Goals

I have now officially been quit smoking for 6 months and I can tell you it has not been an easy road but I am still happy every day that I am quit.
I have gotten rid of the pounds I put on because I quit and although I am at a plateau in my weight loss I am not gaining.
I have a great workout schedule and have finally figured out that a day off doesn't have to be the beginning of the end.
I feel healthy. I am no longer fighting a cold for 6 months at a time.
I have found friends that support my choices and hobbies that make me happy and keep me busy.
I am happy to be celebrating with my wonderful family the future we have without cigarettes in our lives.
It is a beautiful day and for those who still don't believe they can do it, any day is the right day to start.

Goal 5: Kids

My kids are almost pre-teens. They have moments filled with angst. They tell me that things that used to be their favorites are baby-ish and that they don't need a babysitter anymore. There are still times though when they still like to be tucked in and read to. Some days they still want to sit and color in a color book or eat a Popsicle on the porch on a hot day. And once in a while someone stills falls asleep on a long car ride.
Maybe there are things we never outgrow.

Goal 5: Celebrate Often and Together.

This month has been a crazy month in my house. May-June always is. It's every single holiday for the entire year all rolled into one.

My baby turns 8 today and although I may not be ready to stop nagging him about keeping his room clean or eating veggies... 8 is pretty darn grown up and something very worth celebrating so here is my awesome shout out to one of the greatest people I have ever known. May you continue to be the stellar human being you have started out as. ;) Happy Birthday Nate!

Free stuff to do!

Wow! It's been a while since I have blogged. I guess I will get back on track with ways I have found to get around having to pay BIG BOKOO $$$ for every outing this summer. Summer fun doesn't mean you have to be broke.
1. Look around for neighborhood activities. Either things like picnics and garage sales in your neighborhood or outdoor movie nights in the city nearest you.
2. Check out pools in the area.
3. National anything usually = free something. For example last week you could get 10$ free play at D&B for National Play Day and yesterday was free doughnut day and the 11th is free fishing day.
4. Use survey coupons at places like Burger King or Dave and Busters that guarantee free stuff for 5 minutes of your time.
5. Always fill out contest drawings for tickets. almost no one does so you have a great chance of winning.

2 weeks ago I won Sugarland tickets from a ball game we went to and tonight we are going to see Rhianna because my husband won tickets through a promo with Buzztime at Buffalo Wild Wings!

Lonestar - I'm Already There Military tribute

My husband is coming home tomorrow. I am posting this for my hero and for all those who serve. You are loved and missed. <3

Goal 6: Play Hard

I finally let myself spend the money on a bike. For years I have wanted one and I bought my husband son and daughter bikes without ever allowing myself to have one. I told myself I'd never ride it, or I wouldn't remember how. It's a blast. Can't even remember why I ever stopped riding!

Goal 6: Have fun.

I have loved music and dancing but for years but I told myself there was no point in dancing because I wasn't going to be a dancer. Since I started dancing I have developed a different view. Dancing is fun... That is why people who have very little talent pay money to get into clubs on Friday night. Music is a joyous expression of who we are and this... is my song of the day. I dedicate it to all the Keri, Kari, Carries of the world!

You want to have a little fun? sing on!

Pretty Girl Rock lyrics by: Keri Hilson

I can do the pretty girl rock rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Now what's your name?

My name is Keri, I'm so very
Fly oh my it's a little bit scary
Boys wanna marry looking at my derri-
erre, you can stare but if you touch it I'ma bury

Pretty as a picture
Sweeter than a swisher
Mad cause I'm cuter than the girl that's with ya, I don't gotta talk about it baby you can see it
But if you want I'll be happy to repeat it

My name is Keri, I'm so very
Fly oh my it's a little bit scary
Boys wanna marry looking at my derri-
erre, you can stare but if you touch it I'ma bury

Pretty as a picture
Sweeter than a swisher
Mad cause I'm cuter than the girl that's witcha
I can talk about it cause I know that I'm pretty
And if you know it too then ladies sing it with me

All eyes on me when I walk in,
No question that this girl's a 10
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
My walk, my talk the way I dress
It's not my fault so please don't trip
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful

Aye, now do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock
All my ladies do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock

Now where you at?
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/k/keri-hilson-lyrics/pretty-girl-rock-lyrics.html ]

If you're looking for me you can catch me (pass by)
Cameras flashing
Bet he turned his head just as soon as I passed him
Girls think I'm conceited cause I know I'm attractive
Don't worry about what I think, why don't you ask him?

