Virtual Coffee

Good morning!!

I'm still nursing my second cup of coffee, even though I made the coffee 3 hours ago. But, I've been doing laundry and paying bills and just catching up on my house/life/family that I haven't just sat down and enjoyed anything longer than a sip of coffee at a time. Good thing you came over to slow me down.

If we were really having coffee today, I'd tell you I'm skipping yoga today. I know, I feel kind of bad about it, but I have a lot to do this morning and something had to be skipped. We're still going to go so I can get some treadmill time in, but I will miss my yoga.
I've decided to give Elisabeth more kitchen chores when it's time to cook. She and Julia usually set the table, but I think it's time that Elisabeth learn more about how the cooking part works. I've decided to put her in charge of the side dishes at supper time. We eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, so it'll be mainly opening cans and warming things on the stove, but everyone has to start somewhere. Plus, she's really interested in cooking, so this'll give her a chance to feel like she's helped create a feast (as she likes to call meals where every dish is something she loves). I told her about my plan last night and she was very excited.

I'm sure if you were here drinking coffee with me, you'd hear Julia ask me if it's a swim lesson day. The girl who used to cry at the thought of having to go to swim lessons is now begging us daily to attend. It took her a month or so, but she's finally used to the idea of having her teacher point her out in class and talking to her and of having lots of people in the water with her. Her teacher has told Evan that Julia's great in the water, which we already knew. She's been in a pool since she was a month old. She loves going under water and blowing bubbles and whatnot. She just hated the formality of a class. Now? She's a natural student.


Tonight is book club and I'm excited. I recommended this book (Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin) and can't wait to see what people have to say about it. I loved it but I know not everyone will, which is why I love book club. I like seeing how so many people read the same exact words and yet have completely different takes on the book. It's fun and sometimes frustrating, but that can make it even more fun at times.

Ok. I have errands to run and miles to walk today. Plus, I think there might be a baby who needs some holding today. I'm always willing to hold a baby!!!

Thanks for stopping by. If you need another cup and some more chit chat, go and visit the lovely Amy at Lucky Number 13.

Pictureless.

So, I am waiting for more storage space to appear for me to be able to post more pictures on this blog. I have unsuccessfully tried to buy more storage twice. This is my third attempt. I am kind of perturbed. If you can help guide me at all, I'd appreciate it greatly.

I have been super twitchy without my blogging. I have pictures to share with you all!!! But, for now, you will just have to make due with my ramblings.

Working out thoughts:

-I get most concerned when the person on the treadmill beside me decides to run at a speed too quick for their running abilities. You know--that one person who's going waaaaay too fast and holding on the to sides of the treadmill as they try to stay upright while running? Yeah, I had one of those guys next to me today. I was nervous the entire time he was next to me.

-It makes me uncomfortable because I have to sit there and give myself a pep talk about how I will handle the situation when he falls face first into his treadmill. I need to brace myself for this occurrence (because it will happen!) and not freak out and fall off of my own treadmill or scream or try to instinctively catch this idiot who can not regulate a proper running speed. It's stress I don't need while losing the poundage.

-Why do some people insist on talking to the person they're running next to? First off, no one knows what you're huffing and puffing (which you deem to be words). Secondly, why do you think the person next to you is an any shape to hold a conversation? Can't you see how red his/her face is? They're just trying not to die, please don't rattle on about your dog's pooping habits. Also, if you have to yell to be heard, then a conversation at the Y while running on a treadmill is probably not the best place to be discussing whatever it is you need to discuss so badly.

-Someone tell me why boys where t-shirts that are torn from their shoulder to their waist? It obviously used to be a t-shirt. I understand you cut the sleeves off (sleeves can be cumbersome) but why did you tear off the piece of clothing that covers your torso? Why wear a shirt at all? And don't they sell tank top equivalents in the mens' department of sports stores? I don't understand! I try, but...I just don't understand.

Parenting thoughts:

-Why do I have to repeat myself so much? Do I speak a language unknown to my own children?

-Does every parent dream of the day that their kids will be fully independent and no longer leeches on their hips but then sob like a baby when they actually pronounce the word "banana" correctly or grow out of their clothes and into an almost junior size of clothing?

-If I create a kid pick-up similar to garbage pick-up, where you put your kid on the curb and a large truck comes and collects them and brings them back in a week better than when the child left, how many millions of dollars will I make?

Everyday thoughts:

-I don't like gum. Ew.

-I need to vacuum my car. And wash it. And reorganize the inside of it. And clean Julia's car seat. Maybe tomorrow. Probably not.

-I hate missing socks. I'm going to go and throw away every lonely sock as soon as I'm done blogging. They are taking over my life and I feel way too much pressure to find their other half. I'm not a flipping matchmaker! Give it up, lone socks!

I will try to post pictures soon. Hopefully.

10 on 10: March

Ten on Ten!

I'm sooooo late, but I had picture storage issues with blogger and now they're fixed so I can now show you my day! From last Thursday! Whoohoo!!!

Virtual Coffee

Good morning! It's Virtual Coffee time.

So, tell me what you've been up to lately, because I am super boring today. No big news, no big plans. Just a whole bunch of the same-o, same-o.

Anything new? Exciting? Going anywhere? Reading anything good?

Next week is Elisabeth's last week of school before her 2 week spring break. I'm trying to think of things to do for that first week of break (library? playdates? museum?). The second week Evan's parents are coming to visit for a week, so we'll be pretty busy. The girls are most excited to see their Nina and Papa.

