Winter Running 101 - Prescribed Run #2

Last night was the second meeting for my Winter Running 101 training. I'm happy it was last night and not tonight since there is going to be quite the change in the weather. We're expecting snow in the mountains and rain here in the valley.

Anyway, the run was good. This week's run was 1 minute of running and 3 minutes of walking...10 times. I was able to keep up and recover during the 3 minutes of walking. Yeah!
Again this sounds easy, but we will be working our way up to a 5k run over the next 11 weeks. For now, I need to resist the urge to forge ahead and do more than is prescribed, so that I stay injury free.

My homework for this week is to do 2 honor runs. This would be much easier if I had a running partner. Maybe someone from the training class will live on my side of town.

Finally

Finally it's looking like Christmas. The tree is up...

the decorations are up...

and the baking has begun...

Now all that's left to do is the shopping!

Winter Running 101 - Prescribed Run #1

Yesterday was my day to run the prescribed run from my running class. So after work and after picking up my boy from school, we packed up the car with his bike and a ball and headed to the park.

The run went well. I was able to complete the run/walk without any problem. I'm sure the training will become more challenging but for now I'm sticking to the program and hoping to get stronger and faster all without injury.

Tonight I'm on my way to a Holiday Party at Sullivans and the anxiety is high. I have a whole bunch of excuses for not going like: I'm not a party person; nothing fits; I didn't shop for anything new; I don't want to be out late since I have so many holiday projects to complete tomorrow; blah, blah, blah.

I'm sure I'll be fine once I get there.

Twelve Days of Christmas

I came across a beautiful blog by Design Mom today while I was supposed to be working. Design Mom's blog is full of design ideas and beautiful photos.

If you are not a reader of her blog, you should definitely get on over, check it out and sign up for her Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway.

Winter Running 101

Tonight I started the Winter Running 101 5K Training Program. It's a program designed to get me to the starting line of the YMCA 5K run in 11 weeks...without injury, (hence the name 5k training program).

Tonight went well, despite it being the coldest day of the year so far! I was stressing that I would be the last person to finish, but there wasn't a last person. We all started a 5 minute warm-up walk, and then a 1 minute run. At the end of 1 minute, the person in front walked to back to the last person and everyone followed and walked for 4 minutes. We did this 7 times.

This may not seem like a lot for someone reading this, but it is a Running 101 program, for the very beginner. There were all different levels of fitness, young and old (the oldest was 69 years- old), and varying weights.

This group will meet once a week and have two prescribed runs to do during the week. I think I'll be able to hang with this group for the next 11 weeks.

I Voted

Boo!

We had a pretty poor showing this year for Halloween. We had exactly 9 visitors! NINE! I couldn't believe it!

The Boy wanted to stay home this year to hand out candy instead of going out to Trick or Treat. It was a very Charlie Brown moment -- The Boy and his Dad sitting outside waiting to see all of the kids and their costumes, but sadly after 2 hours and only 9 kids, they gave up, came inside and called it a night. Poor kid.

Happy

Color Dots
Originally uploaded by Posey C

Lately I've been into making rings, and I really like the way these turned out. They are made of sterling wire with tiny cups filled with color. Looking at all of the colors together just makes me happy.

You can wear one or stack several.

Oprah Is Dead To Me

Last month I saw that Oprah was looking for Moms who have lost their sexy. Where do I sign up? Immediately I went on the Oprah website, filled out the form, submitted it, and then to my surprise I even got an email back from the producer. The producer, just to get my hopes up a little bit more, asked that I send additional pictures (for God's sake I even sent them pictures of my unsexy underwear). I then waited, and waited, and waited.

Yesterday I get home and turn on the TV only to find...Oprah is doing a show on Sexy Mom Makeovers. It's not fair! That was supposed to be me! I need the makeover! Why? Why? Why?

Oprah is dead to me!

Clean, Simple and a Little Whimsical

I thought giving my blog a new look would help to motivate me into posting more often. I've been watching way too much TV lately, which is sucking all of the creativity out of me. We'll see if this helps. I wanted a clean simple look with a little whimsey.

Last weekend I actually tore myself away from the TV and ventured out into the world...the world of "NightFall - Release the Beast" at Old Tucson Studios. Nightfall is an annual Halloween event set in an old movie studio in the middle of the desert.

My boy is 8 years old and really had no desire to go, that is until all the kids at school starting talking about it and he decided that Nightfall was something that he couldn't possibly miss. So against my better judgement, we met up with friends and off we went. I must say that I thought this was a b-a-a-a-d idea. This is a boy who is afraid of his own shadow! So I knew there would be sleepless nights following this little outing.

"My Boy" with Vanessa, Camille and the Beast.

"My Boy" with another Beast and "B".

