Tag Archives: mom

Mustache Madness

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17

When Tara over at Sticky Fingers announced last week’s Gallery theme, I had the perfect plan.

I asked my fabulous photographer friend, Kelly, if I could borrow her mustache prop. She happily obliged, however, Liam didn’t. My little mustache model would not cooperate and preferred eating the prop.  I need to leave the photography props to the professionals.

It appeared that I would miss another fun Gallery theme.

But sometimes things work-out best when you don’t try so hard to make them happen, as a kid’s bath time would demonstrate.  A regular bath time routine provided some spontaneous and beautifully brilliant bubble beards and mustaches.

But then I was too late with my mustache masterpiece.  The Gallery’s Mustache theme linky closed.  Oh well.  Better luck next time with My Backyard.

Random Thoughts about the Runs and My Jelly

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Every time I use “the runs” in my blog post title, it makes me giggle and admittedly, I’m using potty humor to catch my readers’ attention even though I’m talking about my running and training.  But this tongue-and-cheek title isn’t so funny anymore since all three kids and my husband came down with a stomach bug last week.  With all the vomit, the diarrhea, the never-ending loads of laundry and losing our Internet connection, it was truly a shitty week.

Thankfully, I managed to squeeze in some pleasant runs in between their not-so-pleasant runs because I’ve got two races to train for this month: Crazy Sombrero 5K and 5 Miles for Moffit.  I am trying my hardest to run 3 miles under 30 minutes again and as close to 50 minutes for 5 miles as I can.  The #aMAYaingabs and pushup challenge has really paid off, because I’ve definitely seen my improvements on my time.

Monday, April 25

3.1 miles

Time 30:56

Ave Pace 9:59

Max Pace 8:10

 
Wednesday, April 27

3.1 miles

Time 38:39

Ave Pace 12:00

Max Pace 9:17              
 

Thursday, April 28

4 miles

47:53

Ave Pace 11:59

Max Pace 8:55

I was particularly proud of my 6 mile run.  At 5 miles, I had clocked 51:35 and saved it as Lap 1 in my Garmin.  I feel pretty confident that I can finish the 5 miles for Moffit close to 50 minutes next weekend.

Saturday, April 30

6.2 miles

Time 1:05:18

Ave Pace 10:32

Max Pace 8:03

 

Tuesday, May 3

3.1 miles

Time 35:37

Ave Pace 11:30

Max Pace 9:06

We’ve had unusually warm, August like weather with temperatures near 90, so we started swimming to keep cool and soak the sun up and all the Vitamin D we can.

A couple of weeks ago, I took the kids to the pool for the first time this season.  I tried on two swimsuits: my before baby bikini and a tankini.  Out of the two, the bikini looked better.  Actually, it was the lesser of two evils.  So, I busted out my bikini at our community pool and while we were hanging out at the pool, I made the mistake of asking hubbie how I looked.

“Well you just had a baby.”

Um…not quite the answer I was hoping for! I decided to use Little Lion Man as a shield the rest of our stay at the pool, because I don’t think anyone is ready for this jelly.

Speaking of a jelly, I started a little early on my #aMAYzing abs challenge, because for Mother’s Day, I’m saying bye-bye to my Bingo arms and my flabby baby belly.  For about 2 weeks now, I’ve been doing 100 crunches every day. I’ve also thrown some push-ups, tricep dips and bicep curls into the mix. I can do 100 triceps, but as for pushups, I could only do 50 (girlie or alternative pushups) at the start.  In two weeks, I can already do 100 girlie pushups.  So the challenge isn’t quite so challenging and I need to step up my game a bit, like adding manly pushups and some lunges and squats, because I need to continue this challenge the rest of May and into the summer to be rid of this jelly before July.  I want nice firm arms by then so my chicken wing arms don’t wiggle and blow out the candles on my cake for me.

You know, it really is a small world.  While sitting in church Easter Sunday, a woman sitting next to me recognized me from the neighborhood.  We’ve past each other while running along the boulevard for 4 years now.  I told her how hard it’s been trying to get back into training after having a baby 9 months ago.

