Voting

It is that time again. Time to vote for governor and several other offices. Therein lies my problem. I know enough about the major races to make a relatively informed decision. However, there are numerous races I know nothing about. I don't know what the office entails, nor do I know anything about the people running. As a political science major, I feel an obligation to participate in the elections, but I also feel that any decision should be an informed decision. I have no excuse though; I could have begun reading up on all of the races weeks ago in order to be prepared. So, I will vote, but with a tinge of guilt that I didn't take the time to learn more about the races in question.

Go vote. Or at least think about it this time and be prepared next time.

Checking in

Hi there. I actually got up this morning when my alarm went off! It's a miracle. Had my prayer time and was out the door to exercise by 6:05. It felt good to do both things, pray in the quiet and exercise. Now I have to keep it up. It is a little depressing to set your alarm for a time beginning with a five. Or, at least, it is for me. Maybe one day I will morph into a morning person. Or not.

Steps!

Monster took his first steps today! I didn't actually see his first steps, but I saw all of the other ones tonight and they don't count until I see them anyway. He looks so cute and proud of himself. All of the little ones were excited to see him walking. I'm a little sad, my baby is not so much a baby anymore. Anyway, big day for our family. Yea Monster!

Home

How blessed am I that the above word has so many meanings? This weekend I took off by myself (sans kids and husband) to my hometown. My parents still live in the house I grew up in! How rare is that these days? I have lived in two places my entire life, and I'm so glad for that. So, when I return to my hometown, I say I'm going home. Of course, when I'm leaving there to head back to my house, I say I'm going home. And I mean it both times. Both places are home to me, because both are places where I am loved unconditionally. It feels so good to go home (in small doses mind you) and it feels so good to be home.

How did I score a night away? My mom hosted a wine tasting (thanks Mom!) and it was going to be such a quick trip we decided it would be easier to go alone. I'm very glad I did that, because my O.H. will be gone the next two weekends, at least part of the time, and I felt like I deserved a little break. I got to shop and eat on my schedule and then visit with one of my oldest friends (we're talking kindergarten here) for a while today. It was great. Plus, I made it all the way through Mass! With small children that is a rarity in my life, and it was so peaceful to be there alone.

Back outside for exercise tomorrow. Also, I have decided to get up even earlier so that I can have some personal prayer time. Need to start going to bed earlier for sure.

Complete Laziness

No exercise for me today. I slept in until kids woke me up. So nice to do that. Not so nice for the weight loss plan, but I don't care today. It is one of those cloudy, windy days that looks like rain, although I don't think it will actually rain. It inspires me to do nothing. Of course, my 4 kids don't care what I'm inspired to do. They will have their usual demands.

Also, the tornado that roared through the bedrooms has left a tremendous amount of destruction. Said tornado was named Birthday Presents Overload. Damage is still being assessed. Add disaster cleanup to my list of duties.

So, we have a Barbie obsession in our house. Not the actual dolls, mind you, but an obsession nevertheless. My girls have discovered these Barbie videos with lots of dancing. Swan Lake and the newest edition, 12 Dancing Princesses. I'm not thrilled about this development, but it does have its plusses. Princess has now embraced ballet and in fact spends time in dance class doing moves not yet taught, perhaps because some of them are made up. She has also overcome her initial shyness, so that she actually approaches the teacher on her own! Gasp! I no longer have to escort her the 3 feet to her carpet square which is actually a rectangle. Such independence. Before we know it she'll be moving out.

If I ever figure out how to do it, I'll be putting up some links to blogs I am reading. Being new to all of this stuff, I have no idea what I am doing. I'm the most technologically challenged yet able to make use of technology people I know. How's that for a convoluted ending?

In other news . . .

I only logged 15 minutes this morning. Once again on the treadmill, once again overslept. Buddy was up in the middle of the night and tossed and turned on the couch for a long time before settling on the floor. Not much sleep for mommy. No excuse though, just lazy.