I have to admit "my boy" put on a very brave face the entire night. There were some things that were really scary for him, like the werewolf that climbed down from a building with a chainsaw and chased a random girl behind a opaque plastic sheet, where her blood was being splattered. I had to reassure him that the girl was planted into the crowd and none of it was real real and that everyone was an actor in costume.

Of course I slept in his bed for the past two nights and my hand still hurts from him squeezing so hard.

Flower Power

Sterling silver flowers with colored dots strung on a fine sterling chain.

My Boy

I ran across a blog by Amanda, a few weeks ago named Mama's Other Side. Amanda wrote some thoughts about the loss of her baby girl that were very loving and touching. Amanda's words brought me to tears and made me think how grateful I am and how much I love my boy. Like most Mothers, I'm sure there are no words to describe what I feel feel for my child.

Most days he is a sweet mama's boy who is loving, affectionate and smart. Other days he is exhausting, loud, messy and sticky; and I wouldn't trade him for the world. There are days when I feel like I just want to drive away, but I know I would only get a few miles down the road before I would missed him terribly. I couldn't love anyone or anything more.

I don't know what's up with this picture, he really doesn't have a mustache (he's only 8).

In honor of my boy, I had Nina Gibson make a custom charm for me. Nina does wonderful and creative work. Thanks Nina!

The back of the charm is stamped with my boy's name and birthdate. I've strung the charm on red leather and finished it off with a sterling lobster clasp.

Check out Nina Gibson Designs.

Lovin' J Crew Lately

I'm lovin' the new J Crew catalog. When it comes in the mail I just can't wait to get everything done and get the boy in bed so I can relax and flip through the catalog and dream. It is filled with great pieces for Fall.

For instance, the Snow Lepoard Simone Peacoat

and the Vintage Slim Selvedge Jean.

Thankfully JCrew has sales quite often, because the price tag for the jacket is $260.00 and the jeans, a cool $175.00.

It may be a little while before the UPS guy delivers to my house.

The Weatherman Says...

Yipee! I just heard the weather report and finally...the weather is supposed to take a turn. By Sunday, temperatures are expected to drop to 79 degrees and possible thunderstorms. I can hardly contain myself! Seventy-nine degrees may not seem like a big deal to the 2 people that read my posts, but it's been in the high 90's for the last few weeks. It's October for goodness sake.

Fall makes me want to bake and fill my home with wonderful smells. My family may not eat delicious, well-balanced nutritional meals, but by God, they do get their fill of baked goods.

We Have Termites

Even worse than having termites AND paying $500 to have the house treated, is having the termite guy come to your house at 7 am to begin work and shortly thereafter ask I he can use your restroom...and proceed to poop in my bathroom! O.M.G!

Thank goodness I had already left for work. But "my boy", who by the way is becoming more and more like me everyday, calls me at work to report the incident:

Boy: Mom, the termite guy came in the house to ask if he could use the bathroom, and he pooped! My ball rolled into the bathroom after he was done and he had turned on the fan and everything. I almost choked.

(of course his report was much more descriptive but I'll spare you).

Me: Put your Father on the phone.

Me: Why would you let a total stranger put their bare ass on our toilet? That's what fast food resturants are for! There's a Carl's Jr. right down the road.

T: I didn't know he was going to poop.

Me: Well you're cleaning that bathroom TODAY.

I have a hard enough time cleaning the bathrooms after my own family, there is no way I can clean up after a stranger. Maybe I'll just board that bathroom up and paint over it.

Double the Love

I had a rather large checklist for this weekend and I, for the most part, got everything done:

• Laundry - check


• Mop floors - check


• Clean bathrooms - Ugh! check


• Fit in a yoga class - change of subject


• Fit in a run/walk - change of subject


• Find a recipe for buttermilk cranberry scones - check


• Actually cook a semi-healthy meal - check


• Post on blog - check


• Finish a project for a co-worker's wife that just had twins (well she had the twins 3 months ago. It's the thought that counts right?) - check!

Finally I finished the necklace and as usual I'm unsure of giving it as a gift. I start to second guess myself - will she like it? is it her style? do people actually like handmade gifts?

It's a sterling silver photo frame that is completely handmade by me and strung on a 18" sterling ball chain. I call it "Double the Love". The pictures can be changed just by sliding new ones in the back. That's "my boy" in the frames.

Ugh! I just don't know what to think. Anyone out there with any feedback. I'd love to hear some thoughts.

I'm Just Saying...

I'm not an advocate of violence, but I can relate, "Dirty Dishes Sparked Girlfriend's Rampage".

09/09/08 1:40 pm

I've been sick for a few days. In fact, I know the exact day and time that I contracted this bug. It was Tuesday September 9, at 1:40 pm.

