Apology accepted?

     So, I have been in Seattle since Saturday early afternoon. I am still here right now, and I won't return until rather late this evening.
     But, I figured I would spend part of my lunch catching you up!
     I have actually exercised quite a bit with lots of walking (around Pike Place) and swimming (yes, laps).
     My eating on the other hand...oh my. Do we really have to talk about that? Dang, if I wasn't so honest. SIGH.
     Well, I had some great food. Very delicious, indeed. Calorie count...outrageous. Portions...OK.
     I am not going to beat myself up over the choices. I am going to just start over tomorrow.
     I have had mostly lots of sleep, counting the three hour nap yesterday afternoon and being able to sleep in later.
     On Sunday, I actually slept in until after 10 a.m., which was absolutely WONDERFUl.
     I did stay up a little later each night, mostly visiting with my sister, but it was sooooo worth it, catching up with her!
     So, overall, I have had a bit of a mini-vacation. I am looking forward to coming home, though.
      Catch ya on the flipside (sort of funny, considering how many kids have never actually held an album)!

Life, Monopoly, and any other game you can think of

     SIGH...I think I survived this past week. I was looking at my calendar and since the middle of February, I have been non-stop go, but no collecting $200, more just like moving directly to jail!
     Today I fly out of Wenatchee to head over to Seattle. I am excited to spend some quality sister time with my little sister before my meetings on Monday and Tuesday.
     The bummer of it all is that I am missing Jordie's double-header and Cody's soccer match today and their games on Tuesday.
     It feels like my life is getting in the way of my life, and more importantly in the way of things that are VERY important to me...my kids.
     Both boys told me to knock it off and quit feeling so dang bad and guilty for missing some of their games, when they a) know I want to be there, and b) have missed hardly any games in their entire lives, which my oldest told me most kids can't say.
     But, I do feel guilty. I can't help it. They are so important to me! But, I will have a good mini-break, and I DO need it.
     And, I made the reservations before I had their schedules. Part of me thinks that was the world saying go and knowing I wouldn't have if I had their schedules.
     I hoping to do some exercise while I am over there, and I am going to work on eating well out of town (always a struggle).
     I can see that this game of mine will not really slow down permanently (yeah right) until mid-April. SIGH.
     I am ready for that. And, then of course it will rev up around the middle of May!
     I will survive. I will.

TGIF, I think!

     This has been one SUPER long week. I truly was not sure it would ever end, nor do I really think it is...
     I finally am back in my classroom after grading culminating projects all week, which I have to say were pretty darn good this year!
     This afternoon I have a massage!!! That is what makes me most excited that today is Friday!
     Then I have to come home and pack to leave for Seatte. I fly out of Wenatchee tomorrow, and I won't be home until late Tuesday evening.
     A week from today we will be ending our quarter and heading for Spring Break, baby!
     I have a bunch of things planned for the break. Definitely some R & R, yeah right!
     I want to make it to Cashmere and Leavenworth to see friends, and I am hoping to make a doctor's appointment with my favorite doctor in L-Town.
     I also want to work on my storage unit, make a first ever chiropractor appointment, and, of course, do some major spring cleaning.
     As well, I hope to start a routine of exercising over the break, and then when I leave on special assignment for OSPI the second week of April to Iowa, my hope is to keep the schedule going.
     SO, I just need to make it until next Friday. I know I can, I know I can, I know I can.

Is it Spring Break yet?

     Yesterday was a CRAZY day!! I know you are shocked, as I never have crazy days or anything.
     As far as health goes, I am about the same in that department. I still have the remnants of bronchitis, just enough to remind me that it is still there.
     Eating and water were PERFECTO yesterday! For dinner, I do admit I had pizza, and three pieces at that. BUT, those were mini-pieces. I took a normal piece and cut it in half and that was one piece.
     It's totally mental. I could have just devoured one big piece and half of another, but by doing it the way I did I felt like I had three pieces. You following me?
     Exercise was zero yesterday, and to make matters worse, I seriously had to sit from 12-7 to grade culminating projects.
     You would think someone with extra padding on her butt would not be as sore when sitting forever. WRONG!
     Then I came home to the madness of a very full house. It's good, as I love it when all of our kids and grandkids are over, but it was a bit on the CRAZY side.
     And, WHAT is it about men who can't figure out the communication thing?? If I would not have called and asked Rick to preheat the oven, I wouldn't have known we had everyone over, and we wouldn't have had enough pizza.
     So, he doesn't think about those things, but obviously we are cosmically connected, since I did call him in the first place.
     When I hit the haystack ( I like this choice of word...I hit the hay, I hit the sack,I hit the haystack.) last night, I was ready to melt into my bed and drift away to dream.
     Now, I am ready for yet another busy, crazy day. I will survive!!
     And, that's that. (Trying out a new sign-off...what do you think?)

