Eye Opener

After my New York excursion, I realize that I have spent entirely too much time living in the suburbs. I spent a great deal people watching (which I love to do) and I now see what all the hype is about. But even more than that, I see that it really isn't complicated at all. The suburb moms can be easily picked out of a line up. They usually have that signature piece (the latest coach/designer bag and or a nice piece of jewelry) accompanied with a sensible outfit. The uniform in the city, black boots with a decent heel, wool coat (with a tailored fit), big black bag (non designer specific that one can see). Simple, yet strangely stylish. It made me think twice about how I dress when I step out the door to run an errand. Today I wore, black knee high boots with 2 inch square heel, Black turtleneck, grey wool skirt, black tights and brown coat. Nothing fancy, very simple, very comfortable and I felt good. (ok, I did have a black coach bag, but it was one of those classic plain leather ones from years ago).

I cleaned out and rearranged all of our closets this past weekend - I have bags and boxes of clothes that will be donated to the Veterans tomorrow morning. I integrated my casual and work clothes to expand my wardrobe options. I feel re-energized!

I Love NYC!

Well we are back and getting back into the normal swing of things since our 24/hr trip to New York. The kids and I had a fabulous time! It was 24 hours to throwing caution to the wind, playing it by ear and no routines. After we dropped the puppy off to be boarded, we stopped for dinner before hitting the Turnpike. There was no traffic and we arrived at the hotel in record time at 7:45. By 8pm we were in the hotel room watching "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown". Busy Hubby left us a home made gift basket (water bucket) with a welcome note. The bucket was filled with treats for us to snack on. Our intent was to wait for him to get back to the room before heading out to see the tree at Rockefeller Plaza. Well, we watched the finale of Heroes and at 10pm, still no sign of Hubby. Under normal circumstances I would have hustled the kids to bed, but instead I told them to bundle up, we're heading out to see the tree! It was wonderful! We walked to Rockefeller Plaza by way of Time Square, the streets were not crowded at all and well populated with police officers. It began to snow lightly and all seemed perfect with the world. We walked and snapped photos and had a ball. The kids really enjoyed seeing the tree and watch people ice skating. We took a cab back to the hotel (an adventure for Busy Boy), and upon arrival, ran into Busy Hubby in the lobby.

The next morning, the kids and I, awoke bright and early and made our way back to Rockefeller Plaza to attempt an "impromptu" appearance on The Today Show as and audience spectator. We made it!! I set the DVR to tape the entire show and BAM! There we were. Such an adventure. Everyone looks so much smaller in person (I guess the camera really does add pounds!).

24 Hour Vacation. Ready-Set-Go!

Busy Hubby often travels on business trips about every three months or so. We've discussed the possibility of the kids and I tagging along if a trip occurred during a school break - but that opportunity never happened. Well the time has come! He will be attending team meetings in NYC and has a room at a hotel right across the street from Rockefeller Center. It's only for one night, but dag-nab-it, we are gonna make the best of this 24-hours! Today when the kids get home from school, we will hit the road and drive into the city. Hubby will already be there waiting for us. Since he will be busy with meetings and dinners, the kids and I plan to make a mini vacation out of the time we'll be there. The kids will miss one day of school, we plan to hang out at Rockefeller Plaza during The Today Show and take in the sights, sounds and cuisine of the city. I've already packed and arranged boarding for the pup...Ready-Set-GO!!!

Smiling from ear to ear :-)

I love a good consignment shop. A perfect afternoon for me is to scour a consignment shop from top to bottom, just browsing around at all the interesting finds. When we lived in Michigan there was this wonderful consignment shop in Milford called "Our Blessings". They carried merchandise for women, children as well as home furnishings. I purchased many items from Our Blessings, including a set of lamps (these lamps can be used as a weapon they are so heavy) $15/piece! If you can find a consignment shop in an upscale location, you have struck gold!