Get yourself together don't hate (never do it),
jealousy is the ugliest trait (don't ever do it)
I can talk about it cause I know that I'm pretty
And if you know it too then ladies sing it with me

All eyes on me when I walk in
No question that this girl's a 10
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
My walk, my talk the way I dress
It's not my fault so please don't trip
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful

Doing the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock
All my ladies do the pretty girl rock rock
Get low witcha pretty girl rock rock
Steal the show witcha pretty girl rock rock
All my ladies do the pretty girl rock rock
Sing it with me now

All eyes on me when I walk in,
No question that this girl's a 10
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful.
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful.
My walk my talk the way I dress
It's not my fault so please don't trip
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful [x2]

Goal 2: Calorie Trackers

I really want a heart rate monitor watch so I can keep track of what I burn no matter what activity I am doing. While I was searching for a mythical cheap one... which may or may not still exist I found an excellent website to track your weight loss.
I now have...

Created by MyFitnessPal - Nutrition Facts For Foods

I still don't have a heart monitor watch but at least I have a plan.
Wish me luck!

Thank you military members for all you do!

I so often hear stories of service members going above and beyond and I think they are such inspirations. They volunteer to read to students, drive home people who have too much to drink and are always there in crisis situations like the earthquake in Japan to help others. In a world where it is sometime hard to find the good in people they are a very bright beacon of hope.

Goal 6: Day 7

A photo of something you stand for:

I support many of the charities that provide treatment and care to people living with HIV/AIDS. The drugs exist to keep these kids alive yet they are still dying and it is easy to help. Donations can be small and make a huge difference and if you are too selfish or broke to give your money away buying RED allows you to buy the item you wanted and donate.

Keep a Child Alive, "a charity dedicated to providing life-saving anti-retroviral treatment, care and support services to children and their families with HIV/AIDS in Africa and the developing world". 

"(RED) money funds grants that go to HIV/AIDS programs in Ghana, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia. Over 7.5 million people have been impacted by (RED) supported Global Fund grants. (RED) is the largest business sector contributor to the Global Fund. To date, (RED) partners and events have contributed more than $160 million. 100% goes to programs on the ground - no overhead is taken by either (RED) or the Global Fund"

Goal 6: Day 6

A picture of someone you love:

When I was a kid I used to love the picture of my dad in his military uniform. Now my husband is in the military and I see uniforms everyday. This on the other hand was a one time thing. I took this picture of my Marlboro Man in Monterey for a photography class. He almost never lets me take his picture so this has prime wall real estate.

Goal 6: Day 5

A photo that makes you laugh:

This is a picture that I took in my most advanced photography class and then hand painted. It's of a booby and mine trap manual that my husband and I found at a military surplus store in Salinas, CA. I love the simplicity of the directions and it's implications for life in general always kind of crack me up.
And because we all need more laughter in our lives: Another:

Hide and seek anyone?: "Mom I can't find her!" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goal 6: Day 4

A place I'd like to visit...

I have been fascinated with the fall of Rome since I was a child. In high school I wanted to go to Rome so badly I took 2 years of Latin. I failed and never got to go but the want never went away. In college I read Daisy Miller and longed to go to the Colosseum at night even though it was the death of Daisy.

Goal 6: day 3

A picture that makes you happy...

My babies when they were still babies!

Goal 6: Day 2

A baby picture of me...
I have two.

Me and "ugly doll" (Yes that was her name).

Your standard Kmart setup.

Goal 5: A note to parents of smelly children everywhere.

My son of whom has hated baths since he was well born played in a mud puddle today just so he could have one. My trick is a simple one and apparently a trick I have had around a long time and didn't remember. My son got the most amazing toy called swim to me puppy a couple years ago and somehow it ended up in the top of his closet probably due to a lack of batteries. We found it the other day while cleaning his room and put batteries in it and low and behold it is awesome. I still can't figure out how it does what it does but it swims on it's own when placed in the water. I have never heard my son laugh so much. It will settle the bath time disagreements (Not that we ever disagree with our children, right?) and it's cute as a button.

