I WILL PREVAIL

WOW.  Some days I am utterly shocked what my body will do... or won't do.

Turning 40 definitely brought about some giant changes, most of which were mental.  I thought that I was going to fall into the abyss after my birthday, joining friends that have giant lists of complaints about their bodies and health.  My combatant to that?  I jumped into physical activity even more.  The result?  I hurt myself... A LOT!  It seems like every three months last year something else was going wrong with my body.

Today I have taken a step back.  I don't push myself quite so far but certainly don't sit on my couch, either.  I don't run with abandon any longer - I'm careful about the path I run, the cracks in the sidewalks, the uneven curbs.  Unfortunately, I've learned to be a bit more careful.

Hubs and I ran a long run this weekend and as usual, I paid for it.  My body ached, hips screaming at me for torturing them.  Nope, I didn't stretch enough.  Nope, I didn't warm up with short runs last week.  I completely failed my body.

Although still sore and achy, I laced up the shoes this morning and hit the road.  The first mile HURT.  I was slow.  It was really hard.  As I rounded the trail into my second mile my body started to ease, loosening up.  My stride fell a bit longer.  My shoulders dropped.  It didn't seem so bad.  Mile three was probably one of the best miles I have ever run.  And although I struggled into mile 4, the finish was simple.

As we walked up the driveway, I couldn't help but think of how badly everything hurt when I got out of bed this morning.  Tying my shoes, I had given myself a hundred reasons that I shouldn't run today.  I even flirted with hubs to try to distract us from our goal.

I am so thankful for whatever drives me to get on that road.  And forever grateful for the ability to run it.  I feel a hundred times better.

Friends - if you are struggling with your exercise goals, just remember this:  the first step is the hardest.  Once you start to move, your body will appreciate your efforts and will make it easier for you.  The biggest stumbling block you have is your MIND.  Push through the negative and go for it!

I am my biggest enemy.  I have to remember that ~ my body will prevail if I just push myself to move..

Have a great Wednesday, friends!

Jen

WORK away!

Labor Day weekend turned out to be just that:  LABOR INTENSIVE!  I did get a chance to mix in some fun but overall my butt has been thoroughly kicked.  Mizzou pulled out their first win of the season, I ran an 8 mile training run, drank driveway beers with my fun neighbs and then died.

In my continued efforts to streamline and simplify my life, I tackled my basement.  I have a HUGE unfinished basement... and somehow have managed to completely fill it in the last 4 years.  I have hung onto everything from Bubba's high school artwork (in a giant art case), his drum stand from 5th grade and believe it or not, Coop's infant car seat.  Yes, I'm ridiculous (and I admit it).

So I fired up a pot of coffee, pulled up some Bob Segar on my iPhone and unrolled the 50 gallon trash bags and went to work.  And work it was.  I filled NINE bags with donations and another 5 bags with TRASH.  Yes, trash.  Seriously, what in the world is wrong with me?  TRASH in my house?  So ridiculous! 

 

Hubs and I have not made a serious purchase in over 4 years.  I cannot for the life of me figure out why I hung onto all this stuff other than moving forward and eliminating it was somehow to much of a feat for me.

 

Now I have the bug.  I cannot wait to get back down there this week and work harder.  I have consolidated all of my fave decorations under my staircase and have made a promise to myself that other than one shelving system, my basement will be EMPTY. 

 

The garage is next.  Watch out, hubs... you know what happened the last time this happened (where is that leaf blower?)

 

I did have an amazing experience this weekend.  I spent one hour of my life doing 3 loads of laundry at a local laundromat due to my stupid washing machine.  I make life FAR more complicated than it needs to be!  In speaking with the person working there (watching Stars and Stripes... NOT working at the self serve laundromat), I recall stories my Aunt used to tell me about her own business.  My family owned a laundromat in Southern Missouri for years.  It's quite an interesting clientele, to say the least.

My new fave hangout.... although mine doesn't look this cool, quite honestly.

 

 

I'm a little bit more grateful today for everything in my life.  Because it could be SO much worse.  Case(s) in point:

 

At least my sister didn't have my uncle's baby (true story).

 

I didn't start my laundry and get so drunk that I forgot to move it... to the dryer... 12 hours later... at a public laundromat (sidenote:  this possibly happens at home on occasion.  I cannot really admit or deny it).

 

I didn't buy my two year old dinner out of the candy vending machine at said public laundromat (again, true story).

 

I didn't drop (and leave) my undies in a public parking lot.

 

I didn't have to fire a co-worker that was breaking open my machines and stealing money from me.

 

Humble pie.  Best served with a cold diet coke... and a splash of Jim Beam if available.