I found a decent consignment shop here in downtown Bordentown, it doesn't have the selection that the one in Michigan does, but every once in awhile they will have good merchandise. It doesn't happen often, but once in a blue moon you may stumble upon a deal of all deals. For me, today was that day. I like to browse when I have a specific item in mind, that keeps me focused. Today I was in the market for a casual jacket. We've been having such an influx in weather lately that some days don't require a heavy coat. I found a sage green, fully lined, DKNY jacket with a removable fur collar. It's a very casual coat and has a brushed corduroy texture to it. It has a hidden zipper up the front and three snaps (top, middle, bottom). With the collar removed it has a cute belt with a brushed buckle that wraps around the collar. This coat was brand new with tags and retailed at $102. I got it for $27.

Now, believe it or not, that was not the "blue moon" buy I was referring to. With jacket in hand, I continued to browse the other side of the coat rack and came across some really cute things. I picked up an arms full and tried them on 1) a suede eggplant collarless coat with three buttons down the front, really cute @ $70 but I wasn't "in love" with it, 2) a red boiled wool coat @ $40, nice, but I'll pass, 3) a fur lined tan trench coat @ $68. Well, I tried on the trench coat and BAM!!! I immediately fell in love (think hearts dancing around my head)! Upon closer examination I realized that it was all completely hand made. Hand made as in, "NOT SOLD IN STORES" hand made. This coat was so classic it looked like it could have belonged to Grace Kelly! It is Gorgeous, Simple, and Classic. I can dress it up or wear it with jeans and boots. It has this huge collars that wrap across your upper back and runs from shoulder to shoulder, there's one hidden button inside the front center for closure and you can wrap the coat closed and tie it secure with the matching belt. It's has an a-line cut so it swings out from the waist, so beautiful, it fit me like a glove (if only I can find dresses in that same style). And the lining is real fur, so heavy I can wear it in the winter and removable so I can wear it year round. It must have been too small for the recipient and they sent it to the consignment shop - one person's loss...my happy treasure :-)

I put it on layaway just to be sure I wasn't making an impulsive buy - I'll rescue it this weekend-for $68, I'd be nuts to leave it!

The art of handwritten letters

Yesterday I received a letter from my Aunt who lives in North Carolina. She and I have been writing letters to one another since I was eight years old, it's always been our main source of communication. This annoys hubby tremendously. He cannot understand why we don't just pick up the phone and talk to one another, rather than communicate via snail mail. Honestly, we probably only speak on the phone "maybe" twice a year.

I look forward to getting my holiday/birthday cards, decorated with stickers and cut outs; Valentines Day, Anniversary, Birthday and Christmas. Even Busy Boy and Busy Girl look forward to getting their birthday cards with $1 for each year-it's especially a highlight when the card arrives on the actual birthday (an art only a true letter writer can appreciate).

I tried to explain to hubby that she and I share a special bond through our letter writing. We communicate thoughts and feelings that wouldn't be expressed on the telephone and describe events with such detail; it's like reading a chapter from your favorite book. Some letters are so funny and descriptive that I read them to the children as though it was a short story, and they enjoy it so much! My Aunt, in turn saves many of my letters and keeps them in a scrap book (yes, she is the queen of the "low-budget" scrap book) to share with family and friends.

In this day and age of forwarded prayers, chain letters and cute video clips via e-mail, it's comforting to know that a part of me remains connected to what seems to be a dieing art, the art of handwritten letters.

Hustle and Flow

Well this has been a really busy week for me. I started two new jobs this week. One is a seasonal part-time job which will last just until the first week of December. There is this fabulous company that sells care packages to college students via their parents. Parents can send gift baskets, goody bags, sheets, etc. directly to the students dorm (where was this service when I was in school?). Anyway, this is their busiest time of the year (Thanksgiving and right before Christmas), and they hire tons of folks to key in orders - so that is one of my jobs. The pay is not bad and actually, I enjoy being able to "zone out" for a few hours. A classic "punch-in and punch-out" situation.

The other is the part time position where I can work from home doing research and analysis - the pay is very good and I'm anxious to get into the groove of the position. I also have another client where I work for him on an as needed basis, he contacted me this week to work on three projects to complete this week - so this has been a busy (and trying at times) week.

Trying to develop a flow in juggling family and work. Any suggestions!?!