Kids in the kitchen

     Ahhhh...what a difference having water in the morning makes!! You would think I went without it for a week or something.
     I did not exercise yesterday, but I did eat well, and I drank half of my quota of water.
     I still have this "cold." But, I am feeling much better even though I am still needing the inhaler a couple of times a day.
     OK, so dinner has actually been fun lately because as part of Cody's senior project, he is learning to make all of his favorite meals.
     The really great thing is that he is so serious about this. He made enchiladas a couple of nights ago, and seriously they were even better than mine.
     Cody's project started me thinking about how sad it is that many of our kids today have NO idea how to cook. And, many schools no longer fund a Home Ec program.
     We have an entire generation of people who don't know how to cook, clean, wash clothes, and even make minor sewing repairs like re-attching a button.
     The other thing I remember about Home Ec is that we also talked a lot about nutrition and health.
     Cody and I have been talking about how we can change certain recipes and make them less calories or lower in fat. We have just talked a lot about options.
     The other day I asked kids how many times a week they eat dinner at the table with the family, and I wasn't really surprised (more sad than anything) that very few kids even sit at the table one day a week.
     I totally understand having BUSY lives, believe me. But, at the same time, our kids should be our priorities!
     This whole project of Cody's makes me want to teach Jordie how to cook right now and not wait until he is on his way off to college.
     What really interests me is that when they were little (like my step-daughter) they did cook with me (just like my step-daughter does), but I am not sure where the point is that they stopped.
     Even though I have always cooked dinner, I never made it a priority to actually teach my kids when they were old enough to remember what we were doing. Of course, I did not learn how to cook growing up either, but rather I learned as an adult.
     But, I am changing that now.

Need Water

     This morning I woke up to something not sooooo wonderful...NO WATER. Thank goodness for baby wipes!
     The rest of my weekend went really well. Lots of relaxing time, which is good with the upcoming week.
     I watched the baseball game on Saturday, which besides the cold weather, was a nice mellow time.
     My girlfriend came and brought us coffee, since neither of us had time to go somewhere else and meet up for a couple of hours. It was nice to catch up.
     I watched the "Gridiron Gang" last night with the family, and I really liked it. Yes, it was predictable, but I still liked the message at the heart of the movie. Overall, I had a good weekend, and I am definitely feeling better today.
      I did not do any extra exercise, just a small walk on Saturday and another yesterday.
     I did eat a GROSS hamburger from a local fast food restaurant, but I ended up throwing part of it out because it was so greasy. YUCK!
     My water intake was not as high as it could/should be especially with being sick, but I did drink lots of tea this weekend to soothe my throat.
     I am working really hard on something in my life right now...CONTROL. I will be writing more about that tomorrow!
     Wouldn't you know that I feel REALLY thirsty right now? I am glad I have some bottled water! LOL!
     Have a SUPER happy day!!

WARNING

     I just feel compelled to comment on the fact that I KNOW that being sick off and on for basically two months is a WARNING.
     I get that my body is saying ENOUGH. I am working on figuring out how to slow down, and truly prioritizing what I NEED to do, WANT to do, SHOULD do, and CAN do.
     I am figuring out what my motivation is to do what I am doing. I am making sure that it is for the RIGHT reasons.
     I have given up many things this year (although, I have also added some new things). BUT...I am planning on phasing out some more things and NOT replacing them.
     I am going to work on saying something that my friend shared with me... "I choose not to do (whatever it is) because my health is paying a price. I need to take care of myself."
     Good call, girlfriend!