We went to storytime at the library today. My kids were all wonderful! Just when you think they are going to make you absolutely crazy, you have a nice pleasant outing like we did and peace is restored. Even Monster cooperated and didn't cry about being in the stroller. Buddy and I had time to do two puzzles and then all of us did one together. It was good times for all.

Today is O.H.'s birthday (obviously). He already bought himself golf shoes, so no presents from us. Due to schedule and financial conflicts we won't be going out to celebrate until sometime in November. Oh well, he is so easy going that he doesn't mind at all. I'm still stuck in the adolescent, pay attention to me it is my birthday, phase. One day I'll grow out of it.

Dance in an hour, here's hoping the goodness continues.

Thirteen Things about my O.H. in honor of his birthday (29!) 13. He still quotes Bill and Ted's excellent adventure. 12. He lets the kids play "Jump on Daddy" all the time. 11. He mops the kitchen floor (I have only done it twice since living here). 10. He always puts the seat down!!!! 9. He wrote a song for me. 8. He has written lots of songs for God. 7. He said it first. 6. He can't lie to me with a straight face. 5. He is trying every day to be the man God wants him to be. 4. He can buy clothes for me and I actually like them. 3. His hands are always warm. 2. He is loyal to the end. 1. He makes me laugh every day. Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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U2 Rocks My Face Off

As if that is a newsflash to anyone. The best band ever provided the soundtrack to my exercise today. Once again on the treadmill, as I slept through my alarm and then had to get ready for playgroup at church. Yes, we were on time today. We do at least seem to be getting that back on track. I did log my 30 minutes today, running a little over 1/2 mile as part of it. Felt good.

Still not going well in our household. Much screaming, especially from the 3 year old boy, at a high-pitched frequency barely heard by humans. Prayers are needed. Things are just not flowing around here.

I did go to Adoration last night. 45 minutes of relatively silent bliss. Didn't pray much, or at least not the kind of prayer with words. Just basked in the peaceful presence of Christ. I think I will try to do that every week I go to RCIA. There is no question that I need it.

Went to the post office yesterday to mail a little package to my brother. Brought my address book. Get all ready to write the address on the envelope only to find I don't have the address written down there. I have no idea where I wrote it down. Very frustrating, as I will not be going back there with my four children anytime soon. Sorry bro, the present will be further delayed.

The Devil Lives Here

Or so it feels on this day. My kids have all spent the day whining, screaming, fighting and generally being miserable. Generally I can handle one, maybe two cranky kids. But it seems that all of them have decided that today is the best day to have a bad day. It doesn't help that I'm in less than stellar shape, as I curse my very womanhood (you ladies know what I mean).

I'm hoping to go to Adoration tonight, after attending RCIA. I'm a sponsor for someone and I'm trying to attend the classes every other week or so. It always feels good to work on my knowledge of the faith, and to do anything really using my brain. Not that motherhood doesn't make me use my brain, but I like the feeling of being back in a school environment a little bit. I'm such a nerd. Anyway, back to Adoration. I'm feeling like I'm stuck in a rut lately. Not so much a dry spell as a no spell. Very little is going on spiritually and that of course is manifesting itself in all kinds of ways. To say that my mothering leaves something to be desired lately would be an understatement I think. Not that I'm neglecting my children, but I'm not exactly seeking out ways to engage them either. I'm just in a lazy spot. I also desparately need to get to confession. I'm really becoming aware of the need to do that. A good kick in the pants is what is needed all the way around I think. Now I just have to find the time to get to the priest. Four children does not a good confession make. :)

Two posts in one day. Perhaps there is no better indicator of what is going on and what is needed.

My Faithful Readers (Ha, Ha)

So, all three of you out there that might check in regularly, thanks for that. You were the motivation to get up and get on the treadmill (yes, the detested treadmill) this morning. I knew you would all eagerly await my exercise report and I hated to let you down. I logged my requisite 30 minutes walking. Yea for me.

