Fit Club

Because this is the year of my 30th high school reunion, I'm only two years from turning 50, I hope to complete grad school in December and it finally dawned on me that I'm not getting any younger, I decided this was the year for some changes. And being ready to change is half the battle. So when a coworker shared that she was starting a Fit Club at work I said "sign me up". She hosts a 30 minute workout two to three times a week in a large conference room. The program is 21 Day Fix and it kicks my booty. We're only three weeks in (I'm missing today due to snow day so working from home), but I definitely feel a difference. I love to hate Autumn Calabrese ... she is impossibly gorgeous/fit, says annoying things like "you can do anything for 60 seconds" and sometimes it's like she's in my head when I want to quit which is uber annoying. I've also been taking the stairs more - my new office is on the third floor so I figure I can easily walk up/down two flights of stairs twice a day. I was so grateful for yoga last Friday after two sessions of squats that I almost cried. And now the thing is I don't want to ruin my hard work with poor food choices. I haven't completely given up snacking or my ultimate vice, chocolate, but I find myself making deals with myself to only eat two or half of something, or drink a glass of water (flavored of course because plain water is so ew) and if I still want it in an hour then I can have it ... sometimes I forget because hello I'm old. I'm hoping to add a few treadmill sessions per week, but I'm back in grad school so lots of reading/writing at the moment. AND Lord willing I'll start walking the dog when the weather warms up (I had to type that very softly lest Abbie start flipping out and expect a you-know-what NOW).

New Old Roads

Tomorrow is my last day at my current employer after 8+ years. I am going back to my former employer where I worked for 10 years. I am clearly a devoted employee. I am so excited to go back to an organization where I have tremendous respect for the people, leadership and ethics. The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to stay true to your values. I am grateful for the knowledge and experience gained since I left ... it has been one heckuva ride where I've had the highest of highs and lowest of lows career wise ... but I am beyond excited to go back to a place where there will be a lot of familiar faces and my reputation has stood the test of time. It feels wonderful to be wanted back. I am also venturing into a new space after 14 years in product management ... operations. I'm looking forward to learning a lot, renewing relationships, making new ones and bringing my own "special sauce" to the mix. This change has been a long time in the making after much soul searching, ongoing assessment via grad school, harsh truths and rekindled relationships. I knew I had set a ball in motion a few years back and didn't know exactly where it would lead. Though the momentum would ebb and flow, just three months ago everything aligned and I am where I am meant to be. It feels good to be the master of my own destiny.

Survivor

We survived the first week of school. It was touch and go ... we almost didn't make it through the first morning. This is Chunky's last year at the private K-8 school Sassy attended as well. An 8th grader! Where does the time go? My little Chunky Monkey has grown into a tall, lean bean sprout ... 6', 135 lbs. The uniform pants are khakis and Tarjay has those, done. School supplies, done. New backpack, done. Of course the uniform shirts from last year would not fit since he was already sporting a Britney Spears belly button look by the end of May. Those were youth XL so I knew I'd have to order via website. In bl8tn fashion I ordered two weeks before the start of school, risking that they wouldn't arrive in time for the first day. A few days before school Chunky came in from an outdoor adventure exclaiming he'd broken his belt. I promptly asked if he had another belt and he said that he did in the sweetest tone you've ever heard, like angels singing, unaccompanied by an eye roll. Not! I asked one more time before the start of school if he needed a belt and the responding snort + mumble was my cue that he had it covered. Fast forward to the first day ... I was working from home so made sure he got up (only three promptings), ate breakfast (a french toast bagel with cream cheese as he paced the kitchen, 1/4 of which went to the dog as he realized he was running out of time) and made his lunch (turkey and cheese sammie, applesauce, turkey stick, carrots, cashews and fruit snacks). That's when I heard, "Mom, I need a belt after school today". Why son would you need a belt if you already have one as you assured me twice previously within the past two weeks? Why son would you need a belt after school if it's currently 30 minutes before school? The bus had already been missed by this point. This is when we learned the belts he had were his fathers ... a 46 year old man with a 36 inch waist. There may have been more angels singing at this point, I'm not sure as I've blocked most of what happened in the next few seconds as they're likely not mother-of-the-year worthy. He attempted to hammer a nail into a belt to make a new hole and when that didn't work he tried a drill. Neither worked. So off to Tarjay we went to find a belt at 9:00 with school starting at 9:10. We had more words in Tarjay as we ran between the kids, mens and womens sections desperately searching for a belt that met his standards and oh yeah, fit properly. Did you know it's uncool for your mother to hold up the waist of your pants so that when you try on a belt it fits around the waist versus the bottom of your hip? Who knew?! Success was achieved with a dark brown, could pass for black, braided leather belt that due to the braiding afforded virtually unlimited sizing. We may have also picked up a black belt with rivets from the womens sectioned that looked "cool".

Then there was the obligatory first day of school photo ... in the Tarjay parking lot. Does this look not scream "I am so excited and love my mother beyond words can say"?!