Goal 6: Read what you want to read.

 Good reads is a brilliant application on Facebook where you can share your readings with others. I keep track of my reading there as often as I can. As I have no doubt blogged about previously one of the books I am reading is The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and one of my favorite ideas that I have taken away from it is to "be gretchen" as she puts it. Too often in life we do things that don't make us happy because they interest others and we think they should also interest us. I love books... all books... and I don't mind people thinking of me as bookish especially as I am sure to relate to Rachel coven's new female lead. She states: "I particularly loved the adjective bookish, which I found other people used about as often as ramrod or chum or teetotaler."Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. One thing I did mind until I read the happiness project was my tendancy to lean towards children's literature. It always made me feel like a silly little girl. I love fairy tales and as a college student I was expected to read literature all of the time and put away my childish endeavors so I read the great BFG with my son and smiled quietly to myself. However, from now on I plan to "Be Kari" and let my love of children's literature continue to capture my imagination for years to come...
As Gretchen quotes this was even the view of C.S. Lewis who said "When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I become a man I put away childish things, including the fare of childishness and the desire to be very grown up".

Goal 6: Day 1

A Photo of me:

I don't know if it was the clothes... the hair... the makeup... or the fact that I was surrounded by people I loved but when this picture was taken I felt beautiful!

Goal 6: Have fun.

Thanks to my friend Kari ( yes we do have the same name) I found a challenge to post 30 days of pictures that looks like this... so just like almost everyone else I know has. I now have to try and do it.

Day 1: A photo of you.

Day 2: A photo of yourself when you were a baby

Day 3: A photo that makes you happy.

Day 4: A photo of a place you'd like to visit.

Day 5: A photo that makes you laugh.

Day 6: A photo of someone you love.

Day 7: A photo of something you stand for.

Day 8: A photo of something you enjoy doing.

Day 9: A photo of yourself at least a year ago.

Day 10: Any photo you like for any reason.

Day 11: A photo of a night you loved.

Day 12: A photo of when you were happy.

Day 13: A photo of one of your favorite movies.

Day 14: A photo of your best friend (s).

Day 15: A photo of you and a family member.

Day 16: A photo from your childhood.

Day 17: A photo from a trip you'll never forget.

Day 18: A photo of your town.

Day 19: A photo of your favorite thing from school.

Day 20: A photo of something you ate today.

Day 21: A photo of somebody you find attractive.

Day 22: A photo that you associate a good memory with.

Day 23: A photo of something you want to do someday.

Day 24: A photo of what you want to be when you grow up.

Day 25: A photo that inspires you.

Day 26: A photo of your favorite subject in school.

Day 27: A photo of something you are looking forward to.

Day 28: A photo of something/somebody that made your day.

Day 29: A photo of your favorite person from history.

Day 30: A photo you find beautiful.

Goal 2: Music

I don't know about you but I cannot workout without music. I just do not possess the ability to enjoy the sound of my sneakers on the treadmill. I have been wanting to make a new workout playlist for a while and have put it off thinking it would be too much work but yesterday I got on the treadmill and could not listen to Avril Lavinge again without gagging. I thought about it long and hard and came up with a solution, I would take all the songs I knew worked to pump me up from my old playlist and mix them with the zumba music from class that I can't get enough of. This is the end result:

1. Let's get it started   Black eyed peas   
2. Zumba Mami - Reggaeton  Zumba Fitness Vibe Tribe         
3. Just Dance  Lady GaGa & Colby O'Donis    The Fame   
4. Don't Cha The Pussycat Dolls & Busta Rhymes  
5. So What   P!nk         
6. This Is Tha Song - Hip Hop    Zumba Fitness    Party Nation   
7. Whip My Hair      Willow   
8. Zumbalicious  Salsa / Reggaeton    Zumba Fitness    Cardio Party Soundtrack   
9. Dynamite     Taio Cruz           
10. push it     The Diplomats    
11. Cumbia Jam - Cumbia     Zumba Fitness    Party Nation
12. 'Cuz I Can   P!nk    
13. One, Two Step (feat. Missy Elliott)    Ciara      
14. what you waiting for Gwen Steffani   
15. Only Girl (In the World)  Rihanna   
16. Work It   Missy Elliott    
17. M!ssundaztood       P!nk    
18. Can't Get You out of My Head      Kylie Minogue   
19. Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) [The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Song]Shakira   
20. Sahara Oasis - Belly Dance     Zumba Fitness    Party Nation

Yep. I know it's all over the place but that's why it's my music.... go out and find your beat!

