A Mid-Summer Update

I'm back again! It seems that since my kids started summer vacation my blogging have dropped dramatically. Oh well, my kids MUST come first. I figured I'd just post a mid-summer update. Let's see...

I'm still pushing along, keeping track of my points for the most part yet not being ruled/obsessed with them. I was doing well with my walking, until the middle of last week due to some strange discomfort/soreness of my upper rib cage area. Went to the Dr. yesterday since it hasn't gone away, although it feels a bit better. Dr. feels it isn't the rib, but the muscles in the surrounding area. Rest, Motrin/ ice if needed and get back to him if it doesn't resolve in a week or so. Okay, well at least my mind can rest a little, I tend to get worked up over mystery pain, I tend to be all doom and gloom.

I've also been trying to get out and about with the kids, park, beach, bay etc. It's difficult when you really have to watch the finances yet you want to give them some summer fun. Their birthdays are coming soon, the oldest turns 10 next week, the daughter 8 the following week and the youngest 4 the week after! I like that their birthdays are so close, yet it really makes the summer fly by at the same time, once the little guy turns 4 it's just about time to get ready to go back to school.

This year will be different for sure since I will be starting my new teaching position. I'm really excited about it, and I've been busy planning and prepping as much as I can now to make things easier in the fall.

I've also been on a de-cluttering spree around here. I'm sort of looking at everything as if we were going to move, asking myself "would I really pay to move that to a new house, or would I get rid of it? do I use/need/love it?" these questions have been helping me get rid of lots of junk and I haven't regretted tossing one thing yet!

It seems as if my time to blog is up for now... mommy is needed elsewhere. Will try to be more consistent with this ...again!

Happiness and the Weather

I know I haven't posted in a while and I really don't want to give up on this blog. It is just that I've been really melancholy lately. All I really want to do (after I get my chores out of the way) is read. I am blaming it on the crazy weather pattern we are stuck in, Every day in June has been the same. A glimmer of sun early in the am, followed by grey clouds by the time the kids are heading out to school, followed by periods of rain/showers/downpours. It is really getting to me. My mood is definitely affected by the weather. One or two days like this I can handle, but an entire month?! You'll never see me moving to Seattle!

Today is the last 1/2 day of school for my two older kids. Tomorrow they have 1hr to just go to school, take attendance and pick up report cards and say goodbye for the summer! I just hope that summer gets here. I bet when it does it will be brutal! I am excited to have them home yet I know as they get older it seems to get more difficult to keep them from getting BORED! I recently read a book to them that had short stories that included life lessons for kids. I think it was called 7 Habits of Happy Kids (unfortunately it was a library book and has since been returned and I don't recall the author sorry :( if anyone really wants to know leave a comment and I'll find it for you). One story had the basic message that we are each responsible for our own happiness, so if you find yourself bored, go do something about it, don't look to others to entertain/make you happy. I think I'll be reminding them of that one this summer!

Actually that is a lesson we all can use from time to time. I think it can be applied to weight loss/healthy habits. If we aren't happy with how our efforts are going we should look no further than ourselves. We are responsible for our own happiness/choices. It isn't up to some outside force, meeting leaders, members, fellow bloggers, the scale etc. It is up to ourselves alone. Yes we can look for support and we should, but we are ultimately responsible for our own happiness, and therefore if this is true then we are also responsible for our own unhappiness. I don't know if I'm getting to deep here but it is something to think about.

I guess I can't blame the weather than can I? I just need to find a way to enjoy the day for what it is crappy weather or not. I think I'll go spend some time with my little guy, maybe that's what rainy days are for anyway?

The Little Engine

Sometimes I feel like the Little Engine that Could. Only sometimes I can't. I try to resist. I even wrote a post about how I was going to save the weekend. I was on the right track. I did okay this weekend...until it all started to derail Sunday night, which led to Monday and Tuesday. I guess I'm a victim of hormones/stress etc. I know what I should be doing, but that stubborn child inside me leads me astray. Today though I'm back to it. I think I can...I think I can... I think I can...

Fighting Off Cravings/Saving the Weekend

I'm fighting to stay on top of my pts today. For some reason I've been extra hungry. I think it may be that I didn't have protein at breakfast. My little bowl of Total and side of watermelon didn't do it I guess. Lunch was turkey and cheese on a small roll. Then things started to go downhill. I had to have some mixed nuts, expensive when you are counting points. A couple of hours later they were calling me again. I'm figuring I had two portions for a whopping 8 pts! What was I thinking?

Now I'm starting to have that "it's the weekend" feeling and "I'll do better Monday" thoughts. Monday. MONDAY! Monday is two and 1/2 days away. No No NO! I can't let this happen. So I am thinking of my quote, I will not spoil my appetite, I will not indulge in that glass of wine (if I do I know I won't have the strength to fight off the temptations lurking in my kitchen). Instead I am indulging myself in a Coke Zero. I've been strictly limiting my soda intake, so I figure this will take the place of the White Zin that's calling my name from the fridge.

I am also in the process of making dinner for my clan, and I took the time to write this quick post for my own sake. Getting it in writing will help. I'm sure.

Don't spoil me...

I'm pretty sure in a previous post I mentioned that I'm heading back to teaching in September. I'm really very excited about this. Excited and nervous. Excited and nervous and anxious. The whole idea of teaching again is exciting.

Don't get me wrong I've loved the past few years raising my kids even though it meant working pt/eves and weekends at a job that was well, just a job. To me teaching is so much more. It's like the saying "find a job doing what you love and you'll never have to work a day again". When we have the chance to work at what we truly enjoy, it's no longer work. So why do I feel nervous?

Well I'm going to be teaching 3yr olds. That's right Nursery School! The youngest I've taught was Kindergarten. So going down to 3 yr olds will be quite a change for sure. I am also feeling anxious because I've never taught Nursery and I feel the need to get my plans going. However, I was told when I interviewed that the school has plenty of resources of things that have been done in the past that they have found successful. I haven't had the chance to see these resources and well, today was the last day of school so now I have to wait for the director to contact me. I don't know when that will be and yes I'm starting to stress out over it.

I was looking around online at different teaching sites to try to gain a sense of control and gather some ideas when I read this :

"Don't spoil me. I know quite well that I ought not have all I ask for. I'm only testing you." (author unknown)

For some reason this spoke to me not only as an educator but as it relates to my appetite. Take a moment and think of your appetite saying this.

Yes, we all know that we ought not have everything our appetites ask for. We are being tested. For me this gives a new perspective on "Don't spoil your appetite." So from now on I'm going to think of my appetite as a 3yr old child. I need to be the one to make sure that it isn't being spoiled. I need to recognize when it is just testing me.

It's All Good

*sigh* it's over and the dentist found No Problems with my teeth. The pain was from a small mouth ulcer thing, no big deal will go away on its own, and actually it feels much better today. He cleaned my teeth, they were overdue, and I feel sooo much better ;)

The Phone Just Rang...

and guess who's going to the dentist in 2 1/2 hrs. I don't know if I'm happy or just relieved that I can get this looked at sooner rather than later. We all know how quickly a tooth ache can turn into a big problem. Now I have to be a big girl and face the DENTIST. I'm telling you after the three c-sections I endured you'd think the dentist would be no biggie. I just have such fears stemming from my childhood experiences dentistry. Ugggh.