I had to use the treadmill because O.H. went to work early this morning, in order to leave work early to GOLF. Yes, that's right, he will be leaving work early to play a game with other men. Never mind that our little (or not so little depending on who you ask) family would love to have him home early on a random Tuesday. Oh no, early departure is reserved for golf and other beer-related activities. Ah well, he deserves a break from all the stress of caring and providing for all of us. And it should be a beautiful day, so here's hoping he has fun.

While enduring the torturous treadmill, I chose to watch a little TV. And what did I watch? Why, Dawson's Creek of course. I used to watch this show every week and felt a hole in my life when I missed it. Then I grew up. Or had kids. Or both. Well, my little return visit to that show today was quite amusing. So much angst and drama.

Yesterday was my brother's birthday. I didn't get anything mailed to him yet. I'm a terrible sister. I did have the kids sing Happy Birthday to his voice mail. I will be mailing him something today. He is in Ohio, preparing for the priesthood. He still has a ways to go, but it looks like this is what he is called to do. So, for you praying kind, prayers for him are always appreciated. To think, my little brother could one day preside at the weddings of my children. So cool!

Back in the Saddle Again, Part Two

Okay, this time I really am resuming my exercise regimen. Got outside this morning (freezing) and walked most of my 2 mile course. I probably ran about 1/2 mile, but no more because I didn't want to reaggravate my knee problem. In fact, it is a little sore this morning, but nothing like before, so I will just work through it. It felt great to be out there, and really wasn't too cold once I got going. Yea for exercise. Hopefully this will also influence my eating habits, as it is easier for me to be mindful of what I am eating when I am also exercising. See you back here tomorrow with another 'fascinating' update. :)

Another Assortment of Weekend Thoughts

Well, once again I have been away from the computer all weekend and on my return have nothing of real interest to share. Will that stay my hand at the keyboard and spare you all? Of course not. Consider yourself warned.

We had Scottoberfest this weekend. It was a resounding success. We had more family come out for it than ever before. We were blessed with beautiful weather as well, which is a good thing because our cozy home couldn't accomodate the crowd indoors. The kids are spoiled rotten. It was like Christmas around here, what with all four of them receiving birthday presents from the family. Seriously, I now have to devote time and energy to devising a storage plan for the bounty they received. I have already disposed of toys not played with, toys in various stages of decay and disrepair and narrowed it down to those things valued and played with. Now I have to reevaluate the whole situation. But, we are all blessed to have a family that is so generous. Sure takes the burden off mom and dad. :)

Inspired by another post, here is a little lesson in young child vocabulary.

Princess: "Mom, I'm sitting in the middle and Nutball is sitting in the hiddle."

Mom: "Excuse me? The hiddle?"

Princess: "Yeah, the hiddle, next to the middle."

Commence laughing. I love the loquacious inventions of small ones.

Another example:
Nutball: "Excuse me."

Mom: "Why?"

Nutball: "I just burped in my bottom."

More laughing. So polite and discreet.

Not a good weekend for the Mean Green. Apparently failed to realize a football game is comprised of 2 halves. Oh well, now we play for pride and a good ending to the season.


On a final note, little Monster (baby) is now standing on his own. My days are numbered. Soon he will be walking and we will be chasing him. I have never been in a hurry for my children to walk. For once they can walk, they are usually less than willing to ride contentedly in the stroller. Our outings may grow less frequent as we muddle through the toddler stage.

The exercise portion of this blog should resume tomorrow. Yea!

Pumpkin Patch Madness!!

Today, I took the kids to the pumpkin patch for the first time. We went with our church playgroup. It was absolute madness! Apparently this was the day that every preschool and elementary school chose to go as well. In addition, it was absurdly hot for October. Yes, I know I live in Texas and should expect it, but I was in no mood for rational thinking today. Eventually the crowds died down and sanity once again prevailed. My kids did love the hayride, the free (yes, free!!) pumpkins picked up on the hayride, the bounce houses and the incredibly indulgent snowcones. I was running late this morning though, so no camera was on the trip. I'm such a bad mother. Fun was had by all kids, and the moms survived, but now I know why I never felt a tremendous urge to do this with my children in the past. I could take it or leave it I think. And of course, I had to see someone I hadn't seen in close to a year and my kids had to be screaming and uncooperative at the time so that I appeared totally flustered. She's a mom too, though (of course, what kind of crazy person would be there otherwise?), so I know she's been there.

