Nov

Junk in the trunk

I have been meaning to exercise. In fact, around the first of October I was running about 2-3 miles, three times a week. But when I got back from vacation, and the need to be in a swimming suit was erased, I slowed down. Then it got cold outside. And then it was getting dark much earlier. And, you get the gist of things. The excuses piled up.

I mentioned to the hubs that I wanted to get back in shape with the goal of January 19. I have failed several attempts at motivation, so this morning I said to him, “I am putting you in charge of making sure we get more exercise.”

He loves exercising. It’s sick and twisted. I dislike it. DISLIKE. Anyway, I knew he wouldn’t mind the assignment. Apparently, I’m right.

He sent me an email with the subject line: Workout.

His message said: Here’s my winter workout plan for you, all of which can be done indoors. I’ll print this off and bring a copy home for you. Just remember that you did ask for this.

Upper Body
Push-ups: 15-25
Shoulder Press: 15-25
Rows: 15-25
Dips: 15-25
Curls: 15-25
Cross-leg Sit-up: 15-25
Obliques: 15-25
Sit-up, V-up: 15-25

Lower Body
Wall Sit: 1 min
Calf Raises: 25-50
Lunges: 15-25
Calf Raises: 25-50
Squats: 15-25
Crunches: 15-25
Mason Twist: 30-50
Leg Lifts: 15-25

Cardio
Jumping Jacks: 50
Jump Rope: 100
Burpees: 10
Jump Rope: 100
Stair Jumps: 50
Cross-leg Sit-up: 15-25
Obliques: 15-25
Sit-up, V-up: 15-25

One column per day. One minute per exercise, max. Repeat each sequence 2-3 times.

The subject of my reply back to him: Autoreply: Out of the office

My message said: Thank you for your message. I will be out of the office, tending to my husband who has lost his mind. I will check email in between psych sessions. If you need immediate assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact Lisa in the Marketing Department.

11 years ago Short URL 2 Comments

My smarter, nicer half

Nov

Donated

On the way home from a weekend road trip, my 7-year-old — who had been strangely quiet — asked, “If you hadn’t been donated, would this have even happened?”

“Would what have happened?” I asked, realizing that he was referring to my adoption.

“This. Our family. Everything,” he said. “If you had not been given away, would we all be here together?”

“I don’t know,” I replied. “I met your dad at college so maybe if I had still gone to that same college, everything would be the same.”

He accepted that answer but I know it’s far more complicated than that. It made me think about how all of the small, and sometimes very big, decisions we make shape our lives.

I haven’t been participating in the 30 days of Thankfulness trend on Facebook, so here’s my nod to it. I am grateful for the people who love me, and I love them back.

11 years ago Short URL Comments

Family affairs

Nov

Scarecrow Story

This is the story my 2nd grader turned in to his teacher…

“Once there was a scarecrow named Isaac. He was a very smart scarecrow. He knew his times tables. One day Isaac went to the store to buy a new pair of clothes because his old pair was worn out. He went to the store. He looked for a bikini and some diapers. He finds his diapers and went back to the farm and had a fashion show.”

11 years ago Short URL 2 Comments

Kids

Nov

He has iFever

Thanks to my parents, my 7-year-old has had an iPod touch for a while now. He has been trying really hard to figure out how to send and receive messages on his iPod. He has poked that green message app and asked me how it works at least five times. Me, not knowing any better, said he needed to have an email account to send messages, so he talked about creating his own email account. In fact, he was debating which email provider he wanted to go with this past Saturday night.

I did not know about iMessaging until Friday for two reasons: 1) I just joined the iWorld and 2) one of my coworkers shared some iTips. She explained that iPhones, iPods and iPads can send messages to each other for free. So, when my 7-year-old came to me last night about that green message app, I knew what to do this time. A delayed bedtime and several “Is it set up yet?” questions later, he and I were iMessaging.

He would type out a message, hit send, hear my phone beep and start giggling like crazy.

