were talking about his impending birthday. I said "Just think - you'll have birthday cake at your SpongeBob party at PaPa's, and then two days later, you'll have a birthday cupcake at school!" His response? "My butt itches."

in case you were wondering...

2009-03-01T14:29:00.003-06:00

It snowed heavily all day yesterday, from about 9-5, and we ended up with about 10 inches! We couldn't get out yesterday or this morning, but we got plowed later this morning, and Brian just left to sally forth to Walmart for a few things. He hasn't come back yet, which I take as a good sign. I'm really ready for spring!

it's snowing!

2009-02-28T11:36:00.003-06:00

Last night was our MOPS Moms' Nite Out at mentor mom Jeannie's house, and it was fun! There were 7 of us in all, and we just sat around eating, playing games, eating, and eating. I am, once again, SO ashamed. :) Susie made this amazing focaccia bread, and Leigh Ann came by with another of her decadent cakes. I was helpless to resist their power.

I ended up not getting to bed until 12:30, which just does NOT fly with me anymore. I slept until 9, and I'm still feeling groggy and draggy. I have absolutely NO motivation to do any of the things I should, like dust, mop, fill Xmas tubs, etc. Furthermore, we're getting quite the snowstorm, and that always makes me just want to sit there staring out the window and drinking hot cocoa. I'm pretty sure that today will not be a day of much accomplishment for me. But, I guess that's OK. I do plan on calling some of my peeps and catching up, and that is certainly not without value! Enjoy your snow day, my local peeps...

my man's a good daddy

2009-02-27T13:57:00.002-06:00

Brian came home from a week-long Army Band trip to Chicago on Wednesday, and he brought Nick one of these. It's awesome! The concept is great, and they are so well-made. And if we were to get him one or two more, he could take them all apart and mix and match the pieces. I highly recommend this toy, for girls and boys. Brian also visited the Chicago Symphony gift shop and got Nick a t-shirt that says "treble maker." :) He brought me a couple of neat magnets and some musical notecards. What a thoughtful husband and dad!

btw

2009-02-27T10:59:00.002-06:00

I forgot to mention that Brian did really well in yoga class, and enjoyed it! For a beginner, he was markedly non-dorky, and did most of the poses really well. He plans to keep coming every week, so yay! It'll be something we can do and enjoy together, and Nick loves going to the childcare room at the gym, so it's a win-win-win.

the end of an era

2009-02-27T10:55:00.003-06:00

As you may have noticed, I decided that the time had come to retire my weight-loss ticker. Since I've basically reached my goal, there didn't seem to be much point in keeping it any longer. I will, however, keep posting my weekly weigh-in on the sidebar, for two reasons. First, it will be a black-and-white reminder of how far I've come, and second, it will continue to hold me accountable as I work to maintain my weight and keep it from creeping back the wrong way. Retiring the ticker seems like such a small thing, but in a way, it's a pretty big deal to me!

finally!

2009-02-26T14:01:00.002-06:00

You were probably beginning to wonder if I'd ever post again, weren't you? I was, too! I just hadn't been inspired until today, and like trying on clothes or cleaning your house, ya gotta be inspired!

We had the MOPS baby shower this morning. About 1/2 (seriously) of my MOPS group is currently prego, so we thought it fitting to throw them a shower. It was really nice! Our mentor moms did wonderful decorations and punch, and came up with really fun games for us to play, and the food was scrumptious. Leigh Ann, who is our coordinator and also happens to be a dessert caterer, made this amazing two-layer cake. The top was chocolate and the bottom was white/chocolate marble, and it was so gorgeously decorated that I hated to see it cut apart. Between all the hors d'oeuvres and the cake, I was a disgusting pig. I'm pretty ashamed. But, tomorrow's a new day, I guess. My spinach balls turned out really yummy, so here's that recipe:

Spinach-Stuffing Balls

2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
4 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (Use fresh if you can!)
1 large onion, finely chopped (I used dried minced onion.)
2 cups herb stuffing mix
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tsp. salt
10 Tbsp. butter (1 stick + 2 Tbsp.), melted

Squeeze water out of spinach through colander until it's just about dry. Beat eggs in large bowl, then add spinach and rest of ingredients. Mix well with hands, then cover bowl and refrigerate until mixture holds together (at least an hour)*. Preheat oven to 350. Shape mixture into roughly 1-inch balls and bake on lightly greased cookie sheet until just browned and crispy, about 30-35 mins. Sprinkle with some more salt if desired.

