If Anyone Finds Mine, Please Return!

Lost: One Money Tree - belonging to me - Please return if found!!


I find it fitting that I'm getting ready to make a post about having to spend money and I get a phone call from my son's after school program reminding me that our payment is due. Gah. There goes $100!

I feel like I'm bleeding money this week.

Our dishwasher finally bit the bullet. It has been giving us a hard time for months now and it finally said "Screw You" and stopped working the correct way. Damn it. So, this weekend we are purchasing another one. It's hard to decide on where to get one from. Sears or Home Depot. Or maybe even another place. Everyone is having good deals right now due to the holiday, but we are gonna have to look around and figure out what model is the best one for our money.

We are also buying a "new to us" couch from the hubby's brother. We have had our couch for about 8 years now and while the Girl Child and I were in Ireland, it seems that between the boys rough housing and the monster dogs jumping on it - it broke. The whole middle section of the couch now leans backwards... It's not very appealing to the eye, let me tell you. So, because the BIL is looking to redecorate the game room/office of his house - we are getting a smashing deal on a very gently used couch to replace ours. Still costing us some money, but a whole lot less than what we had planned on spending for brand new stuff from the local furniture store.

I've come to the conclusion that I (we) need to learn how to save money... instead of spending it. I'm sure it won't be easy - but I think it's time I (we) grew up and planned for the future or incidentals that we don't see coming - like couches breaking or dishwashers giving up the ghost.

Oh, the wonderful life of being an adult... eh?

Success!

Last night, both kids had their gymnastics class.

The 2nd for Zachary and the 1st for Rowan... both had previously been in gymnastics, but it's been a good 18 months or more, since they've had a class.

I really think that they enjoyed it... and I mean, enjoyed it.

Both came out of the class with sweaty, pink faces... with HUGE smiles on!

Again, Zachary told me "I LOVE gymnastics Mom!!" while Rowan just sat there, obviously pleased with herself.

I watched both during their class and they seemed to have done really well. I even heard one of Rowan's coaches ask her if she had taken classes before because she was doing so well on the bar...

Seeing my kids do so good and truly enjoy themselves while doing it makes me one happy momma!!

Like I'm Not Busy Enough

Like most mommas, I'm pretty busy.

Between work, after school activities and other functions - we run full tilt around here.

And well, I've gone and made things more busier.

I signed the boy child up for gymnastics - all because he wanted to do it. But hey, why would there be any other reason to, right?

So, tonight, he had his first class in the boys' pre-progressive group. He seemed to enjoy himself and came away telling me, "I love gymnastics Mom!". I'm thinking signing him up will be good for him.

Right now, Rowan is doing cheer leading and has guitar lessons - So I was thinking he might have been feeling somewhat left out. I think his age is good to be doing this... and who knows where this will lead. I do know he wants to do some kind of martial arts, but I'll see how he handles these classes before putting himself else that takes a lot of dedication as well.

And you want to hear something even crazier?

I have gone and added Rowan to a girls class that is the same time as Zachary's.

Yea, like we don't have enough on our plate with her - between Cheer, guitar and 4H. LOL

I honestly don't care though. I believe putting the kids into as many things possible - with out having their grades or health falter - to keep them involved and out of trouble.

Having sports and other activities (like 4H) that make you keep your grades up and keep yourself out of trouble to participate in are good things for the kids. I know it made a difference for me when I was growing up... and I want my kids to have that same experience.

With all these activities, I think it's time for a sign on my car that says, "Mom Taxi"... LOL

20 Random Things About Me

20 Random Things About Me...

1. I've always enjoyed peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches - gross, I know... but it was a childhood favorite and every once in a while, I'll have one.

2. I will always have a pet. I don't care if it's a dog or a cat... but I can't be with out a pet.

3. I don't care if my bra and panties don't match. I'm not one of those girls. Just as long as they are clean and cute, that's all that matters!

4. I have a bad habit of biting my nails. I'll break the habit every once in a while, but I always end up biting them again.

5. I love taking pictures. I'm not a great photo taker and I don't take nearly enough pictures, but I do love taking them.

6. I love to read. If I can, I'd ignore everything else in the world and read books forever.

7. I taught myself how to knit. It's something I only really do in the winter - when it's cooler and I'm less busy, but I still do it.

