Category Archives: moms

Random Thoughts about a Swelled Head, a Shrinking Waist and a Princess Problem

Posted on by Run DMT
4

Marathon TrainingIn the past few weeks, Run DMT has been spotlighted on several websites and it’s giving me a big head.

Marathon Training Schedule compiled a list of top running blogs and Run DMT is #64.  Then, RN Central.com  shared 50 Inspiring Blogs for Your Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss and Run DMT is #5 on the list.  How exciting is that?!

I’m flattered to be considered an “inspiration” to others for post-partum weight-loss and I hope yours is going better than mine because I’m sill struggling to lose the last of my baby weight 19 months later. What’s that old pregnancy rule of thumb for weight-loss? Nine months up, nineteen months down?  That sounds about right.

Five unflattering pounds are still sticking around from my pre-pregnancy weight but I don’t put a whole heck of a lot of value on the scale since most of my old clothes are fitting me.

So the numbers on the scale are not dropping but I am definitely toning and shrinking inches, thanks to our Love My Abs Challenge.  If you haven’t been following along, you should go over there RIGHT NOW and check it out!  Each week, I’ve been sharing photos and a brief recap of my progress.

Tomorrow, we’re moving onto to Week 4 and 200 reps, but it’s not too late to join in the fun.  Even if you fell off the wagon, you can simply start over at 100 reps at Week 1. It’s not about how many reps or how long, but more about making a commitment to a better you.

Speaking of wagons, I will be catching a carriage ride over to Orlando this weekend for the Disney’s Princess Half Marathon.  I don’t feel prepared at all for this race, but it has nothing to do with training.  I still haven’t figure out what to wear!

Should I be Belle or Tiana? 

Both princesses are equally smart, brave, fearless, beautiful and good role models for my girls (next to their mom, of course).  But…
If I dress as Belle, I’ll wear a yellow running skirt, matching yellow top, a tiara and carry a red rose.

If I dress as a Tiana, I’ll wear a green top, green shorts and a magnolia rhinestone hair clip in my hair.  I wanted to find a green tutu to wear over my shorts, but I haven’t had any luck yet. 

As any stylish, runner (a.k.a stunner ) will tell you, tiaras and tutus are a must for any Disney Princess race.  I think what I wear will be a game time decision, but I would love to hear your vote: Belle or Tiana?

The girls have the Gasparilla Jr. Race on Saturday. Next year, Liam will be old enough to run the Gasparilla Jr with Emmalynn, but this is Allana’s last year to run it as she’s getting too old for it now.  The thought of it makes me all melancholy, but she’s moving on to bigger distances with her mom.

And who knows maybe she’ll run a Princess race with me someday.  Then she can be Belle and I’ll be Tiana!  There. Problem solved.  Hopefully, by then I would have found a green tutu or made one or bought one of these shnazzy sparkly skirts.  A runner mom can dream, can’t she?  Like a wise mouse once told me, “If you dream it, you can do it.”

And now for my running stats!

I suffered from a stomach bug for two days after the Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon, but I think the forced rest helped me run under 30 minutes for the first time in nearly a year.

2/15

3.1 miles

Time 29:35

Ave Pace 9:33

Max Pace 7:31

 

2/16

4 miles

Time 41:09

Ave Pace 10:17

Max Pace 7:59

 

2/18

6 miles

Time 1:13:27

Ave Pace 11:51

Max Pace 8:56

 

2/21

3.1 miles

Time 30:21

Ave Pace 9:48

Max Pace 7:06

 *Proudly submitted to Stacy Uncorked, because when I blog about my training, it’s usually pretty random.*

Stacy

My Grocery Bag Dispenser

Posted on by Run DMT
20

I am becoming way too co-dependent on Pinterest.  I honestly don’t know how I functioned before without it.

Some might say I’m on Pinterest too much.  But here’s the thing.  It’s adding value to my life.

