Finster Finds

...it means I worked hard right? I went back today for Step and Core and the boys had a great time at the babysitting. They had a lot of kids so they moved half up to the racquetball court and when I went to get them about half the kids were doing laps around the track. One of mine was leading the pack and the other was bringing up the rear. Gibson was so proud of himself to be doing "extherthise". I was a bit sore this morning but I pushed through it. I like doing the classes because I can't just quit in the middle like I can do at home with a tape. Too embarrassing! I also like that I feel sore because it tells me I am working different muscles. I am never sore after the Treadmill, even if I go for an hour and a half. My leg muscles are used to that motion. I am planning next week and I will try to go 3X.

Yesterday I finally did what I had intended to do for months. I called the YMCA and booked my kids in for babysitting during a time when a drop-in class was offered ( Circuit Challenge ). So this morning we headed off at 8:45 to drop them off for 9:00 a.m. at babysitting. I was a littler early for the class and went up on the treadmills for 10 minutes before it started. What a class! It was a nice mix of cardio and resistance and she kept us working. I think my knees might hurt a bit tomorrow, but I was so glad I went. I signed the boys up for babysitting again tomorrow and I will go at the same time for Step and Core . THEN, if I am still moving I will sign them up for Friday and do the Circuit Challenge class again. I have to commit to this and the boys had a great time in the babysitting room so that was cool, and it was pretty cheap ($7.50 for the two boys for 1.5 hours - half of what I pay my regular sitter). I know that some weeks it won't work with Oliver's ...

Last night we had a babysitter booked and we went out to a party at a friend's house. It was so very nice. There were a lot of people from the theatre scene there. I knew about half and was familiar with most of the others. It was nice to feel at home in Edmonton, as it reminded me of the parties we would go to in McMurray. Lots of food, talking, laughing and just feeling comfortable. I didn't feel like the "newcomer" so I figure I am home now.

Oh yeah. Down 0.8 lbs this week for a grand total of 21.2 lbs! Yay! That's with a very food-filled weekend in there. Very happy.

Pencil drawing by Gibson June 22, 2007 "Portrait of Auntie Annie"

Okay, this is a second child I am talking about, so I am not in that happy delirious haze of first time parenthood. Had to get that out of the way first. My child, Gibson, is an artistic genius. Maybe it is too soon to tell, but if you can't brag about your children on your blog, where can you? But get this, he sings, in tune, all the time. Now, his favorite songs are "Stupid Girls" (Pink) and "Upside Down" (Jack Johnson - Curious George Soundtrack), but still, - in tune! Why is that so amazing? Well, for me it is because he is 2 years and 8 months old. The reaction of the teacher at Kindermusik has confirmed for me that Gibson's vocal skills are unusual. Most of the children his age listen to the music and dance a bit, but very rarely do they actually sing along and extremely rarely are they ever in tune. He can also tap out beats correctly and in tempo - most kids his age just bang away randomly. So that's his musical genius - but get this - today he d...

Despite my intention to "live purposefully and without regrets" I find myself wondering about my purpose and regretting an attempt to be understood. Today I tried to let someone in on some stuff that had been bothering me for quite awhile (the stuff bothering me was not with that person but with another person we are both close to). Unfortunately for all involved I did it by email (I advise against this) and I ended up not only failing to achieve my purpose, but I also hurt them, which was not my intention. Thus I now have regrets. I have "I feel sick to my stomach" regrets. I am not sure how to deal with this. Do we keep everything to ourselves and create our own personal island? I am not sure. I guess we could talk an objective outsider, but that doesn't offer any solutions other than venting. I have no interest in having an "outsider" understand me better. I do want the people in my life to understand me better and to understand why I act c...

Today I have been running around like crazy, but I managed to stop in for weigh in. I am happy to report that I am down another 2 lbs for a grand total of 20.4 lbs! It feels great to crack the 20 lb barrier. I am feeling better and the sunny days are exciting because they are so much easier to face! I do need to get to the grocery store for more fruits and veggies. I will also have to watch it this weekend because it is a big family weekend with a BBQ or two and a couple of birthday celebrations. No backsliding!

Things happen to us. People do things to us. We live it and then it should just be done, but how come it isn't? A few years back I worked with someone who made my work-life very unpleasant. There was a whole job-sharing thing there and perhaps neither of us communicated the best during the transition, but I had thought that the strength of our friendship would make the situation a good thing. I didn't really know who I was dealing with. She was amazing as a friend so long as she was treated as the queen of her world. Once threatened (which was not my intention) she became the Queen of all Queens (think Snow White's Step-Mother). I tried to make it work. I tried to be optimistic. Some months were better than others, but just when I thought things would be alright there would be a little dig, or a big dig, or something to undermine me. Some comments were made in the staffroom (I heard about this from friends on staff), comments were made in staff meetings (once the Admin ...

I have so many balls in the air right now. It is all planned out and working, but there is little down-time. I wonder how I can do this sometimes. I go from one event or activity to the next with little time to breathe in between. I make it happen. I complain sometimes, but I don't do a lot to change the overall structure of my life. I think, for me, I don't reduce the number of activities because some of them are not my activities by choice. I have to do them. I have to get Oliver off the bus. I have to feed the kids. I have to deposit my cheque in the bank and pay my bills. When you add in laundry and cleaning and all that stuff you could easily fill a day. I need the other things like the writing conference and the rehearsals and choir practice so that I have some things that I am doing just for me.

I was down another 0.2 lbs this week after being really bad with the eating. So my grand total is 19 lbs. Yay! The nice weather is what has saved me I think, because I have been outside and moving and that really helps.