Wow! So, today I am proud of myself. I left with the kids this morning on our daily walk to school (1 mile there and 1 mile back) and said to myself, "Today I'll skip on my attempts at jogging because my knee is sore for no reason."
We packed up our lunches, grabbed backpacks and were off. As with every morning, we had conversations about everything from their favorite video game, to their homework to "why can't we wear flip flops again?" I enjoy this time and it's a great way for me to ensure that they get some sort of physical activity every day. Their reward for doing so comes in the form of dessert without having to hop on the treadmill.
Anyway, as I watched them cross the walk to the school and then turned around to head back, I noticed that my knee wasn't really twinging anymore. "Nah . . .I should be safe and just stick to walking today," I thought.
Quick background: Back in April (about 4 months ago) I went on Nutrisystem and after two months, lost 23 lbs!!! So, feeling healthy again is pretty new and very important. I have to say, it doesn't hurt when your husband tells you several time daily that "You're looking hot, babe." Seriously, he SAYS that!
That's a long way from where I was before I decided it was time to make a change. I know we all do it. Especially as a parent, between work, kids, house chores, volunteering and just life itself, you forget about "you." And, before you know it, you have no time to yourself, no time to think about eating or what you should eat -- it's just about grabbing something between point A and point B. Before you know it, you're snoozing in bed and have trouble remembering how you got there. So, I had that "Aha! moment" that you always hear about and I'm still working on it now.
So, back to my story. After walking the kids and while listening to Nickelback on my mp3, I got to the park. This is where I usually kick into one of my tiny blips of jogging inspiration. I thought, "Should I?"
I did . .thinking that it would just be a quick burst and that would be enough. And then I got to the spot where I planned on exiting and stopping and there was a man there with his dog. So, I made a quick change and went further into the park, still jogging and then, before I knew it, I was still jogging and I wasn't gasping for air or thinking about the second that I would stop. And, I kept jogging right across the street and for another long stretch.
OK OK OK . . .I know this probably isn't that impressive for many of the athletic people out there. For the record, this is coming from someone who has never been big on athletics, at least on land (I did Swim Team as a kid for many years). But, anyway, when I did stop. Man, I just felt SO good, so proud of myself. I'm old now and wow . .I may be getting in shape. I LOVE it!
So, there it is. I know it's a small thing, and yet it isn't. It made me smile and feel good about myself. And you know what? That really does matter.
Morale of the day: Get out there and inspire yourself (but don't hurt yourself doing it). Do something for YOU!
Have a great one!!
Showing posts with label parent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parent. Show all posts
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Date Night Made Affordable -- Location. Location. Location
(continued from Date Night Made Affordable -- The Old Swap-a-roo)
Now, if you've read previous blogs, you may recall that back when our friends and I were swapping babysitting duties and date night (which saved us babysitting costs), I mentioned we were low on funds in general. So, a big night out wasn't really on the menu for us. So, we improvised, making a money-saving tweak from your standard/expected date destination. Rather than hitting your standard restaurant or possibly going for a Big Mac, we chose a location that reaked romance -- Mount Bonnell in Austin, TX.
(If you are EVER in Austin, I suggest you check it out -- it provides an incredible view of our fair city! Be warned, there ARE lots of steps to climb to get you to that beautiful view, but it is SO worth it.)
While our surroundings couldn't be beat, the food was wonderful and VERY affordable. We packed a picnic dinner, blanket, bottle of wine and some very high class plastic wine glasses. FANCY! No, but seriously, it was an amazing evening under the stars that was topped off by the absence of cries from a certain beloved wee one at home.
So, that was then.
Since then, we've gotten older and oh yeah . . . .did I mention the 100 degree weather outside? So, we found ourselves falling into the usual date night scene. And then, we found ourselves spending WAY too much money on the dates. (Have you ever sat down and plopped all of your expenses into a spreadsheet and said to yourself "OMG!")
Now, as I mentioned date night is THE ingredient to a happy marriage. So, while we obviously needed to work on the money situation, we weren't doing it at the expense of the occassion. It was time to get creative again.
My neice (our babysitter as mentioned in previous blogs) now has her own place with a child of her own. And as I opened my mind in search of the date night savior I heard, "Ding!" And then I asked, "So . . . . how do you feel about us bringing the kids to YOUR place this week?"
Turns out, it was great for her. She didn't have to wake her sweet child in the middle of the night when they went home. It was also a win-win for us. Think about it. Now, we had the opportunity to go out and have dinner if we wanted or to stay home and make our own romantic scene if we preferred. Suddenly, we had much more control on what we could or couldn't do.
