The month o' happymommy...

Tomorrow begins the month of me!  October 1st marks the 6th year I have been married to my loving husband.  He has put up with my nonesense for six years of wedded matrimony and eight years total.  Who does that?  Oh, besides my mom, dad and sister.  I am not an easy woman to have as a wife.  My mood swings are monumental, I can't have the sniffles without declaring consumption and my ability to balance anything, much less a budget, is limited to walking around with a book on my head to show correct posture.

This month also marks my 40th birthday.  I LOVE my birthday.  I count down the days until the 17th and wave frantically at each and every item on my wish list.  This year:  an ipad, a new car, a personal shopper and an entire new wardrobe.  

What comes with this big birthday, however, is the realization that I am older.  40 is huge.  My entire life I have lived with a sort of low self-esteem.  These past six months I have struggled greatly with my weight.  I am trying hard to rectify the weight issue, but more importantly, I am trying to figure out how to love myself, no matter what my weight.  I have written about this before, and although I tell myself to be different, loving my physical self continues to be hard.  My husband loves me, my kids could care less but still I struggle.  Will this year be different?  I certainly hope so.

For now, I embrace the love of my husband, my children and my entire family.

I am blessed!

happymommy

And we are off the the races...

Not actual races mind you, but I have started jogging again.  Now, when I say jogging, I mean jogging combined with a ton of walking.  Since I overcame my near death sickness of last week, and not wanting to lose momentum, or gain any more weight, I decided to pick up the ol' running shoes and head out to convene with nature.  Since it is ungodly hot around here lately, I have had to run in the morning to avoid melting into the pavement and/or dirt.

Today, I decided to run/walk the Tennessee Valley Trail.  Now this lovely trail leads to an even lovelier beach and with this morning's weather, it was even more breathtaking than usual.  All along the trail there are other trails that lead to other beaches.  I felt very adventurous today and I even had on clothes that fit.  It was going to be a win for me.

I ventured of the beaten path and headed up the mountain (ok, hill) on my way to Rodeo Beach.  The trail went from normal to very small, steep and rocky within seconds.  Still running, I managed to wheeze my way up and over and around the bends.  Then, I looked down trying to avoid what looked like dog poo and much to my surprise, there was snake vomit.  Now, I know you are wondering, how does one recognize snake vomit?  Well a half digested slimy mouse indicates snake vomit or snake poo.  I jumped over it and continuing running.  Of course after that, all I could see were snake holes and other varmin and I started to panic.  I turned around and hightailed it down the mountain (ok, hill) and when I got back to the horrible little half eaten mouse, I jumped over it again.  I was breathing hard and actually quite scared because now I was being chased by snakes and most likely a lone rapist.  Once I got back to the main trail, I decided I needed something pretty to think about so I ran down to the beach.  The close beach where there weren't any snakes, half eaten mice or lone rapists.

Happy Tuesday!

happymommy

I can come up with excuses...

It is 94 degrees in the shade around here.  As Northern Californians, we are known as weather wimps.  But 94 degrees people?  In the shade?  I just got back from picking up Lilly at school and within one block, I was pouring sweat.  I was planning on getting James early from daycare and heading to the pumpkin patch.  But clearly, that is just insane.  Gave Lilly a lollipop instead so all is good with the world.

So instead of writing a long wonderful blog about life, I am going to sit in the coolest spot in my house, the bathroom.  Hope for cooler weather and more interesting fodder.

happymommy

Indian Summer...

We live in Northern California and we have crazy summers, non-winters and who knows how it will go Springs.  But Today... Today was awesome.  It was our first Indian Summer day.  Hot, with a little wind and a beautiful beach day.

Life is good...

And beyond beautiful...

happymommy

I Heart Antibiotics and Life Lessons

I don't know what it is about antibiotics, but whenever I am sick, within 24 hours of taking antibiotics I am a million times better.  Now my sister, the doc, would say that it isn't the medicine, it was just time for my body to begin healing.  I refuse to believe her even though she was in school for a million years and is quite the important person at her hospital.  I realize the silly logic, but the difference between yesterday and today is immeasurable.

The kids are better too.

Here they are yesterday after one dose of antibiotics.

No further proof needed for the miracle that is antibiotics!

(I do not claim to know one single thing about medicine, viruses and antibiotics. Please do not take any of my statements to be true, or even smart.)

