My Favorite Things!

Can you count all of my favorite things in this photo?

There are four things in this photo that I love very much.

1) Colin
2) Books
3) Winnie the Pooh
4) Firetruck (More specifically, my love of firemen.)

I love getting a photo with so many things I love.  It's a little 4x6 of love that I can carry around.  How perfect!

Car Trouble

Last Thursday, my car wouldn't start.  It would turn over, but not start.  My husband jumped it, I went and got a new battery and was told that my battery was the only thing testing with an issue.  The new battery should solve the problem.  I was relieved that it wasn't more serious and went on my way.  

Yesterday, I loaded the dog and Colin into the car to hurry to the vet because Olive broke her dew claw nail. It was bent towards her other paw, instead of forward and was bleeding.  She didn't want to put weight on it, and didn't want me to touch it.  A call to the vet resulted in them asking me to bring her in to see if they needed to take off the nail or not.  The preemptive question was, "Can you get a hold of the nail and pull it off easily or is it more firmly attached?"  I swallowed hard and made myself get a hold of the nail to see if it was firmly attached or not, which it was thank goodness.  I don't think I have the stomach to pull off my dog's nail.  It makes me shudder to even think of it. 

After everyone was loaded, I tried to start the car.  It turned over and wouldn't start.  After a few attempts to start it, and several four letter words shouted in my brain.  I stopped trying, sat in the car for a few moments, sighed, and got everyone out.  The Husband was due to be home in another half an hour, so we waited.  Olive's injury wasn't life threatening, so I knew we had time, plus the vet was open late yesterday so we didn't have to pay for an emergency visit. 

Today, we tried to jump the car to take it to our mechanic but that didn't work.  Instead we called our AAA Roadside Assistance people, who sent a tow truck.  The mechanic was supposed to look at it tomorrow, but must have had extra time.  He called a little while ago to tell us that it started up just fine for him and did we want to come get it?  My brain may have flipped around while I was trying to suppress the "ARE YOU KIDDING ME" scream.  They're keeping the car until tomorrow and will keep trying to start it.  If it doesn't start, then they can diagnose and fix the problem.  If it continues to start, we have to come get it.  My guess is that if it keeps starting, once it's back home and I go to try and drive somewhere, it won't work.  I don't think I should be responsible for any pain or damage I cause if/when that happens. 

Wish me good luck and send me good car karma, friends.  I need this to be 100% fixed, and on the cheap.  Please.

PS - Olive is fine today.  She was a champ at the vet, and is back to her normal self.  See:

Olive is not a big fan of the camera.  It really doesn't do her justice, ever.  She's beautiful. 

Nap Time Bliss

Most of my blog posts happen when a small ball of energy stops to recharge.  (i.e. Naptime)  I love, love, L-O-V-E, love naptime.  It lets me recharge also, and that's a good thing.  If this mama is a bear, then no one is going to have a good day. 

Yesterday was one of those not so great days.  Colin hadn't slept well the night before and his nap didn't seem to help.  He was wonderful one second, and a terror the next.  I was exhausted, and wanted to lay down during his nap, but instead I did more job searching and applying. When that was done, there wasn't enough time to nap so I did some blogging and other interweb related activities. (cough, cough...Pinterest...)

This morning, someone slept in until 8.  It wasn't me.  My alarm goes off early enough for me to get a workout and shower in before the Husband goes to work.  That left me time for reading this morning between his departure, and Colin getting up.  That was a little gift from Colin to me, I think, to make up for yesterday being exhausting, frustrating and stressful.  So far, today has been much more enjoyable.  It's amazing what a good night of sleep can do!  Now, I think I'll just lay down on the couch and see what happens...

Not a Runner....but....

I do not like to run.  It is my least favorite fitness activity.  I wish I liked it, because it's good for you.  You know, when it's not damaging my knees, ankles, or feet.  It makes me so TIRED.  People who say they feel good after a run are crazy.  Or something is wrong with me, because after I run all I want to do is lay down until I can catch my breath.  Then when I can breathe normally, I want a nap. 

So, quite obviously then, I am not a runner.  However, have you heard of the Color Run?  If not, go to their website and check it out.  It looks like so much fun, aside from the running.  I am so tempted to start a couch to 5k type workout so I can do this.  There's one in Chicago in June, and I'm pretty sure I can tempt a lovely Chicago friend of mine to join me in this. 