Speaking of running late, I seem to be doing that a lot lately. Before you give me the "oh, but you have kids, so it is okay" spiel, realize that this is a new development for me. The O.H. and I have always made a special effort to be on time to whatever engagements we were a part of. We both agree that we are the adults and are therefore responsible for when our family leaves the house. Usually this works well and we are punctual, if not early. However, with the exception of Mass, we have been late everywhere lately. We were almost late to our own kids' birthday party! So begins a resolve to get back on track and stop this foolishness. There is no excuse, I just need to get organized and get going a little earlier. Note the date: the lateness stops here.

A Few Things

Having been away from the computer for the weekend, I have a random assortment of thoughts. Here goes.

I haven't been able to exercise in a week. My knee is still giving me problems and I don't want to risk further injury. So, I fee like a lazy slug and I don't like it. The new shoes feel great on my feet but they aren't magic. Hopefully running will commence sometime this week.

We had the kids' birthday party this weekend. Lots of fun for them, easy for me. We went to a place similar to the Little Gym and they kids went crazy. Well worth the money to not be responsible for entertainment or cleanup. Next year though, the girls will just be having a sleepover with one friend or something along those lines. We'll let the boys have a birthday party with their friends. I think next year begins the routine of alternating parties, so as to not get too excessive in our celebration or wanting things.

Our best, best friends spent Saturday night with us. They were in from San Antonio. Just imagine, 8 kids 7 1/2 and younger, and four adults all in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house. It was cozy, but great fun. Our amazing husbands even held down the fort while we ladies went to a wine tasting (that I was actually running) Saturday night. We came home and all the kids were sleeping peacefully. We were so glad to have them here. There is just a comfort level with them where we can say and do just about anything and not cause tension. God blessed us greatly when he brought us together.

I love cool, rainy days. We are still in our jammies and will likely stay that way. After such a busy weekend, we are taking it easy today. Windows are open and relative peace is throughout.

On another note, I love to read. I'm always hunting for good books. I tend to read more fiction, but I'm open to any suggestions. So, any book lovers out there, please share with me what you are reading. Thanks!

Back in the Saddle Again

Or, on the treadmill, whatever. We finally took the plunge and bought expensive, but well-fitting, running shoes. It was so nice to have someone really give me service too--the man ws putting the shoes on for me! Now I know what I've been missing. :) I was wearing shoes 1 1/2 sizes too small! I did get on the treadmill today. I experienced less pain, so that was encouraging. I only did 1/2 mile though, walking, because I don't want to get ahead of myself and cause more pain. The new shoes feel great though. Looking forward to taking it further tomorrow.

On another note, Monster (the baby) has a disgusting runny nose and big brother might be getting it too. Oh the joys of multiple children and germs.

I think we'll be hitting SuperTarget today--it just opened here and I'm way too excited.

FIVE!!!!!

So, I have officially been a mom for five years today. Let the cliches fall. Time flies, it seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home, where has the time gone, etc.

Seriously, I still am caught by surprise sometimes by my life circumstances. Never did I envision 4 children and certainly not so young. What a challenge this parenting gig is. No wonder so many people try so hard to avoid it. I think I've come a long way since day one. I still have a long way to go too.

Happy Birthday Princess! I pray that you will continue to be the beautiful, intense child that you are today. I hope that your first five years are not your best but that they are a good foundation for all that is to come. I'm so blessed to be your mommy.


There you have it--as sentimental as this woman is capable of being. :)

Completely Overwhelming

Okay, I know all the moms out there that find their way to this blog can relate to my frustration. I can't get caught up on housework. Just when I think things might be coming together, my house is turned upside down. Equally frustrating is my desire to have things cleaned up in such a way that the O.H. can only help so much. He doesn't care how things are put away in the kids' rooms, but I do. I want everything organized so that it can be enjoyed to the fullest extent. Is that asking so much?

