NOT a New Year's Resolution......

If you start something in February, then technically it’s not a New Year’s Resolution right? 

I cannot tell you the last time I was a member of a gym, been inside a gym (taking my kid to gymnastics or Gymboree probably doesn’t count), or put on a sports bra with any regularity.  Yet I have been wanting to join a gym for a while now.  The main thing holding me back was the fact that back many years ago when I did have a gym membership (back when the treadmills did NOT have TV’s), like many people, I paid the  monthly dues and never went.  So the idea of repeating that cycle has kept me from slapping down my credit card and starting that up again. 

Also, life looks a lot different for me these days than it did back then- back then I was single, younger, and had time to do what I wanted to do.  That doesn’t mean I went to the gym- just that I COULD.  These days I am married, older, and immersed in making sure my kids have their school treat ready a month ahead, homework done to some degree of quality, and are involved in the sport or activity of their choice: for Big Bro T that is currently piano and Tae Kwon Do, for Lil Sis B it’s wearing me like a blanket- she is usually glued to me as soon as I pick her up from the babysitter’s.  And the idea of being gone all day at work and then coming home and leaving the kids again makes me feel a bit selfish and guilty, especially when there is SOOOO much to do.  Even though I really do crave time to do something for ME it usually ends up in the middle of the list and never the TOP.

Another big excuse I have used is that my husband’s schedule varies from week to week- I never have an idea of what evenings he will be home before 8 or 9pm.  It depends on the activity, sport, or meeting involved with being a High School Administrator.  This is not new to me, but it makes it very challenging to have any sort of routine in mind for ME.  So why set myself up again?

But I did.  I joined a gym.  And the perfectly nice young lady that helped me starts “assessing” me:

“Why do you think it’s been so long since you’ve been in a gym?”

How much time to you have honey?

"What goals do you have for yourself?"

My goals are to win the lottery (which means actually buying a ticket), figure out what being vegan really means, not forget the half million things my kids need to get done every month, and hope my husband doesn’t see my visa bill!  Oh, did she mean my fitness goals??

“Do you have any injuries we should know about?”

Do bad hair days and laziness count?  I have to admit that for the past 15 years I have been devoted to keeping up on my DVR shows from the comfort of my couch and that has pretty much insured my “injury free” status!  Probably not a bragging point……

“Why do you think this time will be different than your last gym experience?”

            The gym holds a new perspective for me this time around…..so far.

I need to do something for me.  I am long past “wanting” to do something for me.  Mentally I am ready and I have gone as far as slapping down the credit card again.  Now I need to move myself to the top of the list a couple of times a week. 

It started with buying a few sports bras, some new workout pants (as I was told the ones I used before were actually pajamas), and dusting off the tennis shoes I bought last year.  And maybe.......just maybe, if I jump on the treadmill (with the TV of course) and dream of running away for an hour or so, I’ll be re-energized to run back home and continue to carry the family I love on to the next week!

So the adventure begins….people still wear leg warmers to the gym right??

I found THE ONE......

What do the weekends bring?  Birthday parties of course!  It is the month of February and thanks to the amazing So Cal weather it is not a problem (this year) to have a backyard birthday party in February.  This weekend's agenda was a Baseball themed 1st birthday for our good friend's little boy.  The one wrench thrown into the party planning is that there was also ANOTHER birthday party on the same day and same time for another friend's little boy.....so we implemented the divide and conquer method of Dad dropping off me and Lil Sis B at the Baseball party and making a dash over to the other party with Big Bro T.

This method seemed like a good idea- in the past I would not be so eager to attend a party alone with my 2 1/2 year old because we have decided it takes 3 adults to handle her.  But as she is getting a bit older and communicating with us more, she seems to be mellowing out some.  I say this because the girl has a short fuse- she can go from happy to major meltdown in seconds with not much of a clue as to why.  But I swear, lately she has been more friendly, allows family and friends to hold her, makes eye contact with people- just more open to being out in public and communicating with the masses! ;)

So bring on the divide and conquer party attending method.  My bravery was in part due to my very good girlfriends and their kids were at the baseball party so I knew I had back up if needed.  I had our baseball shirts and baseball hats ready- so let's do this!  Time to get Lil Sis B dressed- and yes I left her in her Princess Sophia nightgown until it was time to get ready becasue I didn't have a back up baseball t-shirt for her- but here's the problem:  She LOVES Princess Sophia.  She LOVES having on her Princess Sohpia "dress". 

