Mammograms, Movies, & Muffin Tops: a.k.a. “How I spent my summer vacation.” August 13, 2008

Mammograms

Well, this summer was a first for me.  At my annual physical, my doctor asked why I didn’t have my baseline mammogram done last summer as ordered.  I confessed that I just blew it off & promised to do it a.s.a.p.  So, short sad story-short…I went, I was smooshed…(4x each side)…and I am currently good-to-go.  It wasn’t as big a deal as I was making it out to be, I just really wanted to put that experience off for a few more years.

Movies

Well, one of the perks of this summer was the fact that my twins were old enough to babysit my little ones and thereby provide my hottie-husband and me date nights!  Wahoo!  Some of the movies we’ve seen were: Get Smart, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Wall_E, Hancock, The Chronicles of Narnia & The Dark Night. 

Get Smart:this was a fun little movie.  I enjoyed Steve Carrel’s performance especially.  My two favorite scenes also happen to be featured in the trailer.  First, I liked it when he thought he was inside the Cone of Silence and shrieked his rapture about being made an agent, only to find out that indeed, everyone present could hear him because he hadn’t turn the cone on properly.  Second, I really enjoyed the moment when he was dangling alongside of a car screaming and the boy was trying to get his mother’s attention, “Mom! Mom! Mom!”.  To which she replied, “Shawn! Shawn! Shawn! See how annoying that is?!”  Funny stuff.  I thought it was clever of the writers to elude to 99’s older true age, to allow for Max to see her as a romantic interest later in the film, without it feeling all creepy.

Journey to the Center of the Earth: better that I expected.  We saw this because Chronicles was already gone from the theatre when I went to take Derin with me.  (the boys and I saw it)  Bottom line: you could wait for the video.

Wall_E:loved it!  Pixar did it again!  I love listening for the moment when I found out who “Norm” from Cheers is playing.  (This time he was one of the bulbous humans.)  This one I went to see with my little ones & their BFF, AJ.  It was wonderful watching them fall in love with another Disney movie.  Nothing takes the place of Finding Nemo in my heart though!!!  Go Dory!!

Hancock:it was o.k.  Most of the movie I was annoyed at trying to remember Charlize Theron’s name.  I think Justin Bateman’s performance was the best in the movie.

The Chronicles of Narnia :wonderful!!  I cannot wait to own this movie!  My favorite part of the whole experience: the way Lucy’s character symbolized our relationship with God.  She was certain he was near, even when other’s doubted.  Her faith was valiant and pure, the heart of a child.  She never stopped expecting to experience the power and presense of Aslan at the next turn.  She missed his company.  Makes me question how often to I miss the company of God.  Hmm.  (another blog brewing there…)

The Dark Night: wow.  Oscar-worthy.  I couldn’t do justice to comment futher, so I will direct you to my husband’s brilliant blog on this one. http://durkniblick.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/the-dark-knight-review-one-of-the-best-movies-ever/

Muffin-tops

Well, a summer of going to movies, eating what my kids eat, and o.k., who are we really kidding here…a few of my very own bags of Twizzlers…has brought back the cursed, muffin-top!!  I no longer look like I did a mere 10 months ago.  Not e-gads awful yet, but seriously, do I want to go there again?  Nope.  So, as I return to my favorite job of all time…middle-school-teacher tomorrow, I will return to the discipline of working out and following my Weight Watchers points plan.  Big sigh here…I should do a before/after shot, huh?  I’ll get right on that…tomorrow.

Kids do the strangest things… July 31, 2008

OK, so in the last week, my children have truly amazed and amused me with their oh-so-original antics.  Here’s just a few highlights.

I took advantage of the Beauty Brands liter sale and bought some brand new Matrix Biolage Kola Nut Mint shampoo (say that five times really fast).  Its supposed to promote scalp health and leave your head all tingly.  Well, one of my twins (not saying who) decided to use it as bath wash.  He said it was awesome and I should try it.  Ten minutes go by and he comes shrieking into the living room and said his nether regions were freezing!!  He was freaking out and trying to warm himself up.  Ha!  I had to try not to laugh.  No wait, it gets better.  Another 10 minutes go by and he calls his brother upstairs and HIGHLY recommends that he uses the shampoo as body wash.  Talk about brotherly love.

Another event at our house this week was when my 2 year old decided to make his own eggs for breakfast.  I’ve made egg mcmuffins for us a couple of times this week and was out of eggs.  After I ran to the store to buy more I left it on the stove while I ran next door for a minute.  I came back to find Corbin in the kitchen with an egg in a bowl and a whisk in his hand.  No one else was in the kitchen with him!  I asked him was he was doing and he said, “My cook egg, Mom.  My do it.”  I called the other boys into the kitchen and we were all wondering where the egg shell went.  (He put in on the table.)  Three eggs later, Corbin was finally ready to throw in the apron and call it a day.