I was coming up the stairs near the men's restrooms at work. A man came out of the restroom, introduced himself to me and held out his hand to shake. When I got back to my office, I sat at my desk and proceeded to put a pretzel in my mouth. It was at that very moment that the following thoughts went through my head: 1) OMG, what if he didn't wash his hands after using the bathroom 2) OMG, what if he DID wash his hands, but touched the bathroom doorknob; and 3) eewhhh!

I just knew I was going to get sick, and I did.

Anyway I'm feeling a bit better today, or at least I was, until I ventured out of the bedroom among the living. Seriously my living room looked like something out of a cartoon. Stuff was EVERYWHERE! There was actually a banana peel hanging off of the dining room table.

I decided that I really wasn't feeling better after all!

Pierced Nipples and Full Body Tattoos

Okay, there are just some things you don't need to know about your co-workers:

1) they have their nipples pierced, and 2) their boyfriend has a FULL body tattoo. And when I say full body, I mean full body.

I have general rules about work: I don't ever need to be naked with a co-worker and I.don't.need.to.know.their.business.

Case in point - the new receptionist decided that I needed to know that in June, she had her nipples pierced. I broke my first rule and asked a few obligatory questions like, "what in the hell would possess you to do that?". She not only explained why, but she also decided that I needed to see it, and that's why I guess a cell phone with a camera comes in handy. Yeah. And there it was a nipple (her nipple!) with a barbell through it. Hmmm.

Since I had asked a few questions about the piercing, I suppose she thought I needed to know about her boyfriend that has a full body tattoo. Again along with this information were pictures!

Why didn't I think that since she had shown me a picture of her nipple, that she wouldn't have a picture of her boyfriend in all of his nakedness on her phone? She had several close up, very close up pictures. all angles. front to back. And every inch was tattooed.

Did I mention that they were very close up?

She kept going on and on about the artwork, but all I could see was the how the "dragon" had a piercing through his "skull".

I could have lived the rest of my life and never known this about her or seen the pictures.

They Say It's Your Birthday...

Happy Birthday to me! Today is my birthday...and I'm not really sure how I feel about it. Not really excited by not really down like I have been on previous birthdays. I guess that happens with age.

I was awakened this morning with a chorus of "Happy Birthday to You", from my boy and my husband. Hopefully this will be followed up with dinner out and a present.

It's September

Where did the year go? Just a little over 3 months before the new year. Unbelievable!!

Sitting here today I've been trying to think about the things that have happened in 2008, and sure there have been some big, life changing events (or event), but for the most part I think I've let the year just happen. Well no more!!

So as of today I am going to notice/pay attention to each day that remains of 2008.

It Was Just Too Much

and finally all came out in the most unexpected way. My boy has been sick. I know that he is really sick because he has never missed a day of school since he started 3 years ago, which he is very proud.

Sequence of events:

1. sick child last night
2. no sleep
3. child that didn't feel good in the morning, but no fever so decided to go to school
4. take child to school and drive to work
5. take call from school nurse that child is wheezing and needs to see a doctor
6. call husband to pick up child and take him to doctor
7. deal with passive/aggressive boss by rushing around to finish everything he decided can't wait
8. receive call from passive/aggressive husband that he absolutely has to get back to work and I must get home ASAP, oh and on the way, stop and pick up the prescription
9. drive like a bat out of hell to get home
10. get stopped by Sheriff for speeding

And that's when it happened -- total meltdown! It was all too much for me. I'm not sure but i think I blubbered all of these events to the Sheriff.

One good thing, he did let me off with just a warning!

and it only took 3 weeks!

It only took 3 weeks for "my boy's" teacher to want to speak with me. Yesterday when I dropped him off at school, his teacher motioned me over and said "can I speak with you a moment?". Ms. Jackson wanted to inform me that "my boy" had made the comment in class that someone in a book or story they were looking at "looked like a homo".

For the next few seconds I only saw Ms. Jackson's mouth moving. The only sound I heard was the sound of my own blood rushing through my body. I'm pretty sure it's the same sound you hear right before you have a stroke.

After I composed myself I asked "my boy" what a homo was. He replied with the innocence of an 8 year old "a homeless guy ".

At least this year it took 3 weeks before a teacher needed to "speak with me".

It's the Principle

School has been in sessions for exactly 2 weeks and 4 days, and already I'm annoyed. Today they school has sent home a flippin' Fundraiser packet. You know the kind I'm talking about; it's the kind that they furnish a catalog filled with crap, and not just any crap, but expensive crap. The kids are supposed to pedal this crap to friends, family and I'm supposed to ask my co-workers to buy this expensive crap.

This alone would normally be enough to annoy me. But add the fact that these fundraiser "people" dangle prizes in front of the kids with impossible goals to reach, it's just not fair to the kids. So, this fundraiser is dangling the prize of having a BMX team come to the school and perform, but only for the kids that sell at least 5 items. How can this be right/fair? What about the kids that don't have family around (like us for example)? What about the families that are barely hanging on by a thread and just can't afford this expensive crap? Or that have 2 or 3 children at the school. Should these children not be allowed to participate in the performance?