Yes, most social networks suck me in and have me wasting time chatting, tweeting and responding to stuff, but Pinterest is different.  It pulls me and is helping me become a better person.

It motivates me.

Pinned Image

It helps me organize.

Pinned Image

It helps me plan menus for my family.

It helps generate decorating ideas for my house.

Pinned Image

And as creative and ingenious as I think I am, there are people on Pinterest far more ingenious and creative than me.

For example, I would have NEVER thought to store grocery bags in a wipe container before Pinterest.

Pinned Image

That’s green ingenuity at its finest, folks!  And if you were already sitting on this gem of a green idea, then you should have shared pinned it.

Pinned Image

You could have gone viral on Pinterest.

As for my adaptation to the grocery bag dispenser, I didn’t have an empty Wet Ones or Clorox wipes container to use, but I have tons of empty baby wipes containers laying about my house.  So, I recreated this creativeness with one of those.  Viola!

I’m sure someone will share some cute, creative way to cover the Luvs label or the wipe container with fabric or scrapbook paper and some Mod Podge. I’m sure it’s out there on Pinterest.  I just haven’t looked for it yet.  Until then, I’m fine with this happy little Luvs baby handing me grocery bags for to dispose of dirty diapers.

And she tucks away nicely in Little Lion Man’s changing table dresser drawer.

Thank you, Pinterest, for my handy-dandy dirty diaper bag dispenser tip.

Now, I just need to learn understand how to make the bags pop out of the container.

Allana’s Compassion in Action

Posted on by Run DMT
9

“Look, Mom!  My shirt matches the sign!”  Allana proudly exclaimed when she spotted wings on the Angel Crossing sign.

A few days before Christmas, Allana and I volunteered at the Metropolitan Ministries Holiday Tent.  It was a wonderful learning experience for her as she saw firsthand how our donations to the food bank help others.  Allana enjoyed helping the families and throughout the evening she often commented on the graciousness and cuteness of the children.

A couple weeks later, I realized just how much the experience impacted Allana when my friend made some remarks about her high school students’ poor their hygiene.  I didn’t know Allana had heard my friend’s comments until she chimed in, “Well maybe they’re homeless and they don’t have any running water.  Maybe they live in their cars.  You really shouldn’t judge, because you just never know someone’s situation.”

Our short time volunteering had a big impact Allana but at that moment, I learned something too.  My daughter is growing into a truly beautiful, compassionate human being.

Magic Reindeer Food

Posted on by Run DMT
14

The kids and I have been making Magic Reindeer Food as part of our Advent calendar for years now.  At first, the food was a mixture of old fashioned oats and glitter.  Then, I learned how dangerous glitter can be for animals or small children when ingested.  From then on, we made our reindeer food with only edible ingredients.  Of course, oats are still part of the mixture but instead of craft glitter, we use edible glitter like red and green cake sprinkles.

This year, we added a few more ingredients to make it more like trail mix.  After all, those reindeer have such a long journey and they’ll need the extra carbs and sugar to that fuel flight.

Emmalynn, Allana and I had fun searching through the pantry for snacks the reindeer might enjoy.  Along with the oats and edible glitter, we added raisins, dried cranberries, Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch, Corn Flakes, peanuts, gum drops, mini marshmallows, Cheerios, pumpkin seeds and wasabi peas.  Wasabi peas might seem like an odd addition, but I thought the reindeer might like a little heat on the way back to the frigid North Pole.

After we combined our ingredients, we poured the mix into Ziploc bags and added the how-to poem.  This printable Magic Reindeer Food poem tag can be found here.

On Christmas Eve just before bed, the kids, Auntie Simone and I will sprinkle the Reindeer Food in the yard.  Of course, we always leave carrots for the reindeer next to Santa’s cookies and milk too.

30 Days of Giving 2011

Posted on by Run DMT
13

30-Day Giving ChallengeFor the third year now, I participated in the 30 Days of Giving Challenge.  The act of giving may not seem like a challenge, but it actually requires quite a bit of scheduling and planning.  Even with all the planning, situations pop up to cause a bump or two on the road to giving.