So, location, in this case is key. When done right, if you're tight on the money, you can still have an amazing time based on where you go OR maybe where your babysitter is. (Have I mentioned how important I think Date Night is. Seriously, I would say 20 years of a great relationship were built on it!)
Keep and open mind and find an open door . .to your NEXT date, whether it's in a park, a tent, on a mountain, or just in your own comfy little home.
More date night options tomorrow. Don't change that channel ; )
Now, if you've read previous blogs, you may recall that back when our friends and I were swapping babysitting duties and date night (which saved us babysitting costs), I mentioned we were low on funds in general. So, a big night out wasn't really on the menu for us. So, we improvised, making a money-saving tweak from your standard/expected date destination. Rather than hitting your standard restaurant or possibly going for a Big Mac, we chose a location that reaked romance -- Mount Bonnell in Austin, TX.
(If you are EVER in Austin, I suggest you check it out -- it provides an incredible view of our fair city! Be warned, there ARE lots of steps to climb to get you to that beautiful view, but it is SO worth it.)
While our surroundings couldn't be beat, the food was wonderful and VERY affordable. We packed a picnic dinner, blanket, bottle of wine and some very high class plastic wine glasses. FANCY! No, but seriously, it was an amazing evening under the stars that was topped off by the absence of cries from a certain beloved wee one at home.
So, that was then.
Since then, we've gotten older and oh yeah . . . .did I mention the 100 degree weather outside? So, we found ourselves falling into the usual date night scene. And then, we found ourselves spending WAY too much money on the dates. (Have you ever sat down and plopped all of your expenses into a spreadsheet and said to yourself "OMG!")
Now, as I mentioned date night is THE ingredient to a happy marriage. So, while we obviously needed to work on the money situation, we weren't doing it at the expense of the occassion. It was time to get creative again.
My neice (our babysitter as mentioned in previous blogs) now has her own place with a child of her own. And as I opened my mind in search of the date night savior I heard, "Ding!" And then I asked, "So . . . . how do you feel about us bringing the kids to YOUR place this week?"
Turns out, it was great for her. She didn't have to wake her sweet child in the middle of the night when they went home. It was also a win-win for us. Think about it. Now, we had the opportunity to go out and have dinner if we wanted or to stay home and make our own romantic scene if we preferred. Suddenly, we had much more control on what we could or couldn't do.
So, location, in this case is key. When done right, if you're tight on the money, you can still have an amazing time based on where you go OR maybe where your babysitter is. (Have I mentioned how important I think Date Night is. Seriously, I would say 20 years of a great relationship were built on it!)
Keep and open mind and find an open door . .to your NEXT date, whether it's in a park, a tent, on a mountain, or just in your own comfy little home.
More date night options tomorrow. Don't change that channel ; )
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Date Night -- The Ingredient to Family Happiness
My husband and I will have been together for 20 years this year and married for 16 years. Both are celebrated on the same day, as I gave him exactly 4 years to decide if this 'thing' was going anywhere. Obviously it was and still is!
While the first few years were driven by physical attraction, hormones, lust and some similar interests, I attribute our later success to one very important ingredient -- date night! This became especially true in our years as parents. I think all parents come to appreciate this special occassion a little too late. As they say, "you don't know what you've got, until it's gone."
Now, I realize that date night for many brings up visions of large bills and empty pocketbooks. And, sometimes it can involve those items, BUT that doesn't HAVE to be the case.
The point really to date night is to reconnect with your significant other. So, while that can mean dinner, drinks and a show, it doesn't HAVE to. It also doesn't necessarily imply the prohibitive cost of a babysitter, which I admit can also take a toll on finances.
Before you decide to call the Doc and send me to the looney bin, let me explain. The simple act of being a little creative and pooling your resources can truly make an impact on your marital relationship.
Over the next few blogs (as I don't want you to break the blog 'no-no' of causing too much scrolling), I'll offer some personal insights/experiences/tips that allowed/allow my husband and I to connect and enjoy each other's company on a regular basis. And, with that small feat, I believe we've found a very important ingredient to the recipe for a happy family.
Stay tuned!
While the first few years were driven by physical attraction, hormones, lust and some similar interests, I attribute our later success to one very important ingredient -- date night! This became especially true in our years as parents. I think all parents come to appreciate this special occassion a little too late. As they say, "you don't know what you've got, until it's gone."
Now, I realize that date night for many brings up visions of large bills and empty pocketbooks. And, sometimes it can involve those items, BUT that doesn't HAVE to be the case.
The point really to date night is to reconnect with your significant other. So, while that can mean dinner, drinks and a show, it doesn't HAVE to. It also doesn't necessarily imply the prohibitive cost of a babysitter, which I admit can also take a toll on finances.