Wow.  When I sat down to write this, there were a few more anecdotes I had in mind, but now I am drawing a blank.  Drats!  Oh, well.  Later.  I’d better go check on the little buggers.

July 30, 2008

facebook July 30, 2008

Well, it happened.  I succumed to lure of the socially connected and joined facebook.  Now I enjoy checking the status of all my friends from my phone!  How cool is that?  Actually, I finally joined to find out the status of my very dear friends in Iowa who live in the flood zone…54212 to be exact.  Now that I am a member, I have gotten in touch with people who I haven’t contacted in 20 years.  What I’ve noticed is that its really fun but after about two or three posts, there isn’t too much to say because we’ve not been in relationship for so long.  Sigh.

What I’ve enjoyed doing it taking time to read people’s interests and check out their photos.  I’ve learned some new things and tried out some new artists that are faves of other people.  I like reading the quotes of others as well.  I think it says a lot about people.

Drawbacks…the whole obligatory send-this-application-to-your-friends thing.  That’s annoying.  I no longer care so much about how many square feet of the rainforest I’ve saved by adding their flower to my garden.  And I could do without seeing random shots of cleavage on the left side nearly everytime I go to facebook.  Its also a little disconcerting to see the profanity that people use when posting on other

My facbook profile pic...

people’s wall. 

On a final note…its truly pitiful to admit that I haven’t blogged in nearly a year.  I am going to change that.  Also, I think it just another example of how I overextended myself last year and wasn’t able to do anything very well.  It brings me to my final thought.  When I was in college I learned a quote that has stuck with me.  I forget the author’s name, so if you know it, feel free and remind me.  Here it is:  “Total commitment to every cause is euivalent to total apathy.”

Working Out…to be or not to be… September 10, 2007

Weird thing.  I have been working out with my neighbor for the past few months.  Since school began we have switched our workout times from in the evening to 5:00 a. m.  That’s right, the crack of never!  Now, here’s the weird part, in the last 3 weeks for various reasons, one day or another, I don’t get up at 5:00.  I lay there and feel guilty, but resolved to “work out later”.  Then we I get up and check my phone, I see that she has sent me at txt message.  Invariably, she has had to reschedule because of her kids waking up, or she has a cold, etc.  It’s like some weird workout karma.  Anyway, it sure makes me feel better when I realize I wasn’t the only one punking out.  🙂

We have been doing the Slim in 6 video series by beachbody.com.  I recommend it, with the warning that it will really kick your butt.  We have been doing it for 5 weeks (out of the initial 6).  There is a “start it up” week, which kicked our butts for a few days, then we were all, “Check us out…”.  Ramp it up is the second and third week.  It about killed us the first 4-5 days.  Its still tough, but we find ways to skip the blasted butt routine.  Finally, we have reached the Burn It Up.  Burn It Up brings is own OMG moments!!  And by moments, I mean, whole flippin’ segments that we suffer through because we are trying to lose our preggo fat!  Personally, I find it motivating to mock the people on the video.  I find myself feeling so much better doing squats when I can laugh at Debbie pointing to her rear and making up crazy porn titles.  Pathetic I know, but hey, did I mention its 5:00 in the morning?!!

Call me crazy, but…(no pun intended)…on the days I do workout, I find myself sneaking in lunges, squats, and various other moves throughout the day.  For example, the time I spend waiting at the copier…if no one is in the copyroom, I’ll do a whole combination of workout moves.  I feel so powerful.  This is a new feeling for me to be sure.  While I am teaching, I am literally bouncing back and forth at times.  The kids are starting to notice…they’ll say, “Let me guess.  You worked out out this morning?”  🙂  For the first time in my life I am starting to identify with the active people and not the couch potatoes.  I really dig that part.  It makes me walk a little prouder (o.k. strut…) and it keeps me motivated to bypass the treats in the lounge.

Well, if I can every figure out the whole “avatar” thing on this site, I’ll post some before and after photos of my progress.  Until then, suffice it to say, that I am lookin’ good at last.

It feels like the first time… September 8, 2007

O.K. this whole blogging crap is rather over-rated if you ask me…I’ve spent 30 minutes trying to pen my first blog.  When I actually get this posted, I’ll decide it ifs worth sending out to all of my friends.  🙂  OK, actually, I am starting to enjoy this already.  My life is pretty crazy between raising four boys, teaching middle school, and changing my whole body over through Weight-Watchers and working out.  I can’t really predict what focus this will take, only that I do enjoy writing and telling about the crazy ways my days take shape.  Come back when you can & see what I’ve been up to lately.  There’s no telling…