October Here We Come!

It is Friday!!!

Lunch break is consisting of sitting outside in the courtyard of my office building enjoying this aMaZing fall weather and typing this blog…

I can’t even believe that September is already over, it flew by so quick! But I am excited for October which consists of every single weekend being PACKED with plans…don’t believe me? So, October 4^th through the 12^th we’ll be on a cruise to Aruba, Curacaos and Grand Turk then October 17^th through 19^th we’ll be on a “Spook-O-Ree” camping trip for Tiger Scouts and finally the last weekend of October which is the 23^rd through the 26^th we’ll be in Orange Beach, Alabama to watch my husband graduate with his Master’s degree.

Which is why by November I will be ready for some much needed “lay around the house and do not do shit” time. Although I’m also pretty sure by then we will have already filled up our November calendar with activities. Since these past few months have seemed to go by quicker than usual it’s also got me thinking about Nash’s upcoming 3^rd birthday party which even though is in February feels like it might just sneak up on me. He is currently obsessed (and that is a complete understatement) with all things construction equipment and fire trucks related, I was actually thinking how cool it would be to have a party at like a Yancy CAT Equipment Dealership (there is one local in my county) he would literally shit. a. brick. when he saw all the huge pieces of equipment but then I thought…

LIABILITY.

I do specialize in Commercial Insurance so of course that would be my mind set. I honestly don’t think any business owner in their right mind would allow a TODDLER birthday party to be held in their place of business…I could just picture Nash scaling to the top of one of those massive bulldozers, raise his hands in the air and yell “BIG TRUCK” before then nose diving into my arms…yeah.

So. Next idea was to just have it at our house, out on the back deck but then we’re talking February where the average temperature in Georgia is usually just above freeze you’re ass off (seriously, last year around his birthday we had two snow storms blow through…remember Snow-pocalypse 2014) and the thought of having a bunch of toddlers cooped up inside my house is not appealing either…so I guess I will continue to think on this.

In other news, I attended my first SPIN class in THREE YEARS yesterday…and I am happy to report that I am so incredibility sore that it hurts to even sit on the toilet… How did I ever do up to three classes a week before?!?! Oh that’s right, I was younger and already in shape. But I’m getting back into a routine, slowly but surely. Not sure if I’ll ever work my way back up to three times a week but I’d be happy with once a week along with my usual gym time.

And finally…

Some pictures from the last few weeks that have been sitting on my phone or that I have been meaning to post and just got busy… There mainly of the boys because truthfully they're all I ever take pictures of.

A gift waiting for me in my briefcase this morning from Mas, love my sweet boy!

Oh weekend, here I come!

 

Red Corduroy Jeans

So this is it! I am putting this out into the internet universe in hopes that it will help keep me accountable and on track to my goals. It’s weird how when you’re a teenager or young adult you have all these goals and there is this idea that once you become a full-grown, mortgage paying, career engaged adult and have met these goals that you’re done.

Ah. To be so naïve… I honestly think I have worked towards and accomplished more goals in my adulthood than I ever did in my adolescence. I’ve made the move to a new state (which if you’ve never done it, let me say that it can become very overwhelming especially if you relocate to a state where you have ABSOLUTELY no family), I’ve strived, sacrificed and push my way in an industry that is dominated by men to finally reach a position that I have worked towards for so long and I’ve grown emotionally, in a way that I hope makes me the best wife and mother possible.

So with all this please tell me WHY is it so hard to get to my goal weight!?!?

Laziness…(there maybe a little of that mixed in there)…Time…(yes. that is definitely a factor)…Nutrition…(my favorite food is grilled cheese and fries so you bet your sweet ass it is)…BUT this goal is no different than any other I have set my mind too in the past. So, I went out and got my gym membership back, have committed to 61 ounces of water daily (even if I have to get it into me via I.V. form) and a 1,200 calories or less “diet” (meaning I’m making a conscious effort to eat better things and cutting portion sizes in half). I’ve also decided that I don’t want to push towards a number but rather a “feeling”, to be honest even when I was “skinny” I had no idea what I weighed, I never checked and I never really cared. It wasn’t until I got pregnant that I starting keeping track but after having Nash I don’t think I even weighed myself once. For me, it’s always been about feeling good. If I felt good in a pair of jeans or sexy in a maxi dress then it didn’t matter to me what size it was. It’s like these red jeans I own, I’ve had them for years and there were times when they were too big on me and times (like now) when they’ve been too small but I refuse to get rid of them. They are a size 5 and they are my goal.