Before you decide to call the Doc and send me to the looney bin, let me explain. The simple act of being a little creative and pooling your resources can truly make an impact on your marital relationship.
Over the next few blogs (as I don't want you to break the blog 'no-no' of causing too much scrolling), I'll offer some personal insights/experiences/tips that allowed/allow my husband and I to connect and enjoy each other's company on a regular basis. And, with that small feat, I believe we've found a very important ingredient to the recipe for a happy family.
Stay tuned!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Have You Had “The Talk” with Your Kids . . .About Electricty?
Day 2 of A Parent Perspective
So, last night was date night for my husband and I. We went to see the hot new DiCaprio movie that everyone is talking about, Inception.
It was about 5 minutes prior to the actual movie starting as the pre-movie trailers were still going on and my husband gets a text from the babysitter. We’ve gotten lots of texts on dates before. You know the ones, “Your son is throwing up, when can you get home?”or “ Are they allowed to have dessert, tonight,” etc . . . but this one will stand out in my mind for awhile. And, maybe you too can learn from our mistake -– the mistake of assuming your kids know more than they do.
A little background before I give you the whole situation. My daughter, 7 years old and getting ready for 2nd grade, has been going through what I’ve told her is an incredible “creative” phase. I see it in her art, I see it in her play. You know, watching her, it’s one of those moments when you can literally just seeing the wheels turning and the mind opening. A light bulb of sorts have gone off. The pictures that were once simply a replica of what she saw are now an interpretation with her own special touch. Items in nature are now an inspiration and tool for an artistic endeavor. On walks, a leaf would be the perfect wing on a bird. So, we’re being experimental and trying new things. In my mind that’s where great ideas, inventions, creations are born, from an open and creative mind.
OK . .so back to the story. In this case, though, that experimental side took a nasty turn. Only two nights earlier we had purchased a new night light for my daughter as she doth protest her fear of the dark E-V-E-R-Y single night.
Sometime during the day, apparently, she felt the need to take her night light to a new level. She snuggled a quarter inside the light right next to the bulb. I don’t exactly know why and not sure she really does either.
Later, while we were on date night of course, she pulls the night light from the wall. As she tilted it slightly, the quarter dislodged itself and became a victim of gravity. As it made its way to the ground, it hit the plug of the nightlight which wasn’t yet disconnected from the wall. What happened? Well . . . . an incredibly bright flash of light as our sitter described it.
She jumped from her seat to find my daughter in tears that her new nightlight broke. She looked around at the nightlight with a strange circular indentation burnt into it and a black soot appearance on the plug, the outlet, on the wall and later, once she discerned how the circular shape was created, the quarter. Then she realized the light didn’t work either!
She sent the text that read, “Zeyda stuck a quarter in a night light, pulled it from the wall and quarter hit prongs in wall . . .big light sparks, wall socket black, quarter kinda melted to the night light prongs . . .and bathroom light doesn’t work anymore?”
Later it it came to our attention that our upstairs electricity was out as well . . . .
In the end, we’re thankful that no one was hurt. We spoke to our daughter about the dangers of electricity and keeping metals (and pretty much anything else aside from, say, a plug) away from outlets. As they say “what doesn’t kill ‘em will make ‘em stronger.”
Thanks to breakers, our electricity and light is restored. And, we’ve purchased a new $2 nightlight from our local grocery store.
While, I have to say, it was tempting to get angry over the whole situation, we realized it wasn’t the right thing to do. While our outlet may be burnt, I know that Zeyda’s light of creativity will still shine on. And, she goes forward with a new experience to learn from.
So, last night was date night for my husband and I. We went to see the hot new DiCaprio movie that everyone is talking about, Inception.
It was about 5 minutes prior to the actual movie starting as the pre-movie trailers were still going on and my husband gets a text from the babysitter. We’ve gotten lots of texts on dates before. You know the ones, “Your son is throwing up, when can you get home?”or “ Are they allowed to have dessert, tonight,” etc . . . but this one will stand out in my mind for awhile. And, maybe you too can learn from our mistake -– the mistake of assuming your kids know more than they do.
A little background before I give you the whole situation. My daughter, 7 years old and getting ready for 2nd grade, has been going through what I’ve told her is an incredible “creative” phase. I see it in her art, I see it in her play. You know, watching her, it’s one of those moments when you can literally just seeing the wheels turning and the mind opening. A light bulb of sorts have gone off. The pictures that were once simply a replica of what she saw are now an interpretation with her own special touch. Items in nature are now an inspiration and tool for an artistic endeavor. On walks, a leaf would be the perfect wing on a bird. So, we’re being experimental and trying new things. In my mind that’s where great ideas, inventions, creations are born, from an open and creative mind.