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result. Are all moms insane?

On a happier note, the search for the right running shoes begins (and hopefully ends) tomorrow. Yea!

A Welcome Break

Best weekend ever! Okay, maybe not ever, but pretty high on the list. My husband's best friend got married this weekend, and he was the best man. So, we had the rehearsal dinner Friday and the wedding Saturday. Friday night we had a friend babysit and that was nice. The best part was Saturday/Sunday though. My wonderful sister came to town with her 3 boys and kept my 4 kids too. The amazing woman was responsible for 7 kids under the age of 6 for 24 hours! She is a super-woman. It was so great to get away for that time. The wedding was local, but we knew we would not want to drive home so we stayed in the hotel where the festivities occurred. We checked in early and had time to relax in the quiet, cold hotel room. The wedding was outdoors and it was lovely. Then there was the reception. I love a good party! They had a live band and they were fun. We closed the bar and then slept in. Had a quiet, kid-free breakfast. So nice. We missed our kids, but did not wish they were there. :) As a bonus, I was feeling pretty hot in my dress that I've had for 2 years and never wore before this weekend.

It had been well over a year since we had the chance to get away overnight without the kids. We have had lots of chances to get out for a few hours (hello tailgating), but always with the knowledge that four kids would expect us to be alert and ready to take care of them the next morning. So, this was a great time because we could totally let go and know that we would have time to recover the next morning. That being said, the mom mode is hard to forget. While I certainly indulged more than usual, I just can't cut loose totally anymore. My O.H. did not have those reservations though. :)

Also making it a great weekend--Mean Green win in 7 Overtimes! It was ugly, but a win is a win. Go Mean Green!

No running yet, still pain in the knee, hoping to get new shoes this week.

On Surrender

I believe that my vocation, and any vocation really, calls me to surrender my will to God's. As a wife and mother I need to die to myself that I might live in Christ as I serve my family. When I reflect on where I need to work on following God's will, my unwillingness to fully surrender is always the first thing that comes to mind. Oh, there are other things, pray more often, give thanks more often, teach my kids more consistently, but surrender is at the root of it all. Those of you who know us well know that none of the 4 kids were what you would call planned. So, there is a required measure of surrender in that, but not what God wants from me.

This lack of trust, this failure to submit has been at the heart of every confession for the last two years or so, at least. Oh, I serve my family--I cook, I clean, I do what is needed to get through the day, but that is not what I am talking about. God wants me to do that willingly and with a servant's heart. To see each act, each moment as a loving opportunity to serve Him and bring my family closer to Him. Some of you may be thinking "Doing laundry is serving God?" and I understand that. It is hard to see such mundane things as anything other than the chores they are, but for now, my home is my mission field and therefore the place where I serve Christ.

So, what does surrender have to do with all this? Psalm 51 was given to me as a penance a couple of years ago. The priest said to read it over and over and meditate on it and I'm still doing it. I guess I'm a slow learner in some areas. You are probably familiar with part of Psalm 51. "A clean heart create for me, God; renew in me a steadfast spirit." Psalm 51:12 A beautiful statement, but not the one that kicks my butt. Here is what gets me. "My sacrifice, God, is a broken spirit; God, do not spurn a broken, humbled heart." Psalm 51:19 Have I offered God a broken, humbled heart? Um, no. I don't think this means my life has to be a wreck or that things have to be dire. For me, it says that I need to realize that I am not doing a thing without God's help, and if I would just completely give myself over to him, I would find that joy in my vocation that I see in others. My heart is not broken and humbled before Him, although I have done nothing to merit his saving grace.

Anyway, daily I pray for the grace to surrender wholly and completely. The great thing about this is that God is patient and He will give me a million chances, and then a million more. Praise God for forgiveness and each new day that we can strive to serve Him as Christ serves us.

