Hello mid-life bump

I can't really call it a crisis, it doesn't feel that horrible or that big. But I do feel a bump in the road.

My weight, mood and life seem to be in constant flucuations in the past few months. B/C is causing migraines at end of cycle, so have been playing with different types. Hello weight and mood swings; and still having migraines. I'm old!!!!!! Wahhhhhhh when did I get this old?

Along with the mood and weight is an identity bump (still won't use the crisis word, LOL). I hate my clothes, I have a closet over flowing and can't figure out what to wear. So currently scouring the net looking for ideas and basics. I need the basics. Signed up for Misssmartypants and now have a plan. Feeling a little better about it, just need to now implement it in my closet. Purge!!!

Life is going to be crazy busy now that school is starting. Getting DD to her marching band practices, football games and competitions, while still having some sort of life of my own is going to be tough. Enter FlyLady.... again. *sigh* How many times have I tried to Fly? I started my Control Journal today and will try again to organize cleaning and organizing my house and life.

Training mileage is down, down a lot. It's been the hottest summer on record here. It's hard to walk in this heat... than add in DD's marching practices and trying to enjoy the summer before it's gone. And training mileage is way down.

When I think about these issues and am in a clear mind (which I am right now), I know that exercise would help with 80% off my issues. It would help with the weight and mood, and mood would control a lot of the rest. Right? So why can't I get back into the workout groove?

I turn 40 at the end of the month. Coincidence?

Summer?

We've had a hot and humid summer this year. More than makes up for last year's drizzly cold mess.

But it's going by too fast!!! It's already August! School is right around the corner.

Tonight is DD's first parade for Marching Band. I'm excited to see her perform! Luckily they aren't wearing their heavy heavy uniforms, just their camp t-shirts and shorts. They would be all passed out before the parade started if they had to wear their uniforms.

I'm running in a 5k Saturday with a couple of friends. I can't wait! Well I can't wait to hang out with some girlfriends, running!?!?! not so much. Not in this heat. I'm used to running on the dreadmill in the winter when it's 20 degrees. LOL

I need a clothes makeover, I need a personal shopper or something.... Can't afford that so I'm cruising the interwebs looking for help. Any sites you've found for great fashion tips and advice? I'm considering signing up for MissusSmartyPants... I haven't decided for sure yet.

Chocolate Wine!

Heading to WI later this week. I WILL be finding chocolate wine and bringing some home. mmmmmmmmm good stuff

I'll hopefully be making enough in fundraising to meet my goal too. Did you see what I'm doing?

NTA Convention

DD will be away at band camp all week. *waits for all the one time at band camp jokes to stop* She just had a week full of 9-9 days practicing at the school. She's getting quite the arm muscles from having to stand at attention holding her coronet. And all her pants are falling down. Looks like band camp is an awesome way to lose weight and get in shape. LOL Maybe I should try it.

Speaking of in shape.... I'm not. And foolish me signed up to run a 5k in two weeks. What the heck was I thinking!?!?!? I haven't ran since May!

My Yellow Rose Turned Red

When Ayla bought me this rose bush 4(?) years ago it had yellow roses on it.

My beautiful $5 burning bush. Isn't it pretty?

Pretty weed, atleast I'm pretty sure it's a weed. It just comes up where-ever it wants to.

My purple, green and white corner garden. All those purples are Johnny Jump-Ups that reseeding themselves from last year. I have them all over in my big flower garden too. The green is Hostas and Vinca Vine. The white? Are annuals that just started regrowing on the old dead plant from last year. Weird. They never did that before. They are also regrowing in the big flower garden. Yay!

Plum Cast

Have you heard the news? They picked the cast for a Plum movie.

Stephanie Plum

Joe Morelli

Ranger

I guess 1 out of 3 ain't bad.

GOTR 5K

DD did her goal of running the whole thing. Yay her!

Girls on the what!?!?!?!

I'm struggling and struggling bad. A few of the girls on this year's team... are just so mind boggling immature, it hurts my head. Not just even immature. Hyper? Disrespectful? Self Centered? Ungrateful? I still say the one is on something, speed would be a good guess. Although she told us yesterday she used to take meds for ADHD but her Mom took her off them. I need to talk to this girl's Mom.

Even the cool College kid coach that they love that comes on Monday couldn't control them yesterday. I was practically crying for my new lover Captain by the time we left the school. *sigh*

I dream of slapping them. See? I could never be a teacher. Never.

Kitchen- Before/After

Before After

And this is what was under the piece of carpet. Sticky tiles that were coming up and sliding all over the place.

Very productive weekend, but I'm sore and ready for bed. Nighty night!

Added in the morning---LOL Blame H, a friend of DD's for the before pic of the open garbage can.
Guess where the garbage can is now? Yup under the sink on a rollout thingie. Love it!

Crossing my fingers

Here's hoping my kitchen floor looks like this Sunday night. It's supposed to rain tomorrow, so DBF and I will be ripping up the old nasty tile floor and sanding (hopefully not much) and then laying down a new Pergo wood floor! *hop*

I also bought a cabinet to go where the old dishwasher is. I'm tired of digging for a pan and having them all crash down. We never use the dishwasher, I don't like dishwashers. I have a teenager for that!