Addicted to Sweaters

Is it possible to be addicted to sweaters? I LOVE sweaters! I went "window shopping" today and found myself pushing a basket full of sweaters. Is it my imagination, or has the selection of sweaters grown by leaps and bounds recently? Has it really been that long since I've gone shopping? All kinds of cute, non-bulky sweaters are all over the place! I had to get some - I picked up 5 sweaters, well one was a sweater vest. The sweater vest was by far the bargain of the year at a whopping 45 cents (regularly priced at $48.00)!!! What a deal!!!!

I can't wait to wear them!

My latest read...

I'm reading "Love in the Time of Cholera". I checked it out at the library on November 1st and am halfway though it. It's a really good book. I love books where I can share some of the story lines to my family. There is a part involving a parrot that I read to Busy Boy and Busy Girl. Then there are some entertaining parts that I shared with Busy Hubby. I didn't realize the movie was coming out this weekend - now I want to finish it then check out the flick!

The Birds are back!

I've often told Busy Boy that the patch of forest located in our backyard is a "rest stop" for birds as they make their migration to the south. I hadn't really thought about it as being a fact, just a cute story that fit the bill at the time.

Well, today I am a firm believer that this patch of forest is actually a rest stop for birds. Here is a photo I took less than one hour ago. All of those black blotches, BIRDS! And I didn't even capture all of them. They landed in the trees for a few minutes, then took off. WOW.
Sidenote: Does anyone else out there think Alicia Keys latest single "Like You'll Never See Me Again" sound like a re-mixed Prince song?

Advice anyone?

I was chatting with a friend the other day about life and advice. Everyone has given advice at one time or another on various aspects of life; What to expect when starting college. What to expect when starting your career. What to expect when starting a business. What to do when planning a wedding. What to expect when expecting a child. I can go on and on.....

But do people actually listen to and heed the advice? It seems that no matter what you say, many will forge their own path and do what they want to anyway. Who can blame them, it is their life right? When (and if) they look back and reflect on the advice given, do they think, "Oh yeah...." Personally, getting advice from people is a pet peeve for me-unless of course I ask for advice.

If I had to do it all over again I definitely would not have stopped working. Technically I was laid off and decided to start my own business. [CAUTION: ADVICE AHEAD] I should not have waited so long to jump back into the game. It seems like my career stock took a huge plunge and I'm literally starting from scratch.

I don't regret starting a business, it's been a very fulfilling experience and I have no plans to stop, but I can definitely maintain it on a part-time basis without skipping a beat.

Whenever someone finds out that I "have my own business" and "work from home", they seem so impressed - well don't be. Now, if I were "working from home" for a company that paid a "steady income" - that would be impressive. Or, if I had the desire and capital to launch a huge money making business, that would be impressive. For me - family comes first, business gets in when it can. The money is decent, but not steady. It's a perfect part-time gig. I've always had the "entrepreneurial bug" and will always have a hustle going. I'm just chomping at the bit to get back in the game, put on a suit and heels (most of which are outdated-it has been 7 years for me, but that's another story) and roll with the big dogs!

This Busy household needs two steady incomes. As such, I've been trying to re-enter the workforce over the past year, yes, THE PAST YEAR. I've been on a number of interviews but nothing has panned out, until recently. Within the past week I've had two interviews, one very promising. I'm hopeful that one will come through. Ironically the full-time interview ended with a proposition of a possible consulting position where I can work from home-now wouldn't that be impressive ;-)

Have I lost my mind?!

It's been a minute since my last blog. So much has happened since then. Busy Boy has finished his football season (I can cross that activity off my to-do list). Halloween has come and gone (Ninja and Good Witch have collected enough candy to feed a small village) and oh, I've started a business selling doggie treats. It's called "Maddie-Cakes". We did a promo during Halloween where we gave out sample packages to the neighborhood dogs. Busy Pup (aka Madison) and I went door to door and did a "reverse" trick-or-treat to all the neighbors with pups. Approximately 16 live just in our little cul-de-sac. I also handed them out to trick-or-treaters walking with their pooch. The website is, www.maddie-cakes.com. Tell your friends!

My how they've grown..