Goal 4: Eat real food.

This is a goal I have been working on for a while and that I still struggle with from time to time. I firmly believe that frozen junk food and take-out are loaded with unnecessary garbage and the numbers don't lie. When I eat it I gain weight no matter what. So, I have been taking up cooking again in an attempt to keep myself from failing to pay attention to what exactly I am stuffing my face with. Here is my current favorite recipe in the world. It is very yummy and easy to make. I made it in about a half an hour off things I just happened to have in my house. It is called a quick quiche.

Goal 5: The importance of play on a parents psyche.

Alright, you just got home from work or errands... You're beat and you have to have dinner on the table in an hour then a shower and you have to go to bed to start the grind all over. Suddenly a wonderful opportunity to de-stress presents it's self. Your ___ year old son/daughter comes up to you and asks you to play the newest video game in their collection or tea party. Do you...

1. Explain to them nicely that you are a grown up with grown up things to do and send them on their way? (Kill peter pan... go ahead... who needs em anyway)
2. Yell at them about wasting time and make them set the table? (If mama/papa aint happy)
3. Postpone them as long as possible so you can get something done? ( As is that one thing will ever be finished and it won't splinter into 100 other things and suck out your soul)
4. Drop everything and play? (remembering that we only get a few years when they want to play with us) 

Let's think about this logically and research it.
Logically as an adult you have very important and time consuming tasks to get done and tea parties seem like a waste of time but it is suggested often that in order to relieve stress you should let your inner child out. These suggestions are great and I agree that as a child coping strategies come naturally and it is good to embrace them again as an adult.  I would just take it a step farther and add that if you have kids you should do the things they want to do and see if they rub off on you. My guess is when you are outside at the swing set you will trigger good memories which induce a better mood and create new ones you can access down the line. Also, it is easier to remember how to be silly when you have a pro around to show you how.

Goal 5: family first even when they're not all with you.

As most of the world knows my daughter visits us during the summer which is consequently my favorite time of the year. This year however my daughter will be here and my husband will not. His work is taking him far away for the summer and I am heartbroken. I think that I have figured out that being a stay at home mom was definitely what my family needed though. I could not imagine how my kids or husband would have handled this on their own.
It is now my full-time job to consul and encourage which won't change until he comes back home.  I will take my son to sports practices, play video games and read dragon tales. I will work out and clean and stay busy and when my daughter gets here and my husband leaves I will write, take pictures, and miss my husband terribly all the while helping my kids to have the happy summer they need and deserve.
I went to a meeting today all about the struggles families have when they have to be long distance and I realized that we will all be okay because we have done it already. We spend six months out of the year on the phone with my daughter and we still love our fractured little family just as much. I am so blessed to have a husband who works so hard to provide for us and children who can light up even the darkest day. 

Goal 1:One Month!

As of Monday I will have been quit a month. The day after my husband will celebrate his 6 month quit day. I am so proud of all we've accomplished.

What I have learned a lot this month:


Challenge Quotes | Forward this Picture

• If you don't like who you are or where you're going in life challenge yourself to try the things that would be beneficial. You know what they are... they nag at the back of your mind... they are things you don't want to do because you are afraid that the results wont be worth the cost. (ie: keep your house spotless, buy better groceries and cook dinner, quit smoking, eat right, exercise more, be nicer to people, make new friends, study something new, find a job you really like)   It will be worth it just to know you succeeded and the nagging doubts will go away for good.

• Rewards are necessary. We know when we are kids that we react and learn from gold stars but as adults we pretend it is for our own sense of achievement. Give yourself the stars. 