*When I started forming the balls, I was concerned, because the mixture didn't seem to be adhering very well, and it was hard to make the balls. I pressed on, though, and they came out just fine. So, don't worry if it doesn't seem "sticky" enough.

After the MOPS meeting, I headed to the DMV to transfer my plates and pay the title fee and sales tax on the new car. It was about $600 - ouch! I hate that part of buying a car. Speaking of the car - I know I haven't shared pics yet. I really want to wait until I can wash the car (it's currently filthy), but it keeps raining. So, be patient! I'm still really enjoying it, and am quite pleased with my purchase.

It's very gloomy outside right now - it seems like a storm might be blowing in. Blech! It makes me want to crawl in bed and take a nap.

This evening, Brian is actually going to come with me to yoga for the first time ever! I'm not sure how he'll do, but it's great that he wants to come and give it a try.

That's all for now...

off to springfield again, tally ho

2009-02-20T14:20:00.003-06:00

Nick and I are going to head out in a couple of hours to spend the weekend in Springfield. I'm looking forward to taking the new wheels on the road and showing them to my Springfield peeps! I'm going to try to get 'er washed and take some pics to share with you. So far, I'm really enjoying the car! I was somewhat aghast to note, though, that it has 17" tires, which are going to be significantly more expensive to replace than the 15" ones on my Malibu. Oh, well. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it...

Still haven't had a chance to employ the sunroof, between the rain, gloom, and cold, but I'm hoping for a nice, sunny, warmish day soon. Can't wait to enjoy that!

This weekend, I'm going to be taking care of some shopping, as I had exactly zero time for that when we were in Springfield last weekend. Tomorrow night, Tim and I are going to see The Music Man, and Sunday morning, I'm joining him to sing with the church choir at Christ Episcopal. He used to be employed in the choir at NACC, but has recently moved to CEC, following our college choir director there after he switched churches. It'll be great to sing with Tim and under the direction of "Big Al" again. :)

After church, we're heading to my new fave restaurant, Arris' Pizza, for their lunch buffet. They have the most amazing pizza crust! OMG. I love it love it love it.

That pretty much sums up my weekend. I'll catch you next week, hopefully with car pics! Have a great weekend, everyone!

mama got a new car!

2009-02-17T05:16:00.001-06:00

I got a new car yesterday - a 2008 Dodge Caliber SXT. It's light silver, and has a sunroof! I really like it, and we got a good deal. I'll share pics eventually.

friday the 13th

2009-02-13T12:18:00.002-06:00

Well, I guess it's only fitting that on Friday the 13th I have gained weight for the second week in a row. Harrumph. :( Even though I'm just quibbling with a few pounds at this point, that sort of alarms me, because it's literally the first time in my entire weight-loss endeavor that I have gained two weeks in a row. As you can see from my sidebar, I've just been dinking around with my weight lately, and I'm now right where I was back at the end of October, with nothing to show for the past 3.5 months! Don't get me wrong - I'm thrilled with my body and my progress, but at this point, it's just mental. It's the principle of the thing, you know? I want to weigh 140, dangit! So, I've decided that after Nick's birthday party in mid-March, I'm really going to buckle down and count calories again and see if I can't do just that.

Gearing up for a very busy weekend. I have all manner of chores to do today, and then tonight, I'm going out for dessert and chatting with Rebecca. Tomorrow morning, it's more domesticity, and then I'm heading to the gym for the aerobathon. Later tomorrow, we're heading to Springfield and attending a little soiree at Tim's house. Then, it's early to bed since I have to get up so early for my marathon day on Sunday - singing at church, birthday party, and concert later. Whew!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!...

what is up with all this excess?