When I tell people that I had a baby 9 months ago, it would make me feel so good if they said, “Gosh, you don’t even look like you had a baby.”  So far, that’s not happened, but I keep holding out for that moment.  When you see me, could you say that to me?  That would be FANTASTIC.  My ego could use a bit of a boost.   Thanks.  You’re such a good friend.

 

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

A Tangled Mess No More!

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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.

 

 

The Gallery: Every WednesdayPhotoStory Friday

 

Little Lion Man

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15

Since the day he was born, I have called Little Liam, “Little Lion Man”.  With his birth date at the end of July, he fell under the Leo zodiac sign just like his mama.  Having another Leo in the house would add another fun, energetic person in the picture and in his little time on Earth, Little Liam had already begun to display many of the Leo characteristics.

 

But then the Earth had to go and change its tilt and screw everything up.  Now my little Leo is a Cancer which makes my Little Lion Man a Little Crab Man and it just doesn’t have the same ring to it. In fact, it makes me think of Darnell from My Name is Earl, a.k.a The Crab Man.

 

 

Oh well.  I don’t care what the stars says.  Liam is still my Little Lion Man.

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

Growing Green Girls

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When my kitchen counter became too cluttered with recyclables, I cleverly devised a plan to encourage my children to help me clean up.

 

Like many northern states, New York’s Returnable Container Act charges consumers five cents for bottled beverages.  Although Florida doesn’t currently charge its consumers for bottles, I thought I could institute a five cent deposit policy in our home by paying my girls five cents for every recyclable container they tossed into our recycling bin.

 

However, before implementing our recycling program, the girls needed a quick lesson in how to determine which items to recycle.   I began by showing them the #1 and #2 triangle   recycle symbols on the bottom of the plastic containers. Other number plastics were tossed into the trash or we found find other ways to reuse them, but all glass containers and aluminum cans could be recycled with the #1 and #2 plastics.

 

Each time they tossed an item in the recycling bin, the girls would mark a tally on our recycling chart.  Each tally would represent five cents and therefore, five tallies would equal a quarter.

 

When my eight year old would have four sets of five tally marks, I would pay her a dollar, an idea she suggested.  My four year old loved the idea of getting a big shiny quarter for a set of five tally marks.  In turn, I would be teaching my oldest to skip count by twenty-five and my youngest would be learning to skip count by fives.  Plus, for all their efforts, the girls would receive a small lesson in earning and saving money.

 

 

I implemented this task and teaching tool about six months ago and our recycling program is still going strong.

 

In fact, we recently finished one side and had to start a new chart on the back.  After all, I had to demonstrate another type of recycling.

 

It’s a Boy!

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“It’s a boy,” the ultrasound technician stated so matter-of-factly. She said it so casually that the news didn’t register at first.

 

“I’m sorry. What did you say?” I asked.

 

“It’s a boy. You’re having a boy and he’s hung like a horse!”

 

“A boy?!” I looked at Allan in disbelief. Tears flooded my eyes. I never entertained the idea of a son. I just assumed our odds favored another girl.

 

Once the unsuspected and strange sound “boy” sank in, I realized I need to relearn how to diaper a baby so I don’t get sprayed in the face. Long lists of all new baby items filled my head. He’ll need new bedding and onesies that aren’t pink.

 

As I stared in amazement at the hazy black and white screen, I counted ten tiny toes and fingers.

 

 

I spotted lovely long legs, a spine, a beautiful big brain and a heartbreaker heart.

 

 

And like a typical guy, he proudly showed off his family jewels and gave us a ticket to the gun show.

 

 

 

Although Allan and I are still in disbelief that we made a little boy, we are simply tickled pink blue by the news.