As I was leaving school a bus load of kids arrived with several parents there to take photos. I bet they were happy to see their parents and super excited about having their photo taken! As I started to pull away, I turned and noticed a father giving some last minute encouragement? instructions? wisdom? to his young son ... so sweet. Poor sap doesn't know what he's in for in 10 years.

Sassy's first day of her college sophomore year was the day after Chunky's. She looks a tad more excited than he, no?

 

My first day of school is in two days (every other Tuesday night through December) ... Leading Organizational Change. I may or may not wear a belt.

Here I go again

Happy Friday the 13th! I may have mentioned my fondness for the day here and here :)

I've decided to get back in the saddle and resume my graduate course. My fall class will be International Trade and the Global Economy. Very relevant given the current state of many foreign economies as well as our own. I'm excited and nervous. I pray it's better than Finance because if not, this may be my last class.

Hot Wheels

Our new handicap accessible van!

1st Day

1st day of Senior year -

Is it me or does she look like she's being patronizing?

1st day of 6th grade -

Is it me or does he look less enthusiastic than Sassy?

National Blog Posting Month

I have nothing better to do this month* so have decided to blog every day for the next 30 days. This is known as NaBloPoMo. Enjoy - or see you December 1st!

* besides host a birthday party for my 10 year old son, host my mother for a week long visit, write two grad school papers, prepare for and host Thanksgiving, taxi children to volleyball/basketball practices, chair a PTA meeting, teach my 15 year old daughter to drive and work 40 hours a week that is.

Cheating Already

Tonight was the potluck dinner for all the high school volleyball players. I *cheated* and took a meal I made at Let's Dish - three cheese spinach rollups (or mock lasagna). When we arrived there were four other pans of lasagna. Of course. Some folks took the easy way out and brought a bucket of chicken or pizza. I'm not complaining - I'll remember those for future potlucks and they went quickly. Others brought homemade salads, casseroles, etc. Overachievers. I've never been accused of being one of those, though I have been called "Martha" (as in Martha Stewart).

I registered for my first grad school course. I'm a graduate student! That's so fun to say. Let's hope I'm able to hang in there so I can continue to say it right up to graduation. Technically I should graduate in 2013. It may take me another year or so as I'll be taking only one course per term until I'm comfortable with two at a time. Baby steps for goodness sakes. My course is "Ethics and Leadership" (required first course). I'll be going on Friday nights starting September 11th.

This course fosters personal development as an ethical, effective and enduring leader. Activities include: analyzing feedback from assessment instruments such as the Leadership Practices Inventory; reflecting on personal leadership experiences and those of others; responding to case studies; reviewing current leadership literature; and creating a credo and metaphor. Major assignments include analyzing data collected from interviews with leaders, participating in a team presentation dealing with ethical challenges in organizations and producing a portfolio documenting personal leadership abilities, experiences and goals.

What have I gotten myself into?!

The Journey Begins

I received a letter from St. Catherine University today - after careful review of your record by the Graduate Admission Committee... based on the quality of your application and recommendations, you have been accepted into the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership program. Yeah me! When I told Sassy I was accepted, she said "Well yeah, like you're smart so of course you were going to get in. I can't believe you thought you wouldn't". I love her. Do you think the Admission Committee was like the one in "Flashdance" with them all sitting at a long table prim and proper, deciding who's in and who's out? Thank goodness I didn't have to dance to get in! I'm worse than Albert in"Hitch". So the journey begins. With orientation for four hours next Saturday.

Sassy and I met with her guidance counselor at the new high school today. She's taking biology, world history, german (spanish was not her forte last year), english, advanced geometry, power walking what? in my day it was simply "gym" with no choices, sales & marketing, and digital photography (ceramics is the back up plan if full). We were sent home with a ton of paperwork. uh, didn't I already submit the magna carta for the transfer?! She has to return next Friday for photos, official class schedule, locker assignment and lunch money collection. There seemed to be a lot of references to "extra fees". oh goody, and we thought we were on easy street without the private high school tuition.

So the journey begins for both of us. and the outpouring of cash.

Sorry I can't commit to the book Mad :(

Excitement + Anxiety = Empowerment

I did it - I sent in my application for grad school! Now I need to dust off the resume, send transcript requests to five schools (so embarrassing), beg two friends to write letters of recommendation and write an essay. That's a lot to do for a procrastinator. Wonder if I can find a way to weave Twilight into any of my curriculum.

Shout out to MPB on her new baby, Nora. MPB says "she's perfect". Congratulations - can't wait to meet her! MPB, did you notice the use of my favorite word in the title?!

Take It Off Tuesday #1

This lady I drive crazy at work, Mimi, started a blog about finding the ME in Mommy. Goal #1 is to eat healthy and exercise. Sounds good, sign me up. She'd also like to find the inner athlete she once was. Um, you lost me there. I am not and never will be an athlete. That statement should probably be in all caps and underlined. The phrase "when pigs fly" comes to mind (shout out to Flo from Alice). I was a cheerleader in high school (eww, my arm fat just wiggled when I pat myself on the back) but I'm pretty sure that does not count as a sport. Last time I checked wearing legwarmers and saying "Ready. Okay." is not an olympic event. Too bad.

