Today is the first day of football tryouts for Pumpkin Head. He was so excited that he woke up at 6:30 for an 8:30 practice. That is amazing considering that the earliest he has been up all summer long is noon.

I'm very excited for him, and nervous as well. This is the first time that they have had to cut kids from the team. He really wants to make it. My kid who typically would be happy playing video games from dusk to dawn, has been setting the controller down and running on his own accord. He has been practicing drills with his dad and younger brother too. I'm so proud of him. I'm sending him good thoughts right now, I'm sending the coach a box of chocolates or perhaps beer.......

Workout- Resistance Training

Today I did some resistance training. I resisted from smacking my husband, I resisted from selling my kids, I resisted from getting in my car and driving far, far away. Yes, today was a day of resistance training and I did it all day long.

First my husband woke up on a rampage....a rampage to do every little job I've been asking him to do for months. Usually this would be great, but when he is in a mood like he was today, this is actually bad. Why? Because he is constantly asking me for help. I planned to read a book today. Instead I heard my name being called every five minutes. Oh, he said he needed help, but really that wasn't it. He just wanted me to stand there and watch him do things so that I couldn't read my book.

The major thing on the honey do list was to clean out the dryer vent that runs through our house. I would have been happy to do this on my own, but this is one of the things that my husband has banned me from doing. Although, he needed my help anyways. He wanted me to help by holding a garbage bag over the vent while he gassed up the leaf blower outside on the other end. That was it. Simple. Right? Not so much. As soon as he gassed up that blower the bag filled up like a balloon and shot across the room, leaving me the catch all for the lent that had accumulated for the past two years.

Then I asked my kids to help clean up after dinner. I'm attempting to get the acclimated to doing chores now that I'm going back to school. I asked one to unload the dishwasher, one to load the dishwasher and one to wipe of the table. That was it. Simple. Right? Not so much. You would have thought I asked them to cut off their left arms and donate them to science. Give me a break!

The last straw, the one caused me to use the most restraint was when my daughter called. I would love to say that I look forward to calls from my daughter, but truth is, it's never a social call. She calls for two reasons- one- to ask if she can spend the night somewhere and two- to ask if she can have someone spend the night. This time it was number two and I said no. That was it. Simple. Right? Not so much. This call typically wouldn't have resulted in me doing resistance training, however when I said no and she hung up on me....well that was hardest work out of the day.

Phew, I am pooped. The rest of my exercise today is going to consist of some arm curls.....a glass of wine in one hand, and a book in the other.

Surprises!

Today I am very tired. Partly because of my sugar crash and partly because of all the excitement I had yesterday. One of my besties surprised me by coming into town for my birthday.

I was getting ready in my room when my daughter came up and told me there was a "worker guy" downstairs. Alarmed, I began to throw on clothes to see exactly who Queenie just let into our house. As I'm whipping on clothing I realize that Queenie has left my room and gone back downstairs- presumably with the pervert man doing God knows what in my living room. I start screaming for my daughter to get back upstairs. Just as I was about to tear out of my room, I was stopped dead in my tracks by a friendly face and a handful of balloons! Of course I screamed, cried, laughed and just about expressed every emotion possible! No wonder I'm exhausted!

What a fun day I had. I got to spend it with three lovely women who had me in stitches 99% of the day! Thank you ladies for a great birthday! So today has been a successful day of recovery. Preparing for the departure of my dear friend. I'm always so sad when she leaves. Enjoying the rest of the time we have together!

Birthday

So I guess I'm starting tomorrow. I really did have good intentions but they flew out the window this morning about ten minutes after I woke up. However, a have really good excuses!

Excuse number one- My husband went out of his way to get me some very special cupcakes for my birthday. Unfortunately, there we left overs from last night and I had to eat one this morning. I mean wouldn't it be in bad taste not to?

Excuse number two- My best friends took me out for lunch to my one of my favorite places and I had to have a margarita. It would have been bad taste not to!

Excuse number three- I don't have an excuse number three, but I'm sure I'll think of one after the margarita wears off.

Tomorrow is a new day.........

The Challenge

Tomorrow is my birthday, and I will be 36. For the first time in my life I have decided to give myself a present. This gift is a challenge, a challenge to be a better version of me by my next birthday. For the past several years I have been going through an identity crisis. Now I want to stop thinking about what I want to be and actually do it! (I have a terrible habit of starting something and never finishing it, this blog was one of them.)

Here is my challenge-

1. Go back to school!
2. Get healthy!
3. Get organized!
4. Write!
5. Blog everyday and be honest about this journey.

I have decided that today is my last day before I begin my transformation. I am hosting bunko tonight and have plenty of fattening food and strong drinks! I'm going to indulge one last time, and then tomorrow the challenge begins. Hopefully in exactly 365 days I will be a healthier, more educated and creative me.

It's a Hit!

Last night I witnessed and answered prayer! My little man, Monkey, finally got a good hit at a baseball game, the last baseball game of the season.

This was his first year playing ball, and to be honest it started off a little shaky. My Monkey is short, really short, and pitchers have a hard time hitting his strike zone. Translation- he is more likely to get pegged by the ball. This was proved true during the first game, first time at bat. Needless to say he was nervous the very next game and spent it in the bathroom.

However, he didn't give up and kept on at it. His persistence finally payed off when he was up to bat during the last inning of his last game. Up against a pitcher that was literally twice his size and then some, he held his head tall! He looked the pitcher in the eye, as he trembled slightly in the batters box. I held my breath as I watched the round up. I prayed silently that he would not get hit, but rather hit the ball. Then I heard the most glorious noise- ping!

He smacked it and it went far! Unfortunately it flew right into the glove of a player on the opposing team, but the point is, he hit the ball! Monkey was the third out, and the game was over. Even though it was a loss, you couldn't wipe the smile off of Monkey's face, for him it was a win!

Marriage in the Eyes of a Ten Year Old

It's that time of year again when our excellent school system presents their fabulous growth and development videos and with that comes some interesting conversations at our house! Some of these conversations have been very enlightening. I've seen a glimpse of what goes on in Queenie's head, and it sure has been interesting.

Conversation while watching a movie:

Queenie, "Can you do it when your pregnant?"

Me, "Yes"

Queenie, "Why? Oh, wait. That's how you get twins, right?"

Monkey, "Duh!"

Me, "No, that is not how you get twins. Sometimes people just do it to do it."

Queenie, "Gross."

Dinner conversation:

Queenie, "When I grow up, I'm going to be a safari girl. I'm going to work in the jungle and stuff and I don't want the weight of having a husband and a baby on my shoulders."

Breakfast conversation:

Queenie, "So when you date you spend all your time together but when you get married you do things separately because you get on each others nerves."

I was starting to think my daughter was having a distorted look on what marriage is about. At ten her view of marriage looked like it was more of a burden than an adventure. I didn't really get it because my husband and I are sickeningly close. Why would she feel this way? Is this how she saw our marriage? I have to admit I was a little worried that we had somehow scared our daughter and would be paying many therapist bills in the future.

However, my worries diminished last week with a call from Queenie's teacher. She informed me that Queenie had been busted passing love notes to a particular boy in the class. I don't know which is worse, a daughter that thinks marriage is a life sentence or a daughter who is boy crazy. My gut tells me it isn't the latter. All I can say is , oh my, I think I'm going to have my work cut out for me!