Busy Boy and Busy Girl never cease to amaze me. Watching them grow and evolve into independent individuals is bitter sweet. Here are some new revelations I've discovered about my kids;

• Busy Girl is not a fan of pink, especially if it's the dominant color.
  
• Busy Girl is afraid to flush the toilet if she has to go in the middle of the night (just found this out last night).
• Busy Girl does not like to be the center of attention and is more comfortable blending in.
• Busy Boy is a walking calendar. He remembers dates, school assignments and activities like nobody's business.

Who would've ever thought?

My butt hurts

Well the b-day came and went. No bells or whistles, just a quiet evening at home with my family, just how I like it.

I haven't been doing as best as I can with meal tracking, but I have been walking and did make use of our elliptical machine. Yes, I may not have mentioned that we have one. It's a manual one and an older model, but it works just as good. It has a "coach" program built in that I never utilized until Monday. A little digital figure will show up next to a bar line on the left of the display. Your status is reflected on the right. You have to maintain your intensity to match the coach bars. It started out nice and easy, then suddenly the bars shot up and I had to really work to keep up! All in all, an excellent work out, but by nightfall, my butt ached.

MRSA

The MRSA virus has been all over the media. If you're like me, I've combed the internet for concrete information on what to look for and ways to protect myself and my family. My kids school sent this timely information. Hope it's as helpful to you as it was to me. Stay safe!

We understand that hearing about a “super bug” can be very frightening, particularly to parents. However it is important to keep in mind a few key facts about MRSA:

• MRSA is not a new disease. It has been a challenge to healthcare providers and the public health community since the 1960s. It was first primarily associated with hospitals. In the last several years, it has also become increasingly common in the community.
• MRSA is a type of bacterial infection that is resistant to some but not all antibiotics. It is treatable.
  
• MRSA can cause skin infections. These infections result in redness, warmth, swelling, and tenderness. Often a MRSA infection will look like a spider bite, boil, abscess, or turf burn.
• MRSA skin infections are usually spread by skin-to-skin contact or by direct contact with the drainage from the wound. They may also be spread by contact with contaminated surfaces or things such as sports equipment or personal hygiene items. MRSA skin infections are NOT spread through the air.

Please be aware of the signs and symptoms of MRSA. If you or a family member has any of the symptoms listed above or below, please contact your medical provider. MRSA is treatable. However, if it is left untreated, it can become a serious illness.

• What is MRSA? MRSA refers to a type of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) that is resistant to many antibiotics. It is a common cause of hospital-acquired infections.
  
  
• Who gets MRSA? Anyone can get MRSA, but it is found most often in hospitalized patients.
  
  
• What are the symptoms associated with MRSA infection? MRSA infections can cause a broad range of symptoms depending on the part of the body that is infected. These may include surgical wounds, burns, catheter sites, eye, skin and blood. Infection often results in redness, swelling and tenderness at the site of infection. Sometimes, people may carry MRSA without having any symptoms. When people become infected outside of the hospital, symptoms usually consist of a pimple or boil.
  
  
• How is it transmitted? The staph bacteria are generally spread through direct contact with a person who is infected with or carrying the organism. Occasionally, MRSA may be spread by contact with surfaces or objects.
  
  
• How long can an infected person carry MRSA? Some people can carry MRSA for days to many months, even after their infection has been treated.
  
  
• How are MRSA infections diagnosed? MRSA infections can be diagnosed when a doctor obtains a sample or specimen from the site of infection and submits it to a laboratory. The laboratory places the specimen on a special "culture" plate containing nutrients, incubates the plate in a warmer and then identifies the bacteria. The final step is for the laboratory to conduct tests using various antibiotics to determine if the bacteria are resistant (able to withstand or tolerate) or sensitive (susceptible to killing) to select antibiotics.
  
  
• What is the treatment for MRSA? Most MRSA infections are treated with basic wound care. More severe cases can usually be treated with an antibiotic called vancomycin. Newer antibiotics are being developed to address this problem.
  