Anyhoo, Mimi started a weekly "Take It Off Tuesday" (pounds not clothes) post and I'm joining the bandwagon. She even has a contest. We'll follow the Weight Watchers method (not paying for membership but following the points system). This means documenting ALL food. I'll formally start tomorrow but might as well fess up to the frosted special K bar I had at lunch today (thanks Mimi for saying the cereal part is healthy :) I did a 10-minute stretch this morning and am hoping making hot fudge sundaes (wink, wink) counts as exercise.

Here are some helpful links -
Points calculator http://www.webmilhouse.com/pointcalc.php
Dotti's Weight Loss Zone food lists and menus with points (scroll down) http://www.dwlz.com/WWinfoTOC.html

Ready. Okay.
Are you ready? (clap,clap)
To play (clap)
Say go team (clap)
Go team (clap)
Mommes taking it off all the way!

Getting Started

As the title suggests, I've joined the blogging world and according to many, I've joined it late. But, as they say... better late than never (bl8tn)!

The title describes most things in my life - as in bl8tn to start the new fad diet, bl8tn to start using the elliptical machine in the basement, bl8tn to read those books piled on the nightstand, and so on. So, one of my 2009 resolutions is to start AND MAINTAIN a blog. The other two are to catch up on scrapbooking (uh huh, sure) and enroll in a Master's program.

What inspired me? Does it count that I think about doing things all the time, I just don't actually do a lot of them? And by the way, why doesn't thinking burn calories?!!! I started reading a blog early in 2008 which I compulsively check every day called Notes from the Trenches. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend doing so. This woman is crazy - in a good way! I now religiously check 9 (and counting) personal blogs per day and I cannot describe the entertainment, grace and joy I've discovered through these ladies. Some I know personally and they started theirs as a way to stay connected to friends and family and others seem to have been called to a mission from a higher power. Either way, I feel like I could sit down and share a cup of coffee (or 10) and talk for hours with these women. So, I've joined the ranks - bl8tn.

To start the year off, here is a list of some of my current favorite things:

• Christmas music - yes I am actually happy when the radio stations start playing Christmas music BEFORE Thanksgiving. My kids however are grateful that the "big finishes" are done for another year. I practically traumatized delightful daughter recently as we were driving when I swooped my right arm over into the passenger seat and her chest area for a big finish of "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year".


• Twilight saga - can't get enough and have likely entered "obsession" phase. Yes, I'm one of those - a Twi-hard mom. I wonder if they have an ICD-10 for this condition? I started reading the books October 21st after my daughter berated me for ignoring her pleas to do so for months (they sat on my nightstand so that counts for something). Once I started, I could not put them down. I checked my schedule every work day for the earliest possible time I could go home to read more of my books. I let my daughter out of school early the day the movie opened - more on that in a future post as I rant about the lovely rules at my daughter's school about "excused absences" - so we could be one of the first to see it (and we've seen it twice more), I paid an undisclosed sum so my daughter could make her own sweatshirt design for the movie premier that earned her a detention for being absent for an unexcused reason (do I sound bitter?), I bought "Essence of Twilight" scents for my daughter (but the shipment was misplaced and I received two freebies for my trouble - lovin' my Edward lip balm), and my mother-in-law received the first book as a Christmas gift.
  
• Blogs - favorites include Notes from the Trenches, Bring The Rain, Our Journey of Love, My Charming Kids, Stones of Rememberance and Mellissa's Musings.
  
• Watching TV and snuggling with my puppy (she is too a puppy even though 2yo) on cold winter nights - Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, Samantha Who?, Jon & Kate Plus 8, Housewives of Orange County (guilty pleasure, like watching Dynasty in the 80's!), The Office, 30 Rock and What Not to Wear. I cannot wait for 24 and Lost to start! I also like cable shows Big Love, The Tudors, Weeds and Californication - so "bad" they're good.


• Vacations - I live for planning the real and imagined. If anyone is interested in a sample trip to Hawaii with attractions, accommodations, eats, etc. , I've got you covered. Never been but I've got it all planned out in the event someone calls and says I've got less than 24 hours to get my stuff together and go. I actually fantasize about staying at a private hacienda in the Yucatan Peninsula (and visit their web site often just to hear the awesome trova music and pretend I am laying in a hammock with a drink). I think I was Christopher Columbus or his travel planner in a former life. We are going on a cruise to the Caribbean in 12 days and I can barely contain my excitement. I've started packing lists complete with outfits by day and activity for myself and the kids. I wouldn't dream of planning this for the hubby - he'll ask the day before "what should I pack?" to which I'll respond "whatever you'd like dear". This maintains the harmony in our blessed home. I've taken inventory of "dress up" clothes to make sure everything is cleaned and matched (e.g. green suit with blue shirt and cool tie) and he'll pack his own "street" clothes. I try to control the OCD beast for his sake (and mine :) as much as possible, but travel planning brings out the worst in me.

That's it for now. It feels good to get this going and I can check "start a blog" off the resolution list. Now to maintain ... Happy New Year!!!