This is not fair and just on principle I don't want any part of this, but my son does and I don't want him to feel left out, so I will have to spend at least $50.00 on crap that I don't want.

I'll get off my soapbox now, but I feel this is blackmail. Believe me this is not over!

Sunshine, Freedom & a Little Flower

Just living is not enough, one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower -- Hans Christian Anderson.


This necklace is my interpretation of the quote by Hans Christian Anderson. Each of the tiny sterling disks are stamp with the sun, a peace sign and a "little flower". I think the peace sign is the perfect symbol of freedom.

I usually don't show my work but I'm trying to step out of my comfort zone. Maybe it's a lack of confidence or fear of harsh criticism but whatever it is, I'll just have to get over it.

Happy Feet

We have lift off, finally. My boy's feet are finally healing. The doctor had scheduled a second biopsy, since it seemed that the antibiotics weren't working; but when we showed up for what undoubtedly was not going to be fun, there was nothing to biopsy! Which was a really good thing, not only for my boy, but for me also, since at the last biopsy I had the choice of leaving the room or fainting. Since this time the husband wasn't able to come to the appointment, I would have to be in the room during the procedure seeing as how the kid was already scared. Anyway Doc L, who by the way looks like Lyle Lovett's younger brother, and didn't want me passing out in his office anymore than I wanted to, was really happy with the way my boy's feet were healing.

This has been going on since about the end of June and let me tell you, IT WAS NASTY! Big, ugly fluid filled blisters. Come to find out he has some kind of plant based allergy and also some genetic skin issues going on.

But for now all is clear! He's happy -- I'm happy -- everyone is happy!

Be Kind...

I just read a post by Lisa, and it made me think about one of my favorite quotes. -- "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle" - Plato.

When someone cuts us off in traffic, or says a harsh word, you just never know what they are dealing with. Maybe if they just heard bad news, or they have a sick family member or just got laid off from a job and have no idea how they are going to pay the next mortgage.

Being kind, it couldn't hurt!

Productivity

This past weekend was very productive. I spent a lot of time at my work table, working on a few new ideas, and will reveal them shortly. I know it looks like a mess, but really I know where everything, well, most things are. Really.

How Am I Going to Explain This One?

This is the first week of school for "my boy", and of course he made a new friend that he wanted to come over and play after school. Normally 1 child (mine) in my house is enough, but after meeting the boy's mother, I decided to let him come over for awhile and play, besides it could work in my favor. So my husband picks up the boys from school and I go and get a workout in without the worry of having to rush home.

After a really hard workout I thought I could go home and take a nice long shower. The reason that this is important to this post is because "my boy" has some kind of bathroom radar. Whenever I go into the bathroom, whether it is to actually go to the bathroom, take a shower or just hide in there for a few minutes of peace, he instinctively knows and at that very moment he needs me or has to use the bathroom (even though there is another bathroom in the house). But since he had a friend over I figured he would be occupied. Ri-i-i-ght! Does anyone see where this is going?

So I'm taking my leisurely shower, head full of shampoo (oh yeah - the shower enclosure is clear glass), and I hear "Mom -- Mom. Can we have a snack?". Now usually I would yell "Hello, I'm taking a shower!", but there was just something about the way he said "we". I turned trying to keep by back toward the voice, and there was not only my son standing in the bathroom but his little friend too.

I.was.mortified. These boys had to walk from my son's room, down the hallway, through the dining and living room, which by the way was where my husband was sitting, and into the master bedroom to come into the bathroom and ask me "can they have a snack".

I explained the incident to the boy's mother when she came to pick him up, and although it seemed she took it well, I don't think this boy will be coming over to my house to play again any time soon and I'll never become a member of the Momtourage.

School Days

Today was the first day of school, so yesterday we braved the heat to get ready. There was lots of primping and preening:

First came the haircut --

Second, the wash --

Third, the warm steam towel --

Then the massage --

and finally -- he's ready for the 3rd Grade!

First Post

My first post to this blog was supposed to show pictures of our vacation to San Diego...but as luck would have it -- new camera + new blog = no pictures. Oh well, I'll have to work on that.

Instead I'll write about my goals. I figure if I write it down, then there is proof and I'll have to be accountable. My goal is to run a 10K. To some that may not seem like much; but to me, someone that hasn't done any exercise -- this is huge!

I woke up at 5:30 am and walked 2 miles before the sun started beating down. It was actually kind of nice being up so early in the morning, before the streets became busy and seeing the wildlife running around.

Hopefully I can remember this feeling tomorrow morning.

Posey