I'm going to consider working towards running this race, because if I can feel/look like this after a run, it might just be worth it. 

Runners at the end of a Color Run. Image courtesy of www.colorrun.com

 

Something Shiny

So, readers, this is where diabetes is going to show up.  I have a confession to make.  I do not wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace.  My endocrinologist has lectured me about this, and told me over and over that I need to wear one for my own safety.  "But they're ugly" is always my response. 

Well, that's where Lauren's Hope comes in.  They make BEAUTIFUL (and handsome) products that people under the age of 120 would be proud to wear.  The ugly ones that you can buy at any pharmacy are just that.  Ugly.  No one under the age of 120 enjoys wearing them, they just do because they need to.  I know I need to, and I should.  Lauren's Hope has give-a-ways on Fridays, and I'm hoping that I can win one someday, for my own safety.  Also, I'd like to get my endo off my back on this topic. 

Need a medical alert bracelet?  Go here to find one that fits your style: http://www.laurenshope.com/

I wouldn't mind a little something shiny to keep me safe.  Like, this maybe. 

Let's Get Messy!

Today, someone started out a little cranky.  It wasn't me.  I decided that in an effort to keep his attention and redirect some negative energy, we were going to do one of the messier toddler activities I've found on Pinterest.  (Is my Pinterest addiction showing?)  We made cloud dough.  I found the activity on Pinterest from this blog, who found it here.

The recipe is easy.  You take 8 cups of flour and 1 cup of baby oil, mix it really well for a few minutes, then play. 

I made half the recipe because I didn't think we'd need that much.  I was wrong.  I should have made the whole amount, and used a much larger storage container/box.  A lot of the dough ended up outside of the box it was in. 

We had fun, and got messy.  Here's what we did:

First, I measured 4 cups of flour into my container, and added 1/2 cup of baby oil to it. 

I mixed and mixed, and had lots of fun with that.  It's really soft!  I love the smell of baby oil, so I enjoyed this part.

This is all mixed and ready to go.  I have several different sets of measuring cups.  This one we don't use much, so now Colin gets to use them. I laid an old sheet on the kitchen floor, since I knew this would get messy.  I sat down with the little man, after taking off his tee-shirt as a precaution, and showed him what this stuff was about. 

He wasn't sure about it at first, so I added a shovel from a shovel/pail set I picked up on clearance last fall.  It was waiting for summer, but came in handy today.  Then I added a plastic drinking cup that Grandpa gave us.  It will be a while before he can drink out of it, so for now it's a toy.  After that...things got messy...

And ended up like this:

I was able to pretty easily pull the sheet up and save the cloud dough that spilled.  Then I shook the sheet out in the backyard, put it in a plastic shopping bag for storage, and put the lid on the box with the tools in it.  I expect we'll be playing with this pretty frequently, so we'll wash the sheet later.  I will need to get a bigger container and make the other half of the dough.  I think that will make it more fun, and easier to contain the cloud dough.  I also wondered if I could add food coloring to the oil to make it more fun.  Thoughts?  Has anyone tried that? 







Everything Hurts

I'm at the point in my goals to get fit that my workout has gotten harder.  As I mentioned here, my workouts started small and are getting progressively more difficult and longer.  They are starting to kick my butt.  I'm sore because of the chest flys I did yesterday with 5 pound weights.  FIVE POUNDS.  That's all!  Why am I so sore?!?  You'd think I was using 50 pound weights.  I'm sore because today I ran for 10 minutes (with only a 15 second pause to take some breaths and tell myself I could do this) straight. There was more to my workout today, but it was the running that did me in. 

Actually, the running for 10 minutes surprised me.  I didn't think I could do it, so I spent the entire time chanting with each step: I. Can. Do. This. I. Will. Get. Fit.  It actually worked.  I got through it.  My legs are sore now, but not that badly. 

I'm trying to remind myself that this takes time.  It will be a while before I see results.  I have no patience, so it's hard for me to stick with a fitness routine.  I'm determined this time, though.  I'm not sure what changed, but I know I'm tired of feeling badly about myself.  Now, I just need to tell myself every day that I can do this.  I will get fit.

Oh, and I'm up to 12 pounds lost, just in case anyone is keeping track.