At Risk Girls

Girls on The Run training starts next week. I'm coaching again this year. *hop* Probably last year for it, as it's the last year DD can do it. *sniff*

The school counselor called me to talk about this year's At Risk girls. Every year there are a couple. Girls without a good parental support at home, bounce between family members, are at risk for drugs and alcohol because of home life. This year's girls may break my heart though. They are At Risk, living below the poverty level. One is homeless.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you about how bad the economy is right? Well here in Podunk? It's down right horrible. MI itself is in a depression and there are pockets that have been in a depression for quite awhile. I live in such a pocket.

So the counselor wants us coaches this year to really talk about bettering your life through education, not using your body. *sigh* We all remember the pressures of being a teenager, right? Now add in that you are living below poverty and are promised love, affection, taken care of if you only put out. They'll even let you sleep on a bed afterwards, a real bed! *sigh*

Bloggers help a coach out some. If you run across stories, quizzes, anything that you think would be a great discussion tool, please send me the link. Or send any ideas you have. We do two things during GOTR training, we train for a 5k and we work on girls self esteem and self worth.

Nooooooooooooooo!

Signed DD up for her Freshman classes for next year tonight.


I'm too young to have a highschooler. Right?

Tie One On Necklaces

Shhhhhh I've been stealing some of DBF's pretty fish flies and making necklaces. *giggle* I'm calling them Tie One On Necklaces.

My new lover

I think I've used it every other day since I got it and DBF has been using it too, to whip up his fish batter.

Best.present.ever.

I made a hot bacon/bean dip Sunday for the football games. Recipe said to put everything in processor after it was done cooking to whip smooth. Ha! Ha, I say. Dirty another dish? No way. My new lover can handle this.

I ♥ it muchly.

Christmas 2009

Guess who was the first one up and got tired of waiting???

Santa was a little too good to a naughty teenager. But she was good for most of the year, I guess.

She also got a trendy new hat!

And Morgan got matching PJs!!! LOL Good thing Morgan doesn't mind clothes.

I was spoiled this year!!! I got an immersion blender WITH the chopper attachment. I can't wait to use it. I also got an electric blanket to use this winter and lots of other kitchen tools. Oooooh and new pans! I needed new pans!

I miss...

playing cards and board games. I really do. Growing up we played cards, dominos or board games all the time.

It's hard to do with only 2 people. *sigh*

I was told about this great game, Apples to Apples, the other day... it takes atleast 4 people to play. *sigh* No Apples for me.

I also miss blog updates. Yeah, I know... I haven't been updating either. Bad me. But I miss reading a REAL life update, not just a status update.

I miss exercising.... so why is it that I can't get my lazy butt up and out of bed to do it?

I miss having a sweet nice innocent little girl. *big sigh*

Since I'm on a book kick

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all of Panem to see.

OMH is this book good. It is geared for young adults, but the writing is superb. And considering how skinny it is sitting next to Echo, Twilight or Host... it lacks nothing. It didn't feel rushed, cut off or choppy.

I can't wait to get my grubby paws on the next book Catching Fire.

ARRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH

Seriously? That bites. I have more questions now then when I started Echo.

*sigh* Why did Herself have to do this to me?

Swami? Tummy? Thoughts? I read some of the threads on Echo on the Lallyboard. They have a lot of the same questions I do.

You all should be jealous

I received my signed copy of Echo today. *hop* So excited!!! It's even a personal one! Just like DD's Auel book. So cool.

Oh yeah, and you can be jealous that I have the best sis in the world too. Thanks Sis!!!

80's Dance Party USA

These pics pretty much say it all. LOL

3 Day Chicago!!!

Opening ceremony was wonderful, and dry!

The route was beautiful, we walked through the Botanical Gardens and then along the north shore and big beautiful homes. The rain did come, right before lunch and it didn't stop the rest of the day. Just would get lighter at times. Great pic of me, eh? *snort* Not only did I feel like a wet rat, I looked like one too.



Saturday started out with rain, but stopped. Yay!!!!! In Mount Prospect we were deputized by the pink police and yes even saw pink firemen. What a wonderful bunch of men!

The neighborhoods we walked through Saturday were extremely supportive and kept us going for the day. This is a pic of the Pair Tree.
Look! It's Frodis and her beautiful children here to cheer us on! It was nice to relax with them and eat frozen grapes. I even got to hold Jeff, he is too cute. *babysmooches* Saturday night was nice and dry so I took some pics around camp. The sea of pink tents and our dining tent.



Sunday started out warm and only went up from there, heatwise. I was already wishing for an ice bucket to dunk my bandana in at 8 in the morning. Here I am walking in from the lakeshore towards the Chicago skyline. Kimmer was told to rest her one really bad foot, so she met up with me at lunchtime.

There's Kimmer! She joined me at lunch and we continued to walk towards the city skyline. I wanted so badly to jump in the water.

I had to stop in the shade a few times Sunday, the heat was really getting to me. But we did finally make it to Soldiers Field!!!

And Closing Ceremony! We saluted those that walked that were also Survivors with our shoes (and nobody even noticed the smell LOL). The flags were returned to the Survivor Circle and the ceremonies were done.

The 3 Day was an amazing amazing experience, one I will never forget. Thank you to everyone for your love and support.