• Be a diva. You really can walk away from stress and lock yourself in a bathroom for ten minutes mid-sentence without any real consequences. 

• Exercise works not only to reduce stress but to improve your lung strength and circulation after you quit. It helps you stave off the pounds you gain from quitting and activities like yoga help you remember what you knew as a smoker: Deep breathing helps you deal with stress!

• A book is a great distraction in waiting rooms and school parking lots when you have to burn a few minutes and you can finish a whole book (depending on length) in a week of waiting. 

• To successfully quit smoking you have to give up hanging out with friends who smoke (especially if you were a social smoker like me). You cannot convert a smoker who isn't interested and you cannot try to prove you are a stronger person than you really are. As an added bonus there are tons of people who don't smoke that you have probably never met. Introduce yourself.

• You have to learn to live again. Quitting smoking is no joke but it's worth it! You literally have to relearn to do everything but the benefits are high and quickly tangible.What will you do with the 1-2 hours a day you spent lighting up? What will you do with the thousands a year you save? 

Goal 2: Spin Bikes

Did you know that there are about 100 ways you can hurt yourself on a spin bike?
Alright, I am exaggerating but there are reasons why spin rooms need instructors and over the last couple weeks I have learned that just hopping on and pedaling is not as easy as it seems. My advice is to attend a class and admit that you have never been on a spin bike in your life and have no idea how to adjust it. Then have the instructor fit your bike to you and remember the settings. If you are to stubborn to ask for directions be sure to check out a spin bikes settings before you go. I have been going for a few weeks now and I have just learned that the knee aches I was having were completely avoidable just by moving my seat back. Also, go ahead and by the gel seat pad. They are cheap and if you wish to return after the first couple sessions it will really help. Don't suffer to exercise! Pain really isn't your friend.

Goal 5: Disappointment

Preschool House

I love my new stay at home life but when the most perfect opportunity to advance my abandoned teaching career came along I was ready to throw it, at least partially, under the bus. This morning I found the most amazing teacher's aide position open for pre-k and set up an interview straight away. It only paid 9.00 and it was in Towson but it was part time and I was so excited! It was only when I remembered that my son didn't go to day care anymore that the disappointment hit. The hours for the best job ever are 1-4 and because the school gets out one hour later than my son's school I would have to be in two places at once. Normally I would have tried to weasel my husband into an hour of after school duty but my husband is leaving soon for a work trip. I remembered why I am not in school right now and I called and cancelled the interview. Maybe there will be another perfect job with 12-3 hours later, I have responsibilities to attend to now. Family First.

Research

As I have said before I am reading The Happiness Project. Today I got a lot of reading done as I had to sit at the doctor's office for hours waiting for a prescription. The part that most spoke to me in my present situation was a section on being more productive by getting up at 5:30 in the morning. My husband has recently had serious car trouble and may be without transportation for quite some time. This means that on top of being resident chauffeur for my 7 year old I also get to take my husband to and from work. I don't mind the job as I get to see him more and he's providing entertainment in the form of books on tape but the hours leave something to be desired. I awoke at 5:30 a.m. and instead of feeling energized I felt tired (remember I am still sworn off caffeine).  I knew I was going to drag all day if I didn't try something and around 10 I did find a way  to pick up for the rest of the day and that may mean I was more productive. I talked myself into trying to achieve my goal of running a mile and a half which had so far eluded me by half a mile. I tried something new, my first spin class! because Zumba got cancelled. I worked on projects around the house that interested me, including fixing and cleaning up a broken pantry someone had thrown out, and I took care of the nagging problems that had been bothering me for weeks. So, did I accomplish more because I got up at dawn or because I pushed myself harder than ever today? The jury is still out and I have to go pick everyone up.

Goal 1: Gum is amazing.

Since I quit smoking I have realized I often like to be doing more than one thing at a time. When I smoked I often sat outside and smoked while I read or talked to a friend on the phone. One action is active while I continue to do the passive thing on the side. The day I quit I used cinnamon sticks to calm this need which is a brilliant solution for a while and I totally suggest it but on the long term it is slightly less useful. Gum however is a great alternative. Especially Sugar Free! So, if you ever feel a little jittery and like you just need to do something-anything! then pick up a pack of gum and go ahead bubble away.