  
• How can the spread of MRSA be controlled? Careful hand washing is the single most effective way to control spread of MRSA. Heath care workers should wash their hands after contact with each patient. If the patient is known to have an MRSA infection, the health care worker should wear disposable gloves. Depending on the type of contact, a gown should also be worn. Patients must also wash their hands to avoid spreading the bacteria to others.

In addition you should practice good hygiene daily:

1. Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol based hand sanitizer
2. Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed
3. Avoid contact with other people’s wound or bandages
4. Avoid sharing items such as towels, soap or razors

• What about contact with carriers? If basic hygiene precautions are followed, MRSA carriers are not a hazard to others including their family and friends.
  
  
• Can I get a staph or MRSA infection at my health club? It is possible to become infected by staph or MRSA at your health club by direct skin-to-skin contact with another person or by contact with surfaces or equipment (less likely). You can protect yourself from infections by practicing good hygiene by:

• keeping your hands clean by washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand rub and showering after working out;
• covering any open skin area such as abrasions or cuts with a clean dry bandage;
• avoiding sharing personal items such as towels, soaps or razors;
• using a barrier (e.g., clothing or a towel) between your skin and shared equipment;
• wiping surfaces of equipment before and after use.
  

Where can I get more information?

• Your doctor, nurse or clinic
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at: http://www.cdc.gov/
• The Burlington County Department of Health at (609)265-5548
• The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) at (609) 588-7500 or on the NJDHSS Website at http://www.state.nj.us/health
  
  

Fiesty Little Pepper

Yesterday was a get organized day. My office was a cluttered mess and I couldn't work, amongst the piles of books, magazines and papers. There was a segment on the Today Show last week about organizing book shelves, so I dusted and reorganized ours. It looks really nice and makes a huge difference!

During my cleaning frenzy, I came across a journal that my cousin made when Busy Girl was a baby (6 months). At the time my cousin operated a child care center out of her home and she watched Busy Girl while I worked. She made the journal by covering a wire bound notebook with batting, pink fabric, white and gold lace and my favorite photo of Busy Girl on the cover! It was so cute! We used this journal as a way to communicate with one other about Busy Girl and to record her daily activities.

Here is the first entry:

August 4, 1997

This is my first entry in Busy Girl's Journal. Today she has been very playful, every time I'd give her a bottle she'd bang her arm against it. She also spit food out, took her shoes off and tried to suck her toes...

She had several big poops and was extremely delighted after she had done them. She ate very well today, but didn't sleep much. She'll surely fall out tonight.

Oh! By the way, she pulled loose her ponytail on the side - no fights today -(smile).

Love - Cousin D

P.S.
We need more diapers!!

Here is my first entry:

August 6, 1997

I gave Busy Girl her first Arrowroot biscuit tonight. She stared at it and passed it from each hand for a good five minutes before putting it into her mouth!

SHE LOVES THEM!!!

Then she kept losing the cookie, first it fell to her side (she screamed), then it somehow ended up under her chin (she yelled), then it got stuck on her bib and she couldn't see it (she grunted). At the end she had cookie all over her hands face and bib.Love, Mom


Reading these entries made me remember what a "Feisty Little Pepper" Busy Girl was when she was a baby! Not only was she feisty, but she was plump as a piglet! She was so heavy my arms ached from picking her up.

I'm thankful for the journal. Occasionally 10 year old Busy Girl will read the entries and laugh at all her entertaining antics as a baby.

I read the entries and am reminded of how all children are priceless gifts from God.

Thank you God for our Fiesty Little Pepper!

Nature, the good, bad and ugly...

I mentioned in another post that I am a lover of nature. Well, some nature can be pretty rank.

(stop here if you have a weak stomach)



While walking Busy Pup the other day, we happened across an unfortunate frog that had his head chopped off. How is that possible you ask? Well I have no idea. All I know is this frog which was about the size of my hand, had a clean cut and his eyes and mouth were gone. I came to the conclusion that it was mangled in a lawn mower accident, had to be, the cut was too clean. At first I thought it was a toy, but immediately realized it was real. Well it's been 4 days and the headless frog is still out there. It is now a dark moldy grey. I'm completely grossed out. It has moved from the street to the grass next to the mailboxes. I almost stepped on it. My neighbor informed me that her dog picked it up from the street and started to eat it before she realized what it was. She made him drop it, and now it's rotting near the mailboxes. I'm so grossed out. UGGGG. Now I have to be on the look-out of a molding frog.