8. I have stomach issues and I hate it!

9. I became a mom at 19 and wouldn't change it for the world. I want to be one of those cool, young mom's.

10. I don't have many "in real life" friends. Most of my dear to the heart friends are ones I've met via the Internet.

11. I love Sushi and could eat it multiple times a week - but I don't. I'd be broke if I did.

12. Dark beers are my favorite. I'm all about the Smithwicks and Firerock Pale Ale.

13. I love watches. Just rarely wear them.

14. I don't know what my real hair color is. Guessing it's a dirty blonde by now.

15. I can't sleep with any part of my body hanging off the bed - the boogie man might get it.

16. I can't stand scary movies.

17. I find myself, as I'm getting older, to be less patient. Which is a bad thing.

18. I like to be connected to the outside world - via phone or computer - but really didn't mind not having the ability to use my iPhone at times in Ireland.

19. I've only been out of the country once... and that was just recently to Ireland.

20. I will go back again.

Yuck

Yea, that would be a great way to describe how I'm feeling at the moment.

Colds seriously suck.

They suck the life out of you.

They make you not want to do a single thing. And they pretty much not allow you to accomplish anything you had wanted to do... um, like work out.

I've found it hard to work out when you can't breath out of your nose... and being a mouth breather sucks.

The chapped lips suck even more.

Ugh.

What a downer of a post this is, right?

So, I'm pretty sure you've guessed, I didn't accomplish my work out that I wanted to do last night... After suffering through cheer practice, I went home and melted into the couch and stayed there until it was time for bed.

I wasn't even able to stay up to watch the season premiere of "Sons of Anarchy".

Thank goodness for DVR's.

Now, to attempt getting through the day...

Well, Well...

Look who has returned from the great beyond...

I have had the inkling to return to blogs for a while now. So I figured that I'd take the time and do that today...

I don't know how much I'll be around... but I'm intending on using this blog as sort of a journal - to talk about my journey with exercise and weight loss (again)... as well as just being used to do the normal blogging stuff about daily life...

So, about the exercise and weight loss.

I have decided that I need to get back on the wagon and continue my goal of losing the weight that I don't need... which is about another 25 -30lbs. I have sorta slacked off for the last few months, which ended up making me gain about 7lbs back from my initial weight loss... which pisses me off.

I signed myself up for the September Challenge over at the Shredheads blog. I'm partaking on "Team Bob" challenge which includes doing Bob Harper's newest DVD's - Inside Out Method. I started off really good... went home and did my work out and then the next day was an off day (I'm following his work out plan).

After that, I didn't do anything. I came down with such a bad head cold, that I couldn't even think about working out... I still feel rotten, but tonight, no matter how I feel or how tired I am, I will be doing my work out.

I realize I can't continue to live this way - over weight and tired. I need to better myself - Inside and Out - so I can be a better person all around.

And, I can't let my husband - who has been working out and lifting weights, making himself look good - walk around with the fat wife. LOL

So. Like I said... I hope to be around here more. I do read lots of your blogs... I don't comment much, but I am going to try to start doing that again... I miss the community.


*photo from http://www.weheartsit.com/ (thanks Brandi)

Update

So, life has become busy once more.

Cheerleading started this Monday... its 5 days a week... for 1.5hours each day... that is until after Aug 22nd... then we go to three days a week. Thank god. Because I bet by then, I'll be even more whopped than I am now!

Rowan returns to school on the 10th... I'm sure she will be shell shocked with school activities plus cheerleading for the first few weeks. I can't believe she is going to be in 2nd grade. It kills me. Really, it does.

Working out has been going really well. Well, at least most days. LOL

Since the middle of May, I have lost 19lbs. I'm hoping for another 16 lbs more by Oct. 1st. Not sure if I will make it, but I'm going to try hard.

I'm doing a lot of different things. Lots of treadmill, some videos - like Jillian Michaels "30 Day Shred" and "No More Trouble Zones"... even have done the CardioMax video from the "Biggest Loser". But mostly, its at least 30 mins of the treadmill almost every day.

I'm eating better... feeling better. Its amazing what exercising and being healthy feels like! LOL

I have dropped just about 1 1/2-2 sizes... and I can totally see my body toning up and developing muscle structure from the weights. Oh, yes, I'm doing that too... its in the videos - but I've also done it with the husband at the gym too. LOL

Told you we were on healthy/exercising kicks!!

I took some recent pictures lately - from when we went to Tahoe for the weekend... here are a few:

I wish I could share some of my honey and me - but, well, because of his job, I'm not going to... plus, most of you are friends on my facebook any how... so you will see them there!!

Hope all is well... Gonna go relax now... its been one of those day!!