I was able to put on the PINK baseball t shirt,  but then she is insisted on having her "dress" back on!!  When I hesitated- she lost it!  So long story short, I put the dress back on over the t-shirt and decided to try to reason with her on the drive over to the party (which we were now late for!).  As you can see from the photo I did not win!!  So I was now the proud mom of the little girl walking around looking like a haggard  mom in her leggings, nightgown, baseball cap and bad hair!  BUT she is happy and the kind party go-ers were getting a good natured laugh at my" strong willed" daughter and she was none the wiser!

And I have to say, for the majority of the party she eats, drinks, and plays a bit and I managed to eat, drink and play a bit myself!  That is, until she discovered the extra helium balloons in the house.  She finds the few extra balloons and wanted to take them outside. I tried to explain to her that she has to keep a hold of the string or let me tie them on to her or they will fly away.  I got the famous 2 1/2 year old look of  "Whatever... I'm going outside".....and of course it happens. The ribbon slipped out of her hand and a VERY on the ball mom leapt past me and grabbed it saving the day!!  Until a bit later when the ribbon slipped out of her hand AGAIN and this very on the ball mom was not in leaping distance and the balloon sailed up and away.  And as Lil Sis B watched the balloon get smaller and smaller, her face crumbled more and more and her screams got louder and louder!  The act of watching that balloon get smaller and smaller was just too much for her and she could not be consoled. 

I walked her over to the bounce house to try and distract her and a little boy bounced over to her and said, "Don't cry baby, you look pretty!"  And just like that, I found HIM!  This is the boy that my daughter will marry!!  The boy that can see the pretty in all her madness!  Finding Lil Sis B's soulmate made it totally worth venturing out alone with her!! 

I hope his mother is prepared for ME! ;)

Marriage Lost and Found

December is for many of us, a gift giving and receiving month.  For many it is not only the Christmas season but also their Birthday Month.  My husband is one of those people.  He pretty much likes 4 things (besides us of course):
1. USC
2. Golfing
3. Ties (he wears a suit and tie almost everyday to work)
4. Getting presents for his birthday

My husband is a high school administrator and over the years his students and staff have made it their mission to "surprise" him in some way during the week of his birthday.  One year it was to fill his office with balloons like in the movie UP, one year it was to put millions of copies of his face on every surface in his office, and so on......but people also want to get him the perfect gift.  I refer you again to the list above....not much to work with right?? 

Starting about mid November I start getting emails, text messages, phone calls, etc. all with the same question- "What does he want for his birthday?".  Now if I tell everyone that asks that he likes USC, he will get 75 USC shirts and that seems to be kind of a waste and not very creative.  Plus, I still have to figure out what the kids and I are going to get him. 

Thankfully the idea of gift cards has become a huge hit in the gift giving world and I am able to suggest to people that ask, that they get him gift cards for stuff he could do while on Christmas Break from school- he loves to go to the movies during this time to see all the movies I refuse to see with hm (SCI-FI.....).  So this trend took off and he has been the recepient of many Starbucks cards, restaurants, and movie gift cards. 

Here is what I forgot about this man.  He is the master of delayed gratification.  Money does not burn a hole in his pocket.  I do not have the same maturity.  He will put these gift cards all in our top kitchen drawer and LEAVE them there.  I open this drawer about 20 times a day to get a pencil, a paperclip, count how many cards he has, alphabetize the gift cards.......and they just sit there staring at me.  So this year I have decided to become a concerned citizen of our household and designate this drawer the Lost and Found.

Here's how it works---I see these gift cards (and I'm mostly talking to the Starbucks cards because really when do I get to go to the movies!!) and they are not mine so they must be LOST.  I will let them sit there for the requried 30 days or so and see if anyone CLAIMS them.  If they are still there after the 30 days or so I will determine them FOUND by me!! 

I did this recently with one of his 10 dollar Starbucks cards and here is how I continue to rationalize it.  Since our life schedule doesn't allow for many date nights these days, I can toast my Venit Tazo Tea to my husband and count this outing as a DATE! See.....EVERYBODY WINS!!