Don't Cheer on the Fat Girl

There are two YMCA's near my home. One I actually worked at for about 3 years. When I first got the job I had a 3 month old baby, Miriam. Soon after I got pregnant and gave birth to Emma. So needless to say I was pretty big the entire time I worked there. I'm not a slothful person, I just have a healthy appetite and like to eat a lot of the wrong things. But I exercise on a pretty regular basis, and I guess because of my size people assumed that when I would use the gym I was one of those people who was attempting a life changing decision to get into shape. Whenever my co-workers would see me heading to the locker room to change, or on my way to the machines I was encouraged with something like; "Great Job!", "Way to go, Kara!". I took their enthusiasm with stride, just grinning and responding with a quick, "Thanks.".

Yeah, Thanks a lot! What is that suppose to mean!!! Are they are saying that I NEED this? Just call me fat to my face why don't you! What would happen if you said this to an already thin person? They would probably get defensive, their self-confidence would be shaken, sending them into a depressed spiral of despair. Or not, whatever.

The point is, just because I'm overweight doesn't mean that I'm unfit. I've run a 10K and I'm geared up to run another 10K next Saturday. I have earned my passage into the athlete category, and out of the Little Engine that Could category. So I have taken a bit of offense from people who cheer on the fat girl because they think I am going to fail without their words of motivation, but in my mind I have already succeeded.

Now I go to another gym than the one I worked at. I don't have those people encouraging me anymore, and yet I feel the eyes from the athletes that actually look like athletes all on me. As if to say, "Way to go, Fat Girl! You can do it!". I know I can do it, now cheer on a thin girl and leave me the heck alone!

Tobie

Tobie: "Is it going to be cold today?"

Me: "Well, not as hot as yesterday, but definitely cooler."

Tobie: "Oh cool, then we fixed Global Warning!"

He's going to think the world is coming to an end when we move back to Alabama.

My Distraction

I sometimes consider myself kind of lazy. It gets overwhelming to have 3 whirling dervishes wreaking havoc in a room you just spent 20-30 minutes cleaning. Thankfully Theo has the kind of job where he can be home any time around 2:30-4pm most afternoons. He is such a wonderful help around the house that I think; no, I know I have taken him for granted and have come to depend on him too much. I have started to expect him to take care of things if I am just too exhausted or sidetracked by my munchkins to take care of it myself.

So to my utter shame, my hardworking husband comes home to a dirty house with screaming children on a regular basis. I took offense if he happened to mention the house was out of sorts, which I would respond with a detailed list of the days stress and hardships I have endured that day. (*poor me*).

But for the last week he has been on a case in Oakland. He hasn't been coming home until 6pm every night. I went into deployment mode, even though he was going to be home in the evenings I knew that I was going to be alone during the meat of the day when kids need to be picked up and dropped off with meals in between, naps to be taken and nursing babies to be nursed.

And to my amazement my house has never been cleaner! I haven't been this on schedule since...well...he was deployed last. And I realized; I'm not lazy, I'm distracted. When he is home I want to be around him, I don't want to be vacuuming or cleaning dishes. I want to be where he is, talking about our day, our plans and enjoying our howling kids.

Since being in Oakland I am busying myself with chores and errands as I try to pass the time quickly until My Theo gets home at night. I got no distraction, the end result, a vacuumed carpet, clean dishes, made bed, clean living room and a hot supper waiting on the table.

It has really been eye opening for me. I realize that I need to be like this all the time, no more slacking! Even if My distraction is home I need to make my house a house of order so it can be a home for the rest of my family. No more fiddles playing my sad song about how difficult my 3 spirited children are, or how much I am stuck to a baby (or her stuck to me!). I'm turning a new leaf and I like it. I feel less burdened by my home and I am thankful for this experience that reminds me of the joys of being a stay at home mom. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I see a clean living room, or a made bed. I'm starting to take pride in these little feats that when all put together represents a well oiled machine I call a Family.

(Maybe I'll ask Theo to start working late at his normal job so I can get more done! HA! Just kidding honey!)