We are on the mend over here and so happy.  Can anyone guess who is the happiest?  Yes, Jeff is the happiest.  Poor guy has been walking around on eggshells waiting for one of his girls to go off, or for his little man to throw himself on the floor and wipe bugars everywhere.  We are a happy house today.  A top to bottom lysoled happy house!

Since I am feeling better I have decided the first thing I should do is start lamenting about my upcoming birthday.  I will be 40.  This is a huge deal for me because when I look in the mirror I see a 25 year old, albeit one with a ton more wisdom, pounds and wrinkles but a 25 year old none the less.  So, instead of drowing my sorrows in tears of why oh why am I so old, I am going to try to remember to embrace the days and the life I have.  A friend sent me this list of 45 Life Lessons.  I will spend the next few weeks remembering these as I embrace this next decade. 

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

**Written by Regina Brett of Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio**

happymommy

I wish I had something exciting to share...

But I don't have anything to say other than we are still sick. I have bronchitis. Both kids have ear infections and are required to do breathing treatments for a week. We spent three hours at the pediatrician this morning and if not for two very special guardian angels I may well be in the mental hospital.

Everyone in this house hopes we are all better by tomorrow, or at least by the weekend.

happymommy

I wanted to share this link and I can't remember if I ever shared it before and I am way too sick to research it. 

Backpacking Dad continues to crack me up on twitter with such gems as this...

His blog offers insight into being a dad, but so much more.  Enjoy!

Not back, just visiting for a second...

These last few weeks tried to kill me.  Anyone who knows me knows that if I go too long, too hard and give too much, my body just stops.  I have been in bed for the last forty-eight hours with a hacking cough, a low-grade fever and the chills and sweats.  What fun!  I do feel that I am on the mend, and that is a good thing.  For some reason, when I am really sick all I want to eat are Hot Pockets and drink Sunny Delight.  I am pretty sure any progress I made in the last three weeks are gone.  Oh well, I can start again.

I just wanted to stop by to let everyone know I was somewhat alive.  The wedding was great but it is good to be home.

A love between a mother and a daughter is beautiful.

Well, until the daughter becomes a teenager and hates her mother, but we are a few years from that, I hope!

happymommy

No room at the inn..

Last week, and this week as well has been wonderful and quite stressful.  Jeff and I revel in family and friends.  We welcome everybody and turn away no one.  Our house is THE house.  Since Wednesday of last week, we have been the place to be for everything that is TWOC (the wedding of the century).  We have been up late every night, eaten too much and laughed until we slept.

When I picked up Lilly this evening after her first day of full afternoon extended  care, I knew we had a causality of the last week.  James and I walked in the Extended Care Room and when I looked at my little five year old angel, my heart broke.  Her eyes instantly filled with tears and she ran to me.  This was a new precedent.  My baby girl was tired, sad and needed to be with her mommy.  I failed her.  I was devastated.

It took me sometime to figure out that she was just so overtired.  The weekend of birthday parties, houseguests and late nights caught up with her.  What I realized, though, was I forget my little girl is five.  She has the vocabulary of a twelve year old, the personality of a thirty year old, yet she is five.  FIVE.  She is a baby who needs her mommy to hug her and hold her.  

We have a big rest of the week.  It will be full of many more late nights and no quiet time days, but I will remind myself that my first born needs time and so many hugs.  I refuse to let her heart break again.  At least not until she is of dating age and then I will break out my shotgun.  (I don't own one of those, but I may need to look into it!)

happymommy

A blogger on vacation????

The wedding of the century is approaching and count down mode commences.  I am more than likely going to be MIA from the AO (Missing in Action from the Area of Operation for those of you not in the military know).

I will miss writing and sharing my life with everyone.  We have so many people coming in and out and so many activites staring tomorrow, I am at a loss to figure out when I will have any time for sharing.

Check back every once in a moon over the next week, but be certain, once September 20th arrives, I will be back with a vengance.  My 40th is next month and I have so much to share about aging, wrinkles and fat.

happymommy

I light the world on fire...

I wasn't going to write today because I had a date night with one of my bestest girlfriends.  We planned this two weeks ago and even though I thought the date was for tomorrow night, I got it together to go out tonight.  Yes, I know, we made plans two weeks ago for tonight and I managed to get the date wrong.  Not only do I put all my appointments in my iphone, I also write them down on the calendar hanging by my bed.  Still, I got it wrong.