 

 

Proudly submitted at

 


Going for Gasparilla

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2

Late last Saturday evening, I bit the bullet and registered for the Gasparilla Distance Classic 5K.  Since I’ve been feeling pretty good and my bladder is still holding stong, I feel capable to run a 5K.  So why not go for the Gasparilla gold?  After all that little bit of runner bling will look so lovely resting on my big ol’ baby bump.

 

The weather has been ridiculously frigid by Florida standards since December which makes it awfully difficult for me to find any motivation to run.  We’ve also had a really wet winter and I hate running in the rain.  Plus, since becoming pregnant, my sleep pattern has been so out of whack that I can’t seem to summon the energy to run in the early morning (my favorite time of day).  So, all of these stupid excuses seem to get in the way of any running, but I needed to find some room for running with a race only weeks away.

 

For the past month, I’ve maintained my training with wogging (jogging/walking).  I’ve kept my pace around 11:00-11:30 mm and remarkably throughout my little wogs around the neighborhood, I haven’t had a constant urge to pee, which is pretty amazing for a running pregnant mama.  But since I never know when an unsuspecting cough or sneeze will strike, I think I will start wearing a panty liner to avoid wet wogs just to be safe.

 

On Tuesday, the sun was shining. Our temps began to warm up to normal highs for this time of year and the sun greeted me like an old friend.  With every step, I soaked up the sun’s rays and I found my mojo once again.

3.10 miles

Time 35:17

Ave Pace 11:22

Max Pace 8:23

 

Then, on Wednesday our temps dropped again and the rain returned, but an e-mail from Tiffany, my running partner, later that evening coerced me to run in the cold early morning on Thursday.

3.18 miles

Time 41:50

Ave Pace 13:11

Max Pace 9:29

 

I feel confident that I will wog my way to the finish in about 40 minutes and hopefully, I can keep my race adrenaline from forcing me to run too fast for my bladder’s sake.

Allana Rose, Then and Now

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On Halloween night eight years ago, groans and moans filled the air, but not by any spooky creatures of the night.  These terrifying howls echoed through hospital halls as a first time mom felt the pains of childbirth.  The howling carried on through the night until 2:50 a.m. when our precious baby girl entered the world on November 1. 

 

As I held our tiny baby for the first time, her big brown eyes looked up at me and I cried tears of joy.  She was so beautiful.  Even then, she looked just like her dad, Allan, and we knew that her chosen name, Allana Rose, fit her perfectly.

 Allana_Day1

 

It’s hard to believe that 8 years have passed, but as the years have flown by, I’ve treasured watching our Allana Rose blossom into an amazing young girl.

 

Happy 8th Birthday, Allana Rose.

 

AllanaRose

 

 

A Woman’s Work

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16

Musical Monday

Just for the record, I don’t do sad songs and I am not a crier. 

 

 

Whenever I am feeling sad, under-weather or depressed, I listen to up-beat songs to lift my spirits.  I select songs that empower me rather than cause me to wallow in self-pity.  I swallow sad feelings and regurgitate happy thoughts.

 

 

But since there are themes to September’s Musical Monday selections, I am forced to pick a sad song and for me, there is simply no sadder song than Kate Bush’s A Woman’s Work.  Her voice is as haunting as the lyrics in the song and moves me to my core.  It twists my stomach and crushes my heart.  Honestly, when I hear this song and attempt utter the lyrics I can’t help but do the ugly cry.

 

 

My emotional reaction to this song is caused by the images that are brought to mind from the film, She’s Having a Baby.  I first heard this song back in 1989 as the music accompaniment to the scene where Kevin Bacon learns the news about his wife’s emergency c-section.  The scene and the music broke my heart and for years, I couldn’t watch this scene without tearing up.  Now, as a wife and a mom, I find myself crying even harder. 

 

  

And as if it couldn’t get any worse, I found Kate Bush’s music video on You Tube.  I don’t remember ever seeing this video back in the day.  As if the sad movie scene wasn’t bad enough, I began bawling over a ridiculous melodramatic music video.

 

  

This song is a true heartbreaker.  And yes, I’m PMSing, but that isn’t the point.  The song is SAD.  I swear.