Talk about an appetite suppressor!

Quiet Muffs

Every day after school, I chat with Busy Boy and Busy Girl about their day at school. Direct questions like, "How was your day?", "How was school?" or "What did you do in school today?", has always gotten me a limited response. I've discovered a question that seems to work much better (at least for us it works)... "Anything interesting happen today?" . They flood me with information about their friends and teachers and eventually themselves.

Today Brandon informed me that the teacher let him use the "quiet muffs" today. I had no idea of what he was talking about. At first I thought he was being disruptive in class and needed to wear some type of earmuff contraption to calm down-I was immediately on the defense. What is a "quiet muff" exactly? Busy Girl chimed in with a description, "It looks like large headphones with cushions around the ears. Kids wear them to muffle sounds so they can work without distraction. Some kids have their own quiet muffs that they bring to school with their names on them."

O-K-A-Y.

Since I was within arms reach of my computer, I looked them up and found this photo...



They look like headphones from back in the day. I had no idea they were re-invented as "quiet muffs" and used in the school system. Interesting. Have you ever heard of such a thing?

Oh well, you learn something new every day!

Oatmeal Cream Cakes

I love oatmeal cream cakes (aka Little Debbies). If given the opportunity, I could polish off a box in no time flat. Comfort "junk" food at it's best.

Today after dropping off Busy Girl for her softball fast-pitch clinic, Busy Boy and I went to the library. After making our book selections we past the dreaded vending machine. Busy Boy wanted to get a treat, and since I don't keep much junk food in the house, I decided to allow him a treat. Why did he pick the Little Debbie oatmeal cream cake? OH NO! The temptation to take a bite was overwhelming, but I did it! I gave in to the temptation!

P.S.
The Halloween bag of Swedish Fish have stopped calling my name as well.

The Turkeys are Back!

My office is located in the back of the house, facing about 2 acres of trees separating us from the New Jersey Turnpike. At first it took some getting use to. In Michigan, my office was in the front of the house and I was able to view all the happenings and activities of the neighborhood; watch the kids play, see the school bus drop off, get the mail as soon as it's delivered and more importantly, catch a neighbor in action as she let her dog poop on our front lawn.

Since working in the back of the house I'm exposed to an entirely different world, the world of nature. Highlights include; the family of eight deer that travel and live in the woods, a variety of beautiful birds, cardinals, a ton of very loud blue birds, soaring hawks, bunny rabbits, stray cats, buzzards (yuck), thousands (yes thousands)of birds congregating in the trees before making that trip South (I tell Busy Boy it's a bird rest stop) and wild turkeys.

Last year, on exactly November 1st, I looked out my back window to see what I thought were 12 buzzards walking around the back lawn. I was completely grossed out and disgusted because I assumed something big and dead was rotting nearby. Well one bird suddenly spread his feathers out when I realized those weren't buzzards, but Turkeys! It looked like a perfect text book illustrated Turkey. I tried to get some pictures with my camera phone but they were very blurry. They hung around for the entire month of November, many neighbors saw them walking around on Thanksgiving day!

Well on Monday, while in my office, I noticed some movement out of the corner of my eye and there they were - about seven wild turkeys strolling around. I started yelling, "The Wild Turkeys are back! The Turkeys are back!", and grabbed my camera heading for the deck to get some clear shots. Busy Boy was right behind me. Busy Girl was walking the pooch. Busy Boy and I must have scared them off because they took off into the woods and haven't been seen since. I'm sure they will be back, I'll be here watching and waiting with camera at hand.

Charlotte's Web

We live in a cul-de-sac that is surrounding a tree filled island. It's perfect for walking the pooch and serves as an adventure filled location for the neighborhood kids. On any given day it serves as a camp site, a battlefield, a house filled with baby doll strollers and baby doll beds or a place to play adventure hide-and-seek.