So, it is no surprise that this is how our evening ended....

The restaurant was evacuated.  But not before they took a manual reading of our credit cards to make sure we were charged.  The food was excellent.  The story even better.

I love my special girlfriend time.  It never fails to entertain.  Oh, and now, I am home watching The Golden Girls.  Does life get any better?

happymommy

Day Six and boy howdy....

I am on day six of my lovely P90X workout regimen.  I did the Kenpo X workout today.  Now this interesting workout involves a lot of kicking, punching and jumping around the room.  So, turns out, I would totally get pummelled if ever in a situation requiring a fist fight.  An uppercut?  What?  Left leg forward, punch out with your right hand and do some sort of tiger claw with your right all while kicking to the left.  Well, of course.  That comes naturally to me.  The side kick while your body leans away from the kick?  I did not end up on the floor.  No. I. Did. Not.  We practiced a ton of punches, and let's just face it.  I hit like a girl.  A slightly clumsy, physically challenged girl who, in a fight, would most likely end up on the floor before a punch, kick or tiger claw was even thrown.

I did manage to get both kids to school and day care this morning without falling down so that is a plus.  I must say, though, that getting the kids out of the house is a feat unto itself.  Tell me why Lilly and James wake up at 6:30/7:00 every weekend and holiday morning?  This morning, however, James slept until 7:20 and I had to wake up Lilly to get ready.  We brushed teeth, hair and threw apple bars down mouths.  We fought over (yes, she is 5, Lord help me) what to wear.  I packed snacks and ate my own breakfast while running through the house looking for the detangler for Lilly's hair.  We still had a five minute fight over trying to get tangles out of her long, curly and dread like hair.  I kept my cool and remembered my mom's adage of trying to make the mornings calm.  I don't remember calm mornings, but she said they happened and I tend to believe that she is telling the truth.

These next few weeks are going to be crazier and crazier with mornings that might be epic in patience testing.  My entire family is part of the wedding of the century.  As my friend Keely states, this is the YOJ:  Year of Jen.  Our best friend Jen is getting married in Napa in two weeks and we have approximately seven hundred and fifty-five people in and out of our house starting tonight.  Both Jeff and I revel in friends and family and happy events so this is a gift to us.  A slightly stressful gift, but a gift all the same.  I am a bridesmaid, Jeff is giving the bride away and is a groomsman and my dad is preforming the wedding.  To say we are involved is an understatement.  It will be such a big time and fun will be had by all.  Now, the P90X better come through and at least minus me three pounds.

happymommy

Labor Day...

The night before Labor Day and we are celebrating by BRINGING IT with P90X.  I am on day five and haven't lost a pound or an inch.  I will keep everyone updated on my non-progress.

Have a wonderful holiday.  Be safe!

happymommy

Oh, can you tell it is football season around here?  

 And so it begins...

Superman, Banana and other happenings...

Jeff and I, along with two of my girlfriends, have taken up an exercise routine known around these parts as THE workout for crazy people.  P90X is an extreme ninety day workout and diet change regimen.  I almost wrote regime because it a little bit like a military boot camp.  

And yes, I am only on day two and I want to hurl my 3lb hand weights at the man on the tv because he is making me sweat and exercise.  Not to mention, I am not the most coordinated individual.  Let's say he yells, "left leg front, swing your right arm around and then turn your heels to meet the ceiling."  I'm all, what?  Is that even possible?  No sir, it is not.  My solution, just stand there and look dumbfounded and wonder to myself, "How did I end up on the floor doing a superman stretch and rolling over to stretch like a banana?  Is this normal behavior for an almost forty year old woman on a Tuesday afternoon?  Wait, today is Thursday.  See?  Not normal at all.

When not busy cooking very healthy but tasteless recipes and exercising until I am so red in the face that I am actually blue, I have been hauling people from here to there and back again.  This week has been so crazy busy.  It feels like someone took four hours out of the day.  I am a somewhat working mom and hope to work more once everything gets settled into place, but seriously, how in the world do people do this?  I feel like I have a calendar over my head and where I need to be pops up at a certain time so I can propel myself to my next destination.

So for now, I count my blessings that I have the opportunity to be part of my childrens' lives even if it means running around like a chicken with my head cut off.   I just need to enjoy it.

happymommy