When he woke up this morning, the messages kept coming. It’s pretty funny to see how excited he is about messaging. He thinks of the most random things to share just so he can send me a message. Here’s a screen shot from this morning:

After I hit the send button I could hear my son reading my message out loud to the hubs and laughing.

He ran upstairs to find me. “You said have a ‘goo’ day! You forgot the ‘d’ on good. Goo day!” he said and started cracking up.

Let the messaging bloopers begin.

11 years ago Short URL Comments

Kids

Nov

Can’t commit

I have zero tattoos, but I like them. I really do. I appreciate well-executed tattoos that are works of art.

I would get a tattoo but I can’t commit to a design or a place. Last week I dreamt that I got a tattoo on my arm and it was awesome. Then, (also part of my dream) the next day I freaked out because it was permanent and so “yesterday.”

So when I saw the story of the man who accepted $15,000 from a Republican to tattoo the Romney-Ryan campaign logo on his face, I instantly agreed that he belongs on Anderson Cooper’s RidicuList. See for yourself: CNN – Romney face tattoo

11 years ago Short URL 5 Comments

Random

Nov

Grand Old Flag

Yesterday was quite the social scene — two very different scenes. I spent my lunch hour at a nonoprofit fundraising luncheon and my evening at the Second Grade Veterans Day Music Program.

It was the typical music program with bleachers on stage, and the music teacher in front signaling words and actions for each song. The kids were wearing red, white and blue. Three of the boys standing side by side in the back row conspired to sport mohawks.

The difference with this year’s music program is that my younger son is 2 years old, meaning that he has more to say and he says it louder from his seat in the audience.

The program itself was touching. The kids sang a song for each branch of service. For example, they would sing the Army’s song and the Army veterans in the audience (dads, grandfathers, mothers, etc.) would stand. Some of the vets sang along. The audience clapped for those standing.

In between each song it would get quiet, and that is when my 2-year-old would insert his thoughts…

Kids singing: And THE ARMY GOES ROLLING ALONG!
Audience claps. The room quiets down for the next song.
2-year-old (loudly): Yay! More party!!

I maybe should have taken him out of the gymnasium, but he became part of the entertainment.

When my 7-year-old got home, he spoke with my mom on the phone. I could hear him telling her, “Nana, could you tell Zack we sang for him tonight?”

Zack is a member of the National Guard and he has been in Kosovo as a part of the Aviation Unit Maintenance or AVUM Company. To Zack, and to everyone who is serving or has served our country, thank you!

Happy Veterans Day!

11 years ago Short URL Comments

Family affairs

Nov

Loved one suffers from extreme couponing

A new reality show candidate shows potential….

Hubs: Feel free to make some salsa whenever you’d like.

Me: I haven’t made salsa in a long time.

Hubs: Yeah, but you used to.

Me: A while ago I made a batch that took us forever to eat. Why do you want salsa?

Hubs: Well, I may have fallen victim to extreme couponing.

Me: What do you mean?

Hubs: The tomatoes were on sale for 89 cents instead of the regular $1.29. And, I had a coupon for buy 10 and get $5 off, which equates to 50 cents off.

Me: You bought 10 tomatoes?

Hubs: Cans. I bought 10 cans of tomatoes.

Me: You bought 10 cans of tomatoes?

Hubs: They were a good price and you like to make salsa.

Me: I wasn’t planning to make salsa.

Hubs: But you can, if you want to. The tomatoes were only 39 cents each.

Me: What else did you buy? Crates of toilet paper?

Hubs: Very funny. Just the tomatoes. For now.

Me: You are scaring me.

Hubs: I scare you? You’re the one who made me dress up like Batman and go bowling in costume.

Me: Good point. Carry on.

12 years ago Short URL 1 Comment

My smarter, nicer half

Laughing is required.

Monthly Archives: November 2012

Junk in the trunk

Donated

Scarecrow Story

He has iFever

Can’t commit

Grand Old Flag

Loved one suffers from extreme couponing