Saturday morning we were all bustling to get ready for Busy Boy's football game and I took the pooch out for a quick walk through the "forest". It was a very foggy morning and the morning dew left the grass and trees wet. Occasionally a spider will build a web between two trees so my personal adventure begins as I weave through the forest avoiding a face full of web. Well today I think Charlotte paid us a visit! Here are photos of a magnificent web with Charlotte planted smack in the middle.

I fell down...

Ok, I messed up today. I walked for only thirty minutes and did not do well with meal tracking. We have a bag of Halloween candy (mini bags of swedish fish) that have been calling my name. OK, today I ate two bags (120C for the two bags)....and a chicken club sandwich from Wendys. It was terrible (the sandwich, not the swedish fish). I'm not a fan of fast food, I don't know why I ate it. Laziness I guess and not being prepared.

Things have been pretty hectic over the past couple of weeks. It's always a juggling effort. I'm usually juggling only three balls; family - work - home. Literally everyday of the week is a scheduled commitment for the children;
Sun: Softball Practice for Busy Girl
Mon: Football Practice for Busy Boy
Tues: Softball Game for Busy Girl
Wed: Football Practice for Busy Boy
Thurs: Softball Pitching Clinic for Busy Girl
Fri: Football Practice for Busy Boy
Sat: Football Game for Busy Boy

My work load comes in waves. Most times it's usually either very busy or very slow. Currently, I'm knee deep in a busy season. I'm sitting in front of the computer from the time the busy kids leave for school, until they return. Then it's snack, homework, and prepare for the busy Boy/Girl activity.

Then there is dinner, laundry, baths/showers, preparation for the next day, clothes, lunches, check homework, sign papers, feed and walk Busy Dog, clean kitchen. After the house is quiet, I "try" to jump back into work mode. There was a time when I was able to work into the wee hours while everyone sleeps without skipping a beat. But lately, my eyelids get so heavy after midnight, I must go to bed. I'm thankful to David Letterman and Conan, they help to keep me alert.

Recently, I added another ball to the mix. I took on a freelance position with a small business owner. I will be doing some marketing for him on a project basis. It's been a challenge jumping to and from my projects to his. I haven't gotten the flow down yet, but I'm sure I will. I'm trying desperately to keep up and not drop one of the important balls, it's a struggle. Today I just couldn't stay on track. Tomorrow will be better.

WaWa

I started my 30 day challenge on October 1st which includes meal tracking and getting in 4 hours of exercise per week. It's day two and I've been on point with the meal tracking. On Sunday Busy Boy's football team participated in a local parade celebrating the towns 325th Anniversary. I walked with him in the parade. Not sure about the mileage but we walked for at least an hour, I'm including that in my 4 hour weekly goal. Only three hours to go. (Busy Husband thinks I shouldn't include walking in the parade as a workout-what do you think?)

The only temptation that could have thwarted my progress is the local WaWa. WaWa (for those who don't know) is like a 7-Eleven, but one million times better. They are a food/convenience market that sells everything plus more. They have at 9 different flavors of coffee and a variety of flavored creams to go with. WaWa also sells pastries, sandwiches (breakfast, subs and make your own specialty), healthy snacks, ice cream, drinks, fruit, make your own milkshakes, slushie machine, everything - all fresh and waiting to be consumed. The local WaWa is clean, well lit and stocked with fresh items and a courteous staff who love working there. The lines move quickly and it's always crowded.

Well, it's been a treat for me to run in after putting the kids on the school bus for a 20oz vanilla cream coffee w/cream (no sugar) and an old fashioned donut or cinnamon muffin. hmmmm. Well, Busy Husband called me yesterday frantic to let me know that the WaWa was temporarily closed for renovations!!!! OH NO!! They are expanding the store and I believe they may be adding a gas station. I don't know how long they will be out of commission, but I guess the timing could not have been better.

I Made The Cut!

What a beautiful day! This is by far my favorite time of the year, when the seasons are fluctuating between cold and hot - "layer season" is probably the best way to describe it. Perfect day for a football game.

As part of my preparation for "mid-life-ism" I challenged myself to be photographed at Busy Boy's football game today. One of the players father does an excellent job at capturing the boys in action-straight Sports Illustrated style. Well, since I'm not actually playing football, getting photographed was not going to be easy.