OK . .so back to the story. In this case, though, that experimental side took a nasty turn. Only two nights earlier we had purchased a new night light for my daughter as she doth protest her fear of the dark E-V-E-R-Y single night.
Sometime during the day, apparently, she felt the need to take her night light to a new level. She snuggled a quarter inside the light right next to the bulb. I don’t exactly know why and not sure she really does either.
Later, while we were on date night of course, she pulls the night light from the wall. As she tilted it slightly, the quarter dislodged itself and became a victim of gravity. As it made its way to the ground, it hit the plug of the nightlight which wasn’t yet disconnected from the wall. What happened? Well . . . . an incredibly bright flash of light as our sitter described it.
She jumped from her seat to find my daughter in tears that her new nightlight broke. She looked around at the nightlight with a strange circular indentation burnt into it and a black soot appearance on the plug, the outlet, on the wall and later, once she discerned how the circular shape was created, the quarter. Then she realized the light didn’t work either!
She sent the text that read, “Zeyda stuck a quarter in a night light, pulled it from the wall and quarter hit prongs in wall . . .big light sparks, wall socket black, quarter kinda melted to the night light prongs . . .and bathroom light doesn’t work anymore?”
Later it it came to our attention that our upstairs electricity was out as well . . . .
In the end, we’re thankful that no one was hurt. We spoke to our daughter about the dangers of electricity and keeping metals (and pretty much anything else aside from, say, a plug) away from outlets. As they say “what doesn’t kill ‘em will make ‘em stronger.”
Thanks to breakers, our electricity and light is restored. And, we’ve purchased a new $2 nightlight from our local grocery store.
While, I have to say, it was tempting to get angry over the whole situation, we realized it wasn’t the right thing to do. While our outlet may be burnt, I know that Zeyda’s light of creativity will still shine on. And, she goes forward with a new experience to learn from.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
A New Venture
So, today I start a new venture -- "A Parent Perspective." My goal in this venture is to share my experiences/advice/perceptions of life as a parent, wife and human on this little rock we all call home. I'm looking to grow through allowing myself to share openly, something I'm not always great at in person.
Why this? Well, I'm a mother of 2 (ages 7 and 10), wife of 16 years ('together' for 20!), and a professional who insanely enough craves 'more.' Have you ever had that feeling as a parent? Oh . . .how 'UN'apparent it can be. You don't know how or when it happens, but somehow the life you so carefully built can somehow take over, constructing walls and ceilings and furniture all around you to the point that you lose yourself in the maze we call "life."
With this blog, I hope to refind myself by getting in touch with my inner writer/creative person and maybe, just maybe, inspire others in the process.
What I intend to share: ideas on how to keep your marriage fresh (do you still get butterflies whe he/she walks into the room?), being there for your kids, rediscovering you (when's the last time you went by your first name rather than being Joe's wife or Donna's mom?), peeking into someone else's family life experiences (Wow! I thought that was something that just happened to US!), and sometimes just having fun! And, if you live in Austin, you'll also benefit through stories of places where you can enjoy some local kid-friendly, family fun!
Well, there you have it -- my first entry! The plan is to offer these tidbits every day (of course, I think holidays, vacation, sick days can still apply.) ; )
May we live, learn and grow our families together and may we all find that our perspective as a parent can be more "apparent" if we just let it.
Why this? Well, I'm a mother of 2 (ages 7 and 10), wife of 16 years ('together' for 20!), and a professional who insanely enough craves 'more.' Have you ever had that feeling as a parent? Oh . . .how 'UN'apparent it can be. You don't know how or when it happens, but somehow the life you so carefully built can somehow take over, constructing walls and ceilings and furniture all around you to the point that you lose yourself in the maze we call "life."
With this blog, I hope to refind myself by getting in touch with my inner writer/creative person and maybe, just maybe, inspire others in the process.
What I intend to share: ideas on how to keep your marriage fresh (do you still get butterflies whe he/she walks into the room?), being there for your kids, rediscovering you (when's the last time you went by your first name rather than being Joe's wife or Donna's mom?), peeking into someone else's family life experiences (Wow! I thought that was something that just happened to US!), and sometimes just having fun! And, if you live in Austin, you'll also benefit through stories of places where you can enjoy some local kid-friendly, family fun!
Well, there you have it -- my first entry! The plan is to offer these tidbits every day (of course, I think holidays, vacation, sick days can still apply.) ; )
May we live, learn and grow our families together and may we all find that our perspective as a parent can be more "apparent" if we just let it.
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