 

Have a great Tuesday, friends.  Short work week!

Jen

FRIDAY FAVES!!

Another week down and I don't know about you but I am already TIRED of all of the political ads!  This presidential season is going to be a nightmare I'm sure but August.... really?!  I don't need 4 months for any candidate to explain his platform.  Give me two weeks, a summarized report and I'm totally good to go.  Not as if I have to think very hard this go 'round.

Upon our return from Chicago last weekend I had 17 (yes SEVENTEEN) political messages on my home voicemail.  I'm so ready to shut that thing off.  We never use it anyway.

I hope I can make it to the polls without killing them both!

Oh ~ and in the same vein... little note to my local grocer:  it isn't truly necessary for you to stick out my fave Halloween candy in AUGUST.  Just saying.

Here goes the list... hope you enjoy!

FAVE MOTIVATOR

Do you ever have one of those days when you know your to do list is a zillion miles long but you just can't seem to find one place to get started?  I absolutely love this pad... this would totally kick me into gear on those awful days!

FAVE FASHION

Okay, honestly... I could do without the scarf.  And the parka jacket.  But I do love the orange.  And the boots.

FAVE FORCED FOOD

This one goes out to my friend, PB.  She recently posted how she is working with her little guy to get him to take bites at dinnertime.  How fun would this be?  Roll the dice (the little one) and that's how many bites you have to eat. Obviously if it's something they don't like only make them roll ONE dice, but I love the idea.  Make it fun! (Not that they will be happy!)

FAVE KICKS

I think I might know a girl that might like these!  I think they are adorable but then again I have a serious fetish for TOMS.  Great work!

FAVE MUSICAL OUTPUT

As a child of the 80's, I had a boombox.  Everyone did!  I love this idea for my desk at work - it's compact and would fit perfectly.  Rock on!

FAVE TRAVEL

Ah, fall.  Absolutely love it - my fave season!  Little guy just did a poster for school and his teacher asked him his fave season and he agreed (football didn't have anything to do with it).  I totally want to go here once in my life to drive through it....  beautiful.

Smuggler's State Park, Vermont

FAVE SASSY

I'm not even going to point fingers... I'm way to nice for that.

FAVE CHARGER

For as much as I use my phone (which is CONSTANTLY) I totally need this.  And totally small and discreet.  Love it!

FAVE HANG OUT SHIRT

I totally need this RIGHT NOW.  And I don't need many things!

RUNNING MOTIVATION

Yep, enough said!

Have a great Friday friends!


Jen

Way out West

It's official.  My kids have a house in San Diego!

Sassy got the call this week that their housing choice is open and awaiting their arrival.  We are so blessed - some Sailors have to sit on wait lists a long while to get into their housing selection.   

Not a bad area of the country I'd say.

I'm hyperventilating again.  Bub gets out of apprentice school just in time to get home, get Kate and E and take off for California.  I will get no time with him... or them.

Ah crap.

Layer in the fact that he will be gone before his birthday, definitely gone by hubs and little guy's birthdays (yes, I'm surrounded by Libras) and I'm totally not happy about this.

Oh, and while he is traveling 2,000 miles west, I'll be traveling 2,000 miles east for a business trip.

On a side note ~ I asked bestie what to do.  And as always, she is brilliant and told me exactly what I needed to do to take off the anxiety.

I reached out to my good friend in San Francisco. 

LL and I worked together in my prior firm and she is my soul sister in the west.  I told her my kids were coming and I wanted her to watch over them (she travels significantly throughout the state and spends a great deal of time in SD).  I know she would be there for me anytime I need her and she would do the same for my kids.

Thank god - they are not alone.

Not that they ever were.

I'll get the hang of this eventually.  After they have lived there for 20 years maybe.  Bub already has 30 year old goals set so it's gonna be a long journey!

Happy hump day, friends!

Jen

School vs. Sports ~ What to Do?

I absolutely love the structure fall brings to my life but get frustrated at the same time.  I'm quite fortunate in that I only manage one child's schedule but it's still so overwhelming at times. 

I'm often faced with conflicts in the schedule and I honestly never know the right choice.  It never fails that we have a convergence of a practice, a personal event (like a family birthday or something similar) and a school event on the same night.  How do other mom's solve this dilemma?  I'll tell you one thing for certain:  I don't manage it very well.  It seems I always make the wrong decision.  Better yet... I always make the decision that upsets the little guy the most.

How is that possible?

This week is no different than most.  We have a conflict.  Football practice vs. Curriculum Night at school.  Sounds easy, right?  Little guy to practice with dad, mom to school.

Not so fast.

Our school puts this parental event coupled with the fun Back to School picnic.  For the kids, of course. Crap. 