Still Hurting

Well, the knee is not a lot better today. I am limping more than I am walking normally. So, I did not exercise today. I will try to do it tomorrow. I'm hoping this is just pain from moving more than normal and that it will go away on its own. For the first time I really feel motivated to be running and I already miss it, even though I only did it 4 days so far. But, I can't take chances because someone has to keep up with 4 kids! :) I'm optimistic that things will be better tomorrow, because I don't hurt as much today as I did yesterday. Any physical therapists or whatnot out there with some advice?

Sweet Success!

The Princess cooperated today!! She did all of the ballet moves with the class. This is huge, as the previous two weeks were spent watching. She looked so happy while she was doing it too. Yay!

Also, I had to take all of the kids to dance today. Usually a wonderful cousin of the O.H. watches the younger kids so Princess and I can get some mom-daughter time. However, I forgot that I told her we wouldn't be going to dance today. So, at 3:30 (which is when dance begins) I loaded all 4 kiddles up in the car and took off. Did I bring snacks or entertainment? Of course not, I wasn't planning on bringing the kids. However, they were great! Very little whining, much cooperation and we left with smiles on our faces. If only every day and every outing could be so simple. But then, would I appreciate these days so much? Besides, we are blessed beyond all imagining to have 4 healthy, relatively well-behaved children, so I can't really complain. But I do. I'm working on that.

To come later, a post on surrender. I just need to organize my thoughts a little more.

Thirteen Things about 4andcounting 1. I would rather sleep than clean my house. 2. I would rather read a good book than sleep. 3. I really want to eat the oreos in my pantry right now. 4. I won't eat the oreos b/c that would wreck my healthful-eating plans. 5. I really hope my daughter participates in ballet today. 6. I don't have the baby itch, but those newborns at the library today sure were precious. 7. I think more of my friends are pregnant right now than not. 8. Running is not as bad as I thought it would be. 9. Playoff baseball is my favorite time of year. 10. Amendment: Sept-Nov is my favorite time of year with baseball, college football, Scottoberfest, and tailgating. 11. I love WOWO! 12. Will my birthday card from my godmother ever get here (I have my eye on some new boots)? 13. Yes I know what causes that! And I rather like it! Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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Sore Knees

Well, I ran more of the course today than before. Unfortunately, I encountered some knee pain. Hopefully I will be able to work through it. After the 5K last weekend I had some pain and it did not reoccur until today, so I think it is just my body adjusting to having to do something! I thought I was going to have a hard time running today, felt like I was hitting a wall for a while, but I fought through it and ran. I finished about 3 1/2 minutes faster today than on Monday, so that felt good.

On another note, I have fallen way out of practice regarding the Mysteries of the Rosary. All I can remember consistently is the Luminous set, so that is all I have been meditating on. They are beautiful though. I also kind of make up my own Apostle's Creed, since I don't reliably remember that either. Oh well, God knows what the idea is. :)

A million things to do today and I just want to lay around.

One lousy mile (day 3)

So, got on the treadmill this morning and still hate it. I ran a mile but I didn't walk the additional mile that I do outdoors. It is tough to stay on that thing, especially since I was late getting up today. I didn't get on the treadmill until after two kids were already awake, and by the time I was done all 4 were desparate for food (you'd think they hadn't eaten in days).

I am not a morning person. I never have been, I probably never will be. Because of that, I am not a person who can eat breakfast mere minutes after waking up. I like to have some time to develop an appetite. My kids, on the other hand, are hungry the instant their eyes open. I'm not kidding--they wake up, find me and say "Waffle. Breakfast. Waffle." They are not even awake enough to know their names, but they know they want to eat. I long for the day when they get up, make their own breakfast, and I get to lay in bed a while longer. Of course, when that day comes we will probably have 12 soccer games, 3 recitals and 8 birthday parties to go to all in one day and my bed will be but a memory by 7:30 a.m.

First attempt at a smoothie this morning. It is defnitely drinkable. Hopefully it will keep me sated until the next apporpriate mealtime.

A Strange Fascination

I really like watching shows about drugs and drug addiction. My O.H. finds this very strange, as do most people I tell about this. I think I like to watch them because I have absolutely no experience with that lifestyle. I have never even smoked a cigarette, much less done any drugs. I can count the number of times I have been drunk on one hand (maybe two?). So, I am fascinated by people who abandon all aspects of normal life in pursuit of a high.