Some gifts are simple, like a mailing a card to a loved one.  Some things require more work, like preparing a meal for friend.  In the end, no matter how small or big, it’s the thought that counts and that gesture means so much to someone else.  The smallest gift can have the biggest impact on others.

“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.”  – Aesop

Our gifts

    • Donated canned goods to a food drive.
    • Donated items to Goodwill.
    • Recycled my old running shoes to benefit the homeless through Fit Niche.
    • Filled shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.

    • Brought gifts to a local animal rescue shelter.
    • Dropped spare change in the Salvation Army red kettle.
    • Donated items to Toys for Tots.
    • Bought a coffee for a frequent play date host in my moms group.
    • Sent coupons to a military base in Japan through Overseas Coupon Program.

    • Added a love note to my kids’ lunch boxes.
    • Planned a picnic lunch for my kids and enjoyed a “special” lunch together at school.
    • Planned a lunch date with hubby.
    • Baked cookies for the firefighters.
    • Volunteered at my children’s school.
    • Arranged guest speakers for the Great American Teach-In at my kids’ school.

    • Spent an evening with an old friend to catch up to give the gift of time.
    • Baked cookies for my running club and tossed $5 in the coffee fund.
    • Welcomed new neighbors of a 16 month old with a baby safety kit.
    • Sent a “thinking of you card” and Publix gift card on behalf of my moms group to a friend in need.
    • Mailed a set of hand drawn Angry Birds by Allana to Stacy Uncorked for Princess Nagger’s birthday.

    • Mailed a Thanksgiving card to my grandmother.
    • Mailed a get well card to my ill uncle.
    • Brought a home cooked meal to a friend at work.
    • Purchased meal vouchers for families in need through Groupon’s Feeding America program.
    • Sent $10 gift certificates to several friends via Restaurant.com’s “Feed It Forward” program.

Pssst!  Speaking of gifts….Don’t miss this one!

Photobucket

Ten Years with Our Soul Sister

Posted on by Run DMT
16

My first born child turned TEN today.

A whole decade!

When did that happen?

How did that happen?

Ten years ago, I cried happy tears when I held her in my arms for the first time.

Today I cried happy tears all over again, just thinking about ten years with our Allana Rose.

And I want to hold my baby tight again and never let go.

 

Happy 10th Birthday to our little Soul Sister, Allana Rose!

xox

Things I’ve Never Done

Posted on by Run DMT
25

I am forty years old.

And I have never:

  1. Ran a 50K.
  2. Been inked, because I haven’t found a design that I can commit to permanently.
  3. Sexted anyone, not even my husband.
  4. Rode in a hot air balloon.
  5. Slept in Cinderella’s castle.
  6. Picketed in a protest.

     

    7.  

  7. Held a gun.
  8. Punched a clown despite feeling the urge to do so.
  9. Been tickled until I peed myself, but I’ve laughed until I cried.
  10. Broken a bone.
  11. Surfed or water skied which is a pathetic living in a state surrounded by water on 3 sides.

    12.  

     

  12. Driven across country.
  13. Visited Maine.
  14. Been arrested.
  15. Performed at an open mic night at a comedy club.
  16. Taken a belly dancing or cardio tease class.

    17.  

  17. Attended a drag queen revue, but my hairdresser promises to take me to one.
  18. Skinny dipped.
  19. Slit someone’s tires.
  20. Eaten duck or liver.
  21. Been horseback riding.

    22.  

     

  22. Received over 800 comments on any one post. Holy blogger love, Batman!

 

*This post was inspired by Mama Kat who stole…er…I mean… borrowed the idea from The Pioneer Woman.*
Mama’s Losin’ It

Walking the Walk and Saving My Own Ta-Tas

Posted on by Run DMT
4

Turning 40 this year was more than a milestone.  It meant I would qualify for annual mammograms.  Now, I would have to take action to save my own ta-tas with a baseline mammogram.