Ring the bell ~ round one with little guy will begin shortly.

He will beg me to go to the picnic.  All of his friends will be there.  He absolutely must go, don't I understand?

Yep.  I do.  He's probably right.  He should go to the school event, see his friends, relax and have a good time and I'll learn all about what he's going to learn for the year.

But what about that "commitment to the football team" thing he signed up for?  His "proof to the coaches of his dedication" deal?  Hubs typically sides with this commitment.

Insert family feud.  And I have absolutely NO idea what the "right thing to do" may be. 

I cannot possibly be the only one that endures this scenario.  What does everyone else do?  What takes precedence in your family's schedule?  And how in the WORLD do you have more than one kid with a schedule??  That seems impossible to me.

When Bubba was this age we had a third conflict - Wednesday confirmation classes.  Talk about constant guilt.  If we picked the sport event, we would upset God.  In the end we would typically lean on the "School comes first" mantra, upsetting God.  I couldn't win this battle for about three years.

And in the end, we will splinter I'm sure.  I will go to school.  Little guy will go to practice and hate me for the night. 

Ugh - being a parent is hard.  I need a vacation!

Have a great Tuesday, friends!


Jen

Do ALL Dogs go to Heaven?

It's official ~ our home has been invaded.  The fur kids have taken over.

Last night while cooking dinner, hubs was surrounded by 140 lbs of fur.. in the 10x10 kitchen.  Exactly where he wants them to be.  He turned to all three of them, shaking his head slowly, and pronounced the Puppy Apocalypse was coming if they didn't hightail it out and FAST.

Lord help us.  We need an intervention!  We could use some serious psychological help for the four legged kids.

Jackson's dementia has almost permanently set in, blurring his reality between day and night, inside and outside.  Most of the time he has no idea what is happening.  On a lighter note though he always seems to be happy... even when his arthritis is rearing it's ugly head.  He is happily demented.  I like the sound of that!  He can't hear a thing we say, which is causing secondary issues.  Most days I feel so badly for him but he doesn't seem to be in any pain, so we keep chugging along.  I have absolutely NO idea when we should be having the "right time" discussion which makes me feel immensely guilty so I just bury my head and pretend it's all completely normal.

Ah, Bella.  The baby of the fam.  She has become a complete handful lately reverting back to her 7 month old self since the move in of the grandpup.  Whatever rules she once followed she has completely dismissed.  

 

She already barks all the time, mostly at Jackson for not listening to the rules he needs to follow.  She herds him around 24/7.  Anytime we even slightly mention his name (loudly now so he can hear us) she runs and barks in his face to get his attention.  I'm sure he likes that a ton.  He stares her down as if willing her to die or choke on her barks.  I feel as though all I do is yell at her for barking, which I'm sure is working since she keeps barking anyway.  And she will NOT let Henry near me without a full on barkfest to let him know how she feels about it.

Henry.  I am truly falling for this bundle of breath.  The poor child cannot catch his breath to save his life snorting all over the place wheezing as if an imminent heart attack is awaiting.  But his eyes are so sweet (even though I still can't tell where he's looking).  He's really smart ~ one day and he knew where we would keep his food, his bed and his leash.  He goes to the door and howls anytime he needs out.  He walks gently around Jackson, either fearing his size or understanding his challenges.  And he full on RUNS from Bella who is bark attacking him every second of the day.

 

I guess the furkids act just like human kids.... the stubborn, independent first born, the baby of the family and the temporarily adopted one.

 

Please pray for the safety of the pups.  All of us our at our wits end with these three bad kids and may snap at any time and put them in time out.  As if that's even going to work.  Does anyone have Cesar Millan's hotline number?

 

 

Have a great Monday friends!

Jen

Brave Little Toaster

Watching Act of Valor while my son is in the Navy may not have been my wisest choice to date.

Obviously, the movie shadows pretty rockin' awesome men.  Navy Seals.  Amazing dedication to the country they love and the freedom they protect.  Crazy brave if you ask me.

Kicked back with an ice cold beer after a days work, I am humbly reminded that my chores (or my job) do not really require me to act with bravery.   In fact, probably my highest amount of bravery required at any given time is in the fashion of confrontation... my nemesis.  Geesh... what a pansy.

It's about time for me to do something brave.  A good friend of mine just finished his final pilot test last week.  He does a bunch of jumps for people looking for some adventure.

I think that may just be right up my alley.  I'm pretty sure it will make me conjure up some bravery.

Now if I can just find my life insurance paperwork.  It is important to keep that information up to date.

Have a great Sunday night, friends.  Go forth and be brave!!


Jen