Julia and I are both still suffering stuffy noses and slight coughs from that stupid cold we had a couple weeks ago. It just won't go away. Poor Julia's been napping way more than she normally does. :(

I've been going to the Y pretty religiously for a month now. Walking 2-3 miles on the treadmill and trying out new classes. If you've been reading my posts the last couple of weeks, you'll have noticed that I've taken to yoga with a passion. One of my goals for 2011 was to make exercising and being active a habit, and I kind of think I'm getting there. I definitely feel like something's missing if I'm not making a trip to the Y or getting a long walk outside in. I've deemed Sundays my day of rest (and pajama day as well) and if the weather had been nicer, I totally would have gone for a walk. See? It's totally becoming a habit. I did the math and I've walked a total of 42 miles this year as of yesterday. Not too shabby. I have a goal for 2011 of walking 450 miles by the end of the year. I'd say I'm doing pretty good.

I don't remember where I read or heard it (and I know I've said it on here before), but someone said something about their 80 year old self will thank their 30 year old self for taking the time to exercise and be healthy. I would like my 80 year old self to be physically able to keep up with my grand kids and great grand kids and not be that old, large woman in the chair that can't get up trying to swipe small children who run past into her lap for hugs and smooches because she can't get up and physically chase them. You know?

Well, I guess I'll go ahead and head on out. We're headed to the Y (it's yoga day!!!) and then a trip to the bookstore is in order. Julia is most excited about the bookstore. She likes to sit on the ancient couch in the kid area and "read".

Thanks for stopping by. Maybe next week I'll be more exciting.

Hot Yoga

So, I know I've talked to you about yoga and how much I'm loving it.

Well, that's still true. In fact, I've committed to my relationship with yoga and bought a mat of my own. It's orange like the one pictured above. I heart it.

On Saturday, my friend Paige invited me to go to a hot yoga class with her and our friend Melinda at CorePower Yoga (a yoga specific studio). As a first timer to the studio, my class would be free. I was kind of nervous about making it through the entire hot yoga class, but decided to give it a shot. My friend Melissa did a bikram yoga (which is very similar to hot yoga but with a different name) and she has ranted and raved about how much she loved it. When I said I was going to hot yoga, she was most excited for me.

Hot yoga is basically yoga done in a sauna. The temperature in the room hovers around 100 degrees. It's hot. And sweaty. A gross sweaty.

Here's the thing--it was hard. This class had some yoga poses I hadn't done before. The instructor was a bit...intense. There was a man who was wearing the smallest pair of bike shorts possible and it was not pretty (especially with some of those yoga poses...*shudder*). But, I liked it. I did way better than I thought I would. I was so sore the next day, but it was that good sore of actually accomplishing something in a workout.

Part of becoming a new member is that you not only get one day free, you have a whole week to try out as many yoga classes as you wish! So, this Wednesday, I'm going to another hot yoga class. Yep, I liked it so much, I'm going back. And, I think I might even actually pay for a class once or twice a month. (Corepower is kind of like a pre-pay cell phone. You can pay or a whole month of classes or you can pay for classes one at a time. Some of them are kind of pricey, but for once or twice a month, it's doable.)

Oh, and I totally forgot to tell you...

I took my socks off.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

It's that time again! Here are my finds for this week.

1. DIPTYCH

(First off, I had to look up what that word even meant. Then, I had to figure out how to represent the word. So, I used a picture from my archives of the girls both at one month old that I'd used to show how much they looked alike.)

2. BOOK
3. WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW the cat IS ON THE blanket I just made, I JUST HAVE TO give up, wash it and hurry up and wrap it to be sent to the baby I made it for before my cats find it to sleep on again.

4. A TASTE OF ITALY

5. REMINDERS
Check out Ashley over at Ramblings and Photos for more Scavenger Hunt Sunday fun!

Welcome Home!

Julia asks where Evan is as soon as she wakes up in the morning. She talks about him coming home for supper all day long. She pretends to talk to him on the phone and tells the pretend Daddy on the end of the line that she loves him, misses him, and what we're having for dinner. She waits for me to tell her he's driving home so she can wait for him.

When Evan works later than normal, both girls start asking for him. If Evan won't be home till they are in bed, both girls are very sad. They like Evan. They find him amusing.

I read recently in a magazine (which one? I have no idea because I read it at the gym and then threw it away) that how a parent is greeted after being gone all day can make or break their mood for the rest of the day or even their mood on coming home in general.
It said how spouses who aren't even acknowledged when they walk in the door or are bombarded with negative remarks or tasks end up in a bad/angry/depressed mood. Spouses who are greeted with smiles and enthusiasm and excitement to see them tend to be happier to be coming home and in a better mood.
I realize that the above statements seem to be common sense. I also know that I either read this article in Redbook or Real Simple or Good Housekeeping (not necessarily medical journals), but that part of the article stuck with me.
We've always cheered the fact that Evan's coming home from work. It's something my mom used to do with us when my sister and I were little. She'd make a big deal about my dad coming home. We'd wait by the window and watch him pull up and greet him with ear-drum-burstings of "DADDY'S HOOOOOOOME!" that would make the dog bark with nervousness. My dad also would have us greet our mom the same way after she'd come home from running errands. It was fun (and loud). It's hard not to smile when you can hear your children's excitement at your arrival through the windows as you walk to the front door.
Granted, sometimes, when Julia was younger and my day had been terrible, Evan was greeted with tears more than smiles. I was so excited he was home (therefore giving me reinforcements against Julia the Terrible) that I just wept with joy and relief. I'm not too sure if that's a positive way to come home...probably not. I don't know because I was too busy blubbering to actually see Evan's reaction to this particular welcome. I shall try to smile through my tears in the future...
I know I like hearing happy voices greeting me after I've been gone.

Plus, how cute is it to see little faces looking for your car?