Goal 2: Learning to exercise on your own...

It is difficult to exercise when the teachers of the classes you take keep changing. For example: my Yoga teacher moved away this week which means no more yoga class. Which I thought meant I would be an un-centered mess but what I have remembered is that sometimes you have to take it into your own hands. All exercise is a solitary practice, sometimes we have help and support and sometimes we don't. For when we don't we have home yoga kits.
My schedule this week is as follows:
Monday:
Yoga, Zumba, Run 1 Mile, Walk 1 Mile, Yoga
Tuesday:
Yoga, Circuit Training?, Run 1 Mile, Walk 1 Mile, Yoga
Wednesday:
Yoga, Zumba, Run 1 Mile, Walk 1 Mile, Yoga
Thursday:
Yoga, Zumba, Run 1 Mile, Walk 1 Mile, Yoga
Friday:
Yoga, Kick Boxing?, Run 1 Mile, Walk 1 Mile, Yoga
Saturday:
Belly Dancing?
You will notice I am trying new things and many things have been shifted this is all because of the teachers shifting. Remember: We like to try new things.... right?

Goal 5: Celebrate Often and Together.

We had a huge super bowl party with only three guests yesterday. It all started when our son who has never shown an interest in football before convinced me that we HAD to watch it. Final Score? Our son was asleep by half-time and my husband and I tucked in soon after that.We are always the early risers, and it is often against our will. The commercials were great and we had a great time. As an added bonus when we woke up we found out our team won even after all their injuries. This brings me to my point: if you wish to be happy in life you should follow my seven year old's example and seek out new things to celebrate!
P.S. This was his favorite commercial. I think you'll see why.

Goal 1: The day I forgot the top three rules.

A Lack of Sleep Can Actually Lead to More Emotional Reactions.

The most important things to remember when quitting smoking are: Never get too tired, hungry, or stressed. Yesterday after my workout I realized I was probably all three but I was being stubborn and wouldn't take a nap. This led to a severe "miss pissy pants" attitude towards my husband and an argument in which I said a million things I shouldn't have. ugh. I felt so bad afterwards I apologized a hundred times and ended up salvaging the evening but, in the future I need to try to remember that it is impossible to function if I don't follow the above mentioned rules. Naps are good even long after kindergarten.

Goal 5: Note of the day.

Cookbook For Recipes

If ever you are looking for a great way to entertain a sleepover of 7 year old boys cranking Italian music and making homemade pizza is the best. The children get to practice their fractions, and you don't have to knead the dough for 5 whole minutes. Also, it is good for picky eaters who may not have to eat certain foods at their parents homes because they can choose their own toppings. It won't get them all to sleep through the night and it will dirty every dish in your kitchen but it will be worth it when their parents thank you for hosting such a fun and original party.

An early valentine...

Street Art

I've been thinking a lot about love and friendship with Valentine's day coming up and as this is my blog and I can do whatever I want with it  I am giving a personal shout out to my followers and anyone else who supports me in life. No one can do it alone we are all here and thriving because we have great people to lean on during hard times and to laugh with during great times. Thank you so much for reading my blog and posting comments and for everything else that you do. I love you all.

Goal 5: Family First

Reach for the moon and even if you fall you'll be amonst the stars...

As a mother of a seven year old who has spent 5 years of his life in daycare I recently had a rare opportunity. Stay home for a while and run the house? At first I was reluctant I thought I would lose my standing as alpha woman of the world or my freedom but something changed when I took a good look around. There was the laundry that had piled up and the dishes that were never clean and my husband who never saw me and my son who was forgetting his medicine or his homework or his reading every night. I had worked so hard towards my own goals that I had missed the ball on my responsibilities as a wife and mother. No! I am not a backwards thinker who believes women belong in the kitchen etc. but I am a realist and what we were doing really wasn't working. So, I decided to stay home and take my son out of day care. In two weeks I have found my groove and noticed some amazing things.