Party at My House

No not really, so don't come over. Thanks to Emma's creative juices my house is covered with that crinkly green plastic grass. This is actually her second mini party with the grass. The first time I dutifully picked it up immediately. I have been feeling a bit lethargic from the smorgasbord of Easter candy from yesterday and decided to get in the shower to try and bring myself back to life. The shower turned into a nice warm soak in the tub. As I sat there already dreading the long Spring Break week ahead of me it occurred to me that I should have taken a picture of all the grass so I could post it on my blog. Emma must have heard my mental regrets and being the perfect 2 year old that she is decided to oblige me with a second grass party. That was when I was interrupted by Tobie coming and telling me that Emma was throwing the grass all over the place again.
I don't know how much you can tell, but the grass is scattered all over. Tobie hamming it up!
Don't let this picture mislead you, she was pretending to help so I would take a picture of her, then she dropped everything and started her maniacal laugh while doing some crazy dance. Thanks baby girl, and thanks to the person who invented this wonderful grass that is such a necessity in life.

Meatloaf Cupcakes

I know this posting is late, but I was having a problem loading the video and then I forgot. So here is another attempt to share our April Fools.

I wasn't planning on doing anything. I'm really lame when it comes to ideas for pranking people. But I came across an idea where this mother made Meatloaf cupcakes for her kids. I thought this sounded like an awesome idea and I had all the ingredients, so what the hay!

I had to work fast while my kids were preoccupied in the other room, or else they would have been in the kitchen asking what I was making and wanting to help. And I knew that if they saw the ingredients the ruse would be over. They weren't even interested until I took it out of the oven and was piping the mashed potato icing on top. Thankfully my two girls are too short to see inside the cups, but Tobie did see and when I told the girls we were having cupcakes for dinner, he kept saying, "Yeah, meat cupcakes!". The girls didn't understand what he meant and I kept telling him to put a sock in it. I don't think the girls really caredor noticed what he was saying anyway, they were too busy dancing around the house yelling, "We're having cupcakes for dinner!!!". They couldn't believe their little eyes. I was probably the coolest mom at that moment.

Then it was time to sit at the table. The girls could hardly contain their excitement for the blessing of the "cupcakes". Just check out Miriam's face, PRICELESS!!! As soon as we said amen, Emma licked the icing and made some weird face, like "What the ....???" But said "MMMMmmmm..." I asked her if it was a yummy cupcake, and she stuck with it. "Uh-huh". Miriam tasted the icing, and immediately her eyebrows furrowed in shock. Then when we took the foil wrappers off she was just flabbergasted. "What's wrong with these cupcakes?". I couldn't contain my laughter and explained that they were meatloaf with mashed potatoes. She didn't go near the purple potatoes after that and the meat was even more disgusting to her. Emma ate most of hers, but that didn't stop her from accepting a bowl of cereal after.

I felt pretty proud of myself. And the masochistic part of it is that I can hardly wait for my kids to get older and pull pranks on me.

For some reason the video isn't uploading. I caught the whole thing on camera, and I can't even share it with everyone. Argh! I'll try it again later. Keep your fingers crossed, it is so worth it!

The Forgetful Organizer

I think that is my new self title. Do you ever feel good about yourself when you actually put things in a "place"? Everything has it's place, I believe the phrase goes. My method is put it down where you are, ignore it for a while, then when you can't take the clutter anymore organize it by putting it where it SHOULD be and then feel good about myself and wondering why I didn't just do that in the first place.

The only problem...most times I forget where I have put it when I was "organizing". I do this a lot I am realizing. I organize things into hiding places.

Just this afternoon I was getting ready for my sons Open House at school, and as I was putting on my makeup I couldn't find my eyebrow pencil sharpener. I distinctly remember finding it after the umpteenth time losing it and putting it in its "place" and feeling good about it. But that is the end of my recollection as to where I actually put it. Funny how I remember the feeling of accomplishment and being proud of myself that I was finally maturing and being responsible for my stuff, but I have no idea where I put the darn sharpener!

The same goes with my apple slicer, sure wish I could find that one.

Does anyone else experience this, or should I seek professional help? Maybe I'll just get one of those brain exercising games for the DS, or play Soduko. I seriously need to pump up my brain power before the kids are old enough to catch on.