My plan is to start with good ol’ fashion cardio…it is the thing that has bought this all on so only fitting that I start with it. About two weeks ago I was rushing back to work from a lunch appointment (big surprise) and I decided to take the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. My office is only the fifth floor, no big deal…so after I ALMOST DIED climbing these stairs which I swear I think were too steep to be within building code ordinance it took me an additional 5 minutes to catch my breath and slow my heartbeat down AND I could immediately feel my legs already cramping up from the unscheduled, unexpected workout. That’s when it happened…the words…finally fell from my lips…”Man am I out of shape”. All of a sudden since that day I’ve not “felt” good in anything and maybe it just finally hit me that I’m older now and it is time to actually invest in this body instead of just relaying on pure genes alone (which we know is never a sure bet).

Starting with cardio is the plan, then working my way to lights weights/high reps and eventually I’d like to get back into a nightly cycling class (as the boys sports and commitments permit). I used to cycle at least three to four times a week and loved it! It is such a great workout, I don’t think I ever sweat as much as I do in a cycling class BUT it is also rough on your body so my goal is to ease back into it and hope that the love I once had for it is still there just under the surface.

So, unless sometime in between I end up knocked up this is my new focus for the next few months. I’ve taken some “before” pictures but have decided that are far beyond too awful to post so I will keep them as private motivation for the time being. But I am committed to tracking my progress, my red jeans are the end goal…my immediate goal is my husband’s favorite dress (oh, he knows the one).

I should also say that I purposely did not mention any type of supplements or shakes because to be frank I buy then with every great intention and then never touch them again…nope. I’m going old school with this…just exercise, water and eating clean”er” although if the hubby would spring for a tummy tuck I may be persuaded…just sayin’.

So. Here’s to a Halloween with no candy, a Thanksgiving with no carbs and a Christmas with no alcohol…

 

 

Mason's 6th Birthday!

Wow…has it really been so long?!?! I feel like it has been forever since I’ve had the chance to sit down, collect my thoughts and write (which is more like type these days…I don’t even remember what my handwriting looks like anymore). To say it has been a busy last couple of months would be the understatement of the year.

To get you up to speed in the last seven months I’ve switched jobs three times…Yes. Three. The last move taking on a very stressful, attention demanding role…but also allowing me to work more reasonable hours as well as one day a week from home. It was/is a great opportunity for me, being able to run a department the best way I feel fit has been a goal I’ve worked towards all my career (and the pay raise wasn’t too back either). On top of that, the boys have gotten full blown back into all their activities…and then some! Mason has started back up in baseball with Vince now head coach and myself as team mom. Both boys are back in soccer…Nash in his little soccer uniform is so cute it should be banned plus we’ve added Boy Scouts for Mas along with Vince and I taking on the den leader roles and AWANA through our church to the mix of “we’re already so busy so why the hell not add a few more things”. Oh…and then there’s basketball coming up in late fall which Mas has decided he wants to play again…

But I’ve realized in the last several months of being unbelievably busy that we’re not the only family who runs like this (and when I say “like this” I mean at a million miles per hour) All. The. Time. So…a happy medium must be found and blogging helps to keep things in perspective for me so back to blogging I’ve gone. Plus, for any of you who truly know me well know that this blog is more for me than anyone else…who knows what I’ll recall clearly as the years press on.

I thought about blogging about our summer but truthfully it just went by too fast and for a good bit of it both boys were away visiting family out of state. So, it seemed appropriate to “re-start” the blog on a subject that was one of my very first blog posts…Mason SIXTH birthday!!! I know…when did this happen…really he’s six year’s old…seems unreal but true and what a sixth birthday party it was!

I should say that Mason in the past year has developed a true obsession with all things military related…books, movies, documentaries, video games, toys…all things military! So, it did not surprise me when he said he’d like a military themed birthday party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also just finished our new deck so what better way to take advantage of it then having the party at our house (no big deal) well then Mas asked if he could invite a few friends to spend the night after the party (still…no big deal). Pictured below is what really happened…

Yes. I. Know.

I am still sane although for a few moments that night I may had skirted the edge of my sanity…just a little. It’s funny, when all the parents left and things quieted down Vince and I looked at all FIVE boys and then to each other and I swear at that moment we both said “Hmm…we kind of need like another set of adults here”.

But we managed all right, after several thousand pixie sticks eaten, outdoor flashlight tag, five showers, three movies, one upset tummy at the lovely hour of 2:00 AM they were finally all peacefully asleep. WE SURVIVED. Mas had the best time and even Vince told me that this birthday party was going to be hard to top, which always makes a girl feel good. Best part of the entire party was the next morning when all the kids were being picked up, Mas was leaving a few minutes earlier than the other kids since it was his day with his mom and one of his friends said to Mas “Your Mom is picking you up? Your Mom is right here” and his response was “I’m lucky I have two Mom’s”

It also would not be a birthday in our house without a birthday breakfast and balloon surprise!

 

 

Now it’s onto baseball games, soccer practices, den meetings, AWANA classes and COUNTING DOWN UNTIL VACATION!