1. My angst ridden 7- year old son who had been acting like a thirteen year old really just needed someone to talk to who wanted to listen.
2. I should have shown my husband more respect he works really hard and I never knew it because I was too busy working really hard and he is absolutely not lazy he just does not have enough hours in the day to do everything. 
3. My son and husband can take time out to have fun if they aren't under so much pressure.
4. When we're not eating out every night my husband and I love cooking together.
5. My son is so smart and talented and he likes most of the same things I do so now that we have the time we can work together on Spanish, Art, and Yoga. We've even started reading Mark Twain.
6. The house isn't going to manage itself, or clean itself just because you are busy sometimes you have to think about more than just you.
7. I really can do anything I put my mind to as long as it has my full attention. 

Goal 4: Make healthier choices.

Healthy Choices.

Well, today I have been off cigarettes for a week and I realized that for me stress was a gateway drug to bad choices. When I was stressed out I smoked and when I smoked I said I couldn't run because I was a smoker and therefore didn't exercise like I should. When I was stressed I ate more than I should just because I wasn't paying attention, and I drank loads of caffeine. The good news about realizations is once your realize something is out of whack you can take steps to fix it. This week I have kept track of what I have eaten, I have planned healthier meals for our family dinners, I have worked out everyday, and I have quit coffee. I thought when I made all these changes that by Friday I would be crazy in want of a cigarette, tired from all the running and lack of coffee and really hungry but I feel great!

Another thing I realized is that the habits I formed though bad were needed to fill a void. I smoked because I didn't know how to deal with stress, I ate out of boredom, I drank caffeine because I never went to bed on time, etc. So, really the art of it all has been substitution. Trade a bad habit for a good one. When I am stressed I exercise instead of smoking. When I can't exercise I chew gum with xylitol which is good for your teeth. When I'm bored I start a new cleaning project. The exercise has in turn helped with the insomnia and my new attitude about what has to be done now versus what can be put off till tomorrow has gotten me in bed by 9:00 every night this week.

Goal 3: A Thorn in Your Side

Kensington Gardens

What do you do when there is a huge problem that needs to be fixed and no money to fix it? Budget's are nice but even if you are budgeting for an emergency fund you may not have enough in the beginning to fix these whoppers. The answer is either to borrow money, reallocate money or to find a way to live your life a little simpler. Borrowing money is complicated and messy, reallocating money leaves you in a lurch for those funds later so, the simple answer is the easy life. Some people I have known have given up large investments in lieu of paying for today, others decided that cable t.v. was unnecessary in a world of Blue Rays and Hulu and still others opt for suffering irritation for a while in order to get that big payoff in the end. No matter which way you decide to deal with it you've taken the first step by acknowledging the problem and not pushing it under the rug. Believe it or not I've been told that grown-up decisions turn out great in the end. I mean it is true that "All children, except one, grow up" and we are not Peter Pan.

Goal 2: Food for thought:

So I was doing a Billy Blanks jr. workout on the television and he claimed that by singing along with the music as you work out you burn twice as many calories, my zumba teacher also claims that you burn twice as many by shouting, and my bootcamp teacher claims that you burn twice as many by counting your steps outloud. One website that I found says you burn twice as many calories strolling if your caroling... Just another way that your playlist can help you shirk the pounds.
Sing On!

Goal 1: Day 5 (The day I forgot how long it had been)

I feel great today! I asked my husband this morning why it has been so much easier for me to quit this time and he said that it is a proven fact that the more times you quit it gets easier and because you already know what you're doing. I think what he is talking about is a kind of "muscle memory" like what you get in exercise. The first day you go for a run you tire quickly and are very sore the next day but the 200th time is a whole different story. My husband quit officially 5 months ago on his second try. Could this really be my long run?  Note to everyone trying to quit: It really does get easier with time and failing isn't the end of the world because when you quit again it will be easier! So try!

Goal 5: Being a stay at home wife/mom

 I rescheduled my doctor's appointment for the fifth time this morning and remembered that I need to schedule the repair men for the leak in my kitchen, pick up my husbands dry cleaning, run my son to school, rework the budget, reorganize the kitchen cabinets and clean up the kitchen explosion that was very yummy enchiladas last night all before 11 if I want any chance to go to Zumba today. This reminded me of  something my husband said last night: "I get that it is good to not be in the same spot all day it's not something I've ever had to deal with but I get it" and something my ex-neighbor made the mistake of saying to his wife: "How can it be so hard to stay home all day".
The answer to both statements is really simple. My life is not hard but complicated and sometimes taxing. I am not home all day relaxing on the sofa which I would agree would be awesome. I am instead doing all I can to make sure that everyone's lives run smoothly each day.
Here's what I've learned about this job so far:

•  Be Happy: According to Snopes.com this has never been proven but it has been proven that people respond to our facial features and therefore a smile is truly contagious. So Smile.