My plan was to casually float around at games end when snack was being handed out. Casually float in a photogenic way. Hmmm, how does one do that exactly? And there was no guarantee that I would even make the cut, well, I made it!

There I was, watching the game with my binoculars. Not a bad photo. But my quest continues. As for the game, our team won! Undefeated thus far 3-0! Go Bulldogs Go!!!

GO BUSY BOY GO! (#5)

Preparing for my "Fabulicious Fourties"

Ok, so I'm turning 41 in October. I'm a year late with freaking out about it but I'm beginning to see (and feel) sure signs of aging. Like when my back went out this summer after riding a roller coaster. I was so stiff, I couldn't turn my head. Since then, I've been having back issues on and off. That's never happened before. And what's with the night sweats? Does Nike make moisture wicking sheets?

Also, since I work from home, my wardrobe leave much to be desired. I'm working with practically nothing. T-shirts, jeans and sweats are great for working in front of a computer monitor all day in the comfort of your home. But I feel like such a slump when I venture beyond our residence. My eyes look tired and worn, I just feel blah most times. I'm sure most of this is in my head. I'd like to think most of this is in my head. I want to rebuild myself starting with a healthier body and building a better wardrobe.

I dislike taking photos because I don't like the way I look in them. I'd like to work on that as well. I found some tips on taking better photos, here they are:

1. Slim the hands. While this may seem like a small detail, making the hands look smaller can have a real impact. Angle your hands so that the edges of them, not the palms or backs show. This will add to the overall feel of “thinner”.
2. Wear dark clothes. Dark clothes have a tendency to make us look thinner
3. Watch your head position. Make sure you don’t pull your head back for the photo. This makes the chin skin squish out. This makes even thin people look terrible. You can put the head out just a tad if you like, which stretches out the skin a little without looking strange.
4. Get up high. Have the person taking the photo elevate their position just a little bit by standing on a chair. You will need to look up slightly, and in doing so will be stretching out the extra chin a bit, making it disappear behind the real chin. If done right, you usually can’t even tell it was taken from up high in the final photo. Whatever you do, don’t take any photos from down low!
5. Take Note. Check how celebrities pose on the red carpet. Practice in your mirror so next time someone brings out the camera, you're ready to go!

Here are some samples of the advice in action (compliments of Busy Boy):



Alrighty, now the first photo with the "X" is the "what not to do". It was shot from below, my full hands were showing and I held my face inward creating a second chin that I do not have. I do look mighty wide. In the second photo I twisted my body, stuck out my chin, slimmed my hands and the photo was taken from an elevated position, oh, and I changed into all black, I do see a difference. Finally, my handsome photographer, Busy Boy-always picture perfect!

Busy Boy has a football game every Saturday. One of the dads takes these FABULOUS photos of the boys during the game. Sometimes after the game he'll get some shots of them huddling and parents will be scattered about - I usually avoid those shots because they are posted on their family blog and I can never predict what I'll be looking like. So I'm gonna challenge myself this Saturday and try to get in a shot-wonder if I'll make the cut!

30 Day Challenge

This morning I received an challenge from a good friend to join her in a 30 day goal. Her goal is to work out for a minimum of one hour a day for the next 30 days. Am I scared, uh....yeah! If there is anything I dislike more it's exercise. I always have good intentions of working out, but I need to be realistic about the goal I select, but at the same time, I don't want to short myself by setting my goals low.

I will be celebrating my 41st birthday next month. What better way to enter my "fabulicious fourties" than with a healthy jump start. I don't have weight issues, but I do have to watch what I eat to maintain my softness. The fact that I have to lift my stomach to see my c-section scar will give you an idea of how much softness I'm working with.

So, with all that in mind, I'm suddenly inspired to begin a goal. My goal is as follows:

• Meal track for 30 days
• Exercise 1 hour a day 4 days a week

OK, it's out there! And I've started a blog to keep me honest! Who knows, maybe I'll go above and beyond the number of days I'll exercise.

All reading this blog - join us for the challenge! What can you commit to in the next 30 days!