2009-02-12T14:38:00.003-06:00

Since when did Valentine's Day turn into Halloween? Nick's class had their VDay party today, and he came home with a ridiculous haul of candy, given to him by his classmates. I mean, when did VDay become like that? When I was a kid, you made your box and you brought your Valentines, which were made of paper and had no candy involved. Then, you exchanged your Valentines and called it a day. There was no candy, no treat bags (or entire plastic treat cups, full to the brim with different temptations). You would not believe what he brought home - two plastic cups full of stuff, several of those cellophane treat bags full of stuff - candy, lollipops, Cheetos, you name it! In addition to all the candy, he got little toys, like a top, pencils, etc. I guess I'm a complete slacker mom, because I didn't send any treats at all for the other kids - just paper Valentines. What are all these moms thinking? Do they really think it's necessary to do this on Halloween, Christmas, AND VDay? Doesn't anyone else find this all rather excessive? When Nick came home, he was on such a sugar high that he ended up being totally rude to me and then having a complete meltdown when I disciplined him. Sorry to go on so much, but I just think this whole thing of making elaborate treat bags for kids for every possible occasion has gotten way out of hand. What do you think?

a gloomy, rainy, blah day

2009-02-11T15:40:00.002-06:00

It's totally yucky outside today! I'm planning to go to the evening strength class at the gym, and it's going to take every ounce of fortitude I have to force myself to leave my cozy, warm house. But, I must go. Let's just say that in the process of baking Valentine cookies today, ~~ten~~ a couple of them made it into my mouth. I'm telling you, cookies are my major weakness, above all other foods. I am completely powerless when faced with them. It's pathetic, I know, but true. And you'd think I would have had my fill today, but I'm sure I'll be powerless once again at my MOPS meeting. Alas. I've been fairly good this week otherwise, though, which gives me some solace. Perhaps after Nick's birthday party next month, I'll finally buckle down again and start counting calories so that I can lose those last few pounds. How happy I'd be!

a very enlightening day

2009-02-07T16:52:00.002-06:00

I learned a lot and expanded my horizons today! There's a little yoga/dance/martial arts studio in Rolla called andFLEW!, and they offer a free community class on the first Saturday of every month. Today, the class was yoga - specifically, the entire class was devoted to fine-tuning one's sun salutation, which is a particular "flow," or series of poses. I've done lots of sun salutations, but never had it broken down and "nitpicked" so much before, and it was actually really great! I learned a lot, and feel like I can really do a proper salutation now, with a much greater understanding of the key points of each pose. And it was really quite a workout - anyone who has ever held plank or hover for any length of time knows that doing them over and over really works out one's core and arms. After the yoga class was over, some teachers and students of bluegrass music were going to "jam" in the studio. I chose not to stay for that, because I was hungry, so I went around the corner to a neat pizza/Greek join and enjoyed a chicken gyro for lunch. I then returned to the studio, where I caught the end of the bluegrass (not really my kind of music, though I certainly appreciate its toe-tapping appeal) before participating in a......are you ready?.........LINE DANCING class. Yes, that's right, folks. If you know me at all, you know that "Amy Jane" and "line dancing" aren't two phrases that would normally be paired. I didn't even know that there was going to be a line dancing class until the end of yoga, when the instructor asked me "Are you going to do the line dancing class?" I thought about it for a second and said "Why not?" It's not something I ever in a million years would have thought to do, but I'm always up for learning something new. And now I finally know what my sister has been up to on so many Saturday nights. :) It was actually pretty fun! We learned the electric slide and the achy breaky heart, and I picked them up really quickly. So, I can now hold my own in line dancing - well, those two dances, at least. The studio offers ballroom workshops, and I'm hoping to be able to participate in the next one, which will start at the end of March. It's not Brian's thing, but the instructor told me that I can come alone. I'm totally pumped about it! I love ballroom dancing - especially the Latin ones like rumba and salsa. And I seem to be able to pick up the steps quickly, so it's fun for me. So, today was pretty great, all-in-all! How is your weekend going so far?