The danger in this is the intense paranoia that follows, regarding my children. How will I keep them from falling into these dangers? I have watched enough of these shows to know that people with normal, stable upbringings succumb to addiction. So, I can keep myself awake at night worrying, and my oldest is five years old! It is sad really. Perhaps I should get into mindless entertainment instead, it would be probably be less worrisome.

Does anyone else know what I'm talking about?

Shopping with a 5 year old

Well, I decided that my oldest child, we'll call her Princess (she'd be so happy) is old enough to go with me to buy new shoes and clothes instead of me just showing up at home with them. What a mistake! The child is way too into trying things on and not making a decision. After trying on all the shoes that I would consider buying, she says "I want to go to another store." So, we hurried up with the clothes (trying to find pants that fit my thin, Amazon child) and dashed to another store. Well, the prospect of leaving empty-handed dismayed her, so we buy some black shoes exactly like the ones she rejected at the previous store! I have created a monster--she likes shoes more than I do. It was quite entertaining watching her try on the pants. She likes to pose in the mirror and she never gets tired of trying on. Lord help us all when she can negotiate the shopping experience herself. I have a feeling she will need a job early in life to maintain her standards. :) Still, this is the kind of thing I imagined when envisioning my life as a parent. I'm better with them as they get older and we can approach slightly more common interests. Like shopping. Now I need to impart the lessons on saving money and not buying something just because so-and-so has it. And yes, that does being at this early age.

Who said I could be a parent? Did they check for qualifications?

Day 2

So, I absolutely did not want to get up this morning, as our baby was up several times during the night. But, I knew if I didn't do it today then I probably wouldn't get up and run/walk anymore this week and that is not good. So, I went out and I did it. I even ran a little more today than yesterday. Tomorrow I have to get on the treadmill, as my O.H (other half) has Bible Study at 6:00 a.m. and there is no way I am getting up before that to exercise. :) Oh yeah, I didn't hate it today either, so that is good.

Is it bad that near the end of my course I was thinking about breakfast? Not so much b/c I'm hungry, but b/c I need to start eating a real breakfast, not one piece of toast or just coffee. I'm going to find some smoothie recipes and try those--maybe the kids will like them too.

It appears as though praying a Rosary as I run helps me focus less on running and I am able to go further. So, yea God!

You know you are a parent . . .

So, in the 5 years (yikes) of parenthood I have experienced, I have come up with some signs that indicate parenthood.

• When going to ________ (insert store name) you no longer look for the space closest to the door, but instead look for the space closest to the cart return.
• You may not have a pen and paper in your purse, but you definitely have a baby spoon and crayons.
• When in a public place without your children, you are constantly looking for them even though they are not there.
• A good conversation is defined by complete sentences not about diapers or the bathroom, preferrably with an adult.
• You go "potty."
• You can't identify 3 artists in the top 40, but you can have a lengthy discussion on the merits of the latest Disney show.
• When you and your husband finally get a night out, you seriously consider going to a hotel and sleeping.

That's all for now, although I am always thinking of these things. You would think that by now I was used to this whole parent thing, but I'm still surprised that I have been doing it for five years now. Perhaps by the time they are out of the house I will have grown accustomed to my role.

Accountability

Okay, so at least for now, this blog serves as my accountability to exercise. Lame, right? It is not as if anyone will actually do anything to me if I fail to get my lazy butt up, but it helps to know I will be posting my thoughts on exercise somewhere. Today, it was great. We completed a 5k on Saturday, walked a little more than 1/2 the distance, ran some too. I was super sore afterwards, but motivated to improve. We're doing another one in November, goal is to run more than walk. All this is said to let whoever know that so begins another commitment to exercising. I ran a mile today, walked a mile too. Not bad, took about 28 minutes. Tomorrow I will probably hate exercise. That is my general experience anyway.

Perhaps I will write more about things other than exercise, but not right now. Kids are crying!