• Let your husband be king, it makes you queen: If he has the final say he is happiest and you shape the choices so just eliminate the ones you don't like before he sees them and everyone is happy.

• There is no quitting time or days off but the rewards are better than money: It doesn't end and if you try to turn it off at 5 you will just be over run the next day. The good news? When your son or daughter says they are so happy they have your help on their homework it'll feel like you got that day off anyway.

• Everything is able to be rescheduled when you have an endless number of days to do it all in: Not having school has helped me realize we all live at much to fast a pace. Rescheduling a doctor's appointment, or a lunch with a friend should never be as stressful as it is... who cares if it is today or tomorrow really?

• Staying busy is never a challenge as long as you have hobbies to fill up the occasional down hour: When I am done with my work I take a time out at the gym before coming home to make dinner. When I am waiting for the dryer I clean something else, knit or sew and when I'm really stuck for something to do I blog or watch desperate housewives.

Goal 3: Be a Money Guru

Confessions of a shopaholic is one of my absolute favorite books/ movies, probably because I get all the jokes.
I confess, I am terrible with money! On this front I am trying to be better, more zen like and less like Edward Norton's character in Fight Club:

"Like everyone else, I had become a slave to the IKEA nesting instinct. If I saw something like clever coffee table sin the shape of a yin and yang, I had to have it. I would flip through catalogs and wonder, 'What kind of dining set defines me as a person?'"

My husband who is the math brain of the family has sorted out how to make a budget from the very cool money makeover books we received for Christmas. I was amazed to find that we were blowing tons of money without thinking about it. From now on we are spending/ saving all of our money on paper before we ever paid that way we never come up short. I realize that many people probably have always done this and I am just irresponsible and childish but it never occurred to me to account for every dime.
I am now the spender of allocated funds and therefore can't slip up and buy Gucci boots. It's a good feeling to know that if I stick to it there will be money in emergencies and maybe even in the future. I'm even coupon clipping in mass quantities. Maybe a shopaholic can change her ways?

Goal 2: Excercise (Week 2)

Yoga Panda

I have yet to be able to pull off my fully scheduled week because of snow cancellations but I have high hopes that this will be the week.
My Schedule:
Monday AM Yoga, Run a 12:00 mile, Walk a mile
PM Yoga
Tuesday AM Zumba, Run a 12:00 mile, Walk a mile
Tuesday PM Yoga
Wednesday AM Zumba, Run a 12:00 mile, Walk a mile
Wednesday PM Yoga
Thursday AM Zumba, Run a 12:00 mile, Walk a mile
Thursday PM Yoga
Friday AM Fitness Boot Camp, Walk a mile
PM Yoga
Saturday AM Zumba, Walk a mile
Sunday AM, Walk a mile

Goal 1: Quit Day 3

Quitting smoking is a lot like kindergarten. When you are stressed out take a timeout and when you are in total meltdown mode and throwing crayons it is nap time. Today was an emotional roller coaster day. My kitchen cabinets began raining as soon as my husband and I got out of bed. Yes, I did say raining. The house we are renting is very old and in some amount of disrepair which is especially problematic in the plumbing department. I found this out the hard way when last semester our kitchen ceiling attempted to stage a very messy coup. It rained then because of a valve that was never installed. It rained today because of a clogged drain... Needless to say this required cleaning, a million irritating phone calls, and a whole day of waiting around for the dopey Mr. Fix-It to come and fail to take care of the situation. When is was all over I was in unexplainable tears and my husband who is much smarter than I am pointed out that I should do what my body told me to do and if I needed a nap I should "Just go to bed". When I woke up I was refreshed and much more capable of having a good night with my guys than I would have been if I pushed through.

All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten

by Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sandpile at Sunday school.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.