As protocol, I was told not to wear deodorant or lotions for my mammogram, but I didn’t know what to wear.  What clothes do women wear for a mammogram? Should I wear something pink?  Thank goodness I tweeted my questions, because I learned a two piece outfit (t-shirt and shorts) would be best unless I wanted to bare more than my breasts.

Fortunately, my OB office offers mammograms on site.  If I haven’t said it before, I’ll say it now.  I love my OB office, Partners in OB.  All the labs and screenings are done on site.  The staff and the doctors are simply wonderful and my technicians, Linda and Isabella, are no exception.  (Isabella was a fabulous babysitter and photographer too.)

Despite all the horror stories I’ve heard about boobies being flattened like pancakes, it didn’t hurt at all, but then that could be one benefit of itty bitty titties. Linda, the technician, eased my nervousness and explained the whys and hows of the images.  She said everything looked good, but my doctor would review the images and more may be needed, but not to worry.

And for being such an excellent patient screened during October, I was rewarded with a pink ribbon pin and a pen.

A few days before my mammogram, I read some staggering statistics.  One woman dies every 74 seconds from breast cancer.  For my children and my husband, I refuse to be that woman.

Breast cancer awareness means more than wearing ribbons and pink outfits.  It means more than running a 10K race.  It means I need to walk the walk and put my money where my milkies are put my breasts on a shelf because even tiny ta-tas need squishing saving.

Because I am the cure.

PhotoStory Fridaythe hollie rogue

Last Friday Night

Posted on by Run DMT
7

I spent last weekend in Anna Maria Island with some pretty wild women great friends and like the past three years,  it’s been a fuzzy, fun-filled four days.   I’m sure photos will end up on Facebook soon enough to help me remember and explain how I got all these bruises.  “It’s a black out blur.  But I’m pretty sure it ruled.  Damn.”

*Image borrowed from Kelly Noel Photography.*

“Last Friday night
Yeah we danced on tabletops
And we took too many shots
Think we kissed but I forgot
Last Friday night”

Only 365 days until we do it all again.

Visit Amanda, Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.



A Tangled Mess No More!

Posted on by Run DMT
16

When my girls are due for a trim, Allana always begs me to take her to Sweet & Sassy for her haircut.  I adore the whole Sweet & Sassy glittery pampering experience as much as my girls, but on a tight SAHMom-on-the-run race budget, princess haircuts at Sweet & Sassy simply are not financially feasible for two girls even with discounts or specials.

 

But when I got wind of Sweet & Sassy’s Tangled haircut promotion for the release of the Tangled DVD, I rushed the girls right into the salon.  Any girl who donated 10” of hair to Locks of Love would receive a free haircut and style.   BUT, would my girls be willing to donate 10” of their beautiful curls for a good cause and a free haircut?

 

Even if my girls weren’t willing to donate their hair, I decided to still bring them into the salon to take advantage of the “buy one haircut, get a second haircut 50% off” deal and all the Tangled fun Sweet & Sassy was offering.

 

So when I picked them up from school and informed the girls about Sweet & Sassy’s Tangled event, Allana agreed to do it.  Her exact words were, “Sure.  I’ll do it. Wait.  How short will my hair be?”  Emmalynn wasn’t quite so willing at first.

 

Using a tape measure, I showed the girls the length of 10”of hair and approximately how much hair would be left after the cut.  Allana still agreed to do it.  Once Emmalynn saw the length in the mirror, she was ready to do it.  Her exact words were, “Oh!  That will look so cute!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And boy did those girls ever look so cute with their new dos!  Later that evening, Allana told me she donated her hair in memory of Aunt June.  Her unexpected, unprompted gesture caught me off guard and really choked me up.

 

 

 

I am so proud of my beautiful girls and their generosity.

 

 

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