Sicky Icky

     Another super great thing about this new home for my blog is that I can post on the weekend, too :)
     OK, so for the report...I did go to the doctor yesterday, which in and of itself is HUGE. And, I officially have a nasty case of bronchitis and a sinus infection.
      I normally just let the sicky icky run its course, and I just about never take antibiotics. But, I knew that this one was NASTY, so I headed to the doctor's office.
      Turns out if I would've waited and not found the slow motion button for my life, this sicky icky could've transformed itself into pneumonia easily, which I have had as an adult (big SHOCK, I know), and it was NOT a fun time!
     Also, since I don't nosh on antiobiotics very often, they seem to have a dramatic effect when I do, so three doses later, and I am starting to perk up!
     It also helps that the cosmic world was on my side yesterday. FOR REAL. I was squeezed in and out for a doctor's appointment with no notice and a total of 25 minutes at the clinic!
     And, my massage therapist called me with a cancellation, so I was able to have a massage yesterday afternoon, too! VERY nice. I also have an appointment for next Friday afternoon, as well. Good way to end my week (thanks for the idea, Miss Barbara).
      Then, not feeling so swell, I came home and was ASLEEP by 7:30 last night and I did not get up until 7:30 this morning...12 hours of sleep!! AMAZING.
     Today I have a hair appointment...wait, could this be more pampering?? Then I am meeting my girlfriend for coffee. I am going to watch a baseball game (love it!), and I rented a bunch of movies for Rick and I to watch tonight.
     Mellow is the mood I am going for today. I do have to grade some papers (what else is new?), and I want to find the book my book group is doing next (The Bluest Eye).
      I am NOT going to exercise this weekend, more than just what I call "unintentional" exercise (walking around, feeding animals, whatever), because I don't want to start a coughing fit or light my lungs on fire.
     But, I am going to drink more water (need to flush fluids) and watch what I eat today.
     OK...I want to think of a new sign-off. Any suggestions?

Over and Out

     I am definitely feeling it. The cold is here, and it has swept in like a hurricane in a fury. Last night I was up most of the night coughing up both my lungs, or so it felt.
     I eventually had to sleep (if that’s what you call it) in the chair in the living room so that I could sleep sitting up (less coughing then).
     I did eat really well yesterday, and last night we had a yummy, colorful, and healthy dinner at my step-daughter’s house. She is such a good cook!
     What I really love about her cooking is that she knows how to balance everything perfectly. (Look there is that word, balance, again.) And, everything is always fresh.
     I did drink more water yesterday than I have all week, although not quite to my goal. Mostly I was drinking the water because it was soothing to my fiery throat.
     No exercise yesterday, even though I did have a bit more time, but really I just felt exhausted and sick.
     Great news! My friend Barbara had talked about her massage which was just the kick in the butt I needed to call and make my appointment.
     Well, I not only have an appointment for next Friday, but then yesterday my masseuse called and said she had a cancellation, and I could have an appointment for late this afternoon if I wanted it! WOO HOO!
     The really ironic thing about it all is that now that I had to sleep in the chair last night, I REALLY need the massage today!!
     Well, my goal for the weekend is to get better.
     Over and out.

Pass the Nyquil, please

      I definitely have a nasty cold rearing its very ugly head. I have been sicker this past two months than I think I have been in the past two years.
      And, to make matters worse, this feels like it might be turning into Bronchitis. Sleep is so needed, but last night I was up what felt like forever, hacking and trying to breathe out of one side or the other of my nose.
      I KNOW that I am just very run down and that my body is telling me, “NO MORE, ALREADY!” I can hear it.
      Thankfully today and through the weekend is not looking too busy and hectic. I do have a few things that I have to do, but that are more on the mellow side.
      I need to update you on everything for this week. I have not exercised other than one thirty minute walk.
      My eating has really been good. I actually have been writing down everything I have been put in my mouth. This process makes me want to join Weight Watchers, but I have to figure out how to add it into my slammed schedule.
      Even the water has not been as good this week as it was the past couple of weeks. It is seriously that being so busy that I forget to drink.
      OK, so now for the positive notes. I did make a massage appointment for next Friday, and that makes me SUPER happy, and that is taking care of me!
      Now I just need to make everything else fall into line. I think that today and tomorrow I will do much better than I did earlier this week.
      Part of the problem was that I left my house on Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m., and then I did not return home until around 9 p.m. both of those nights.
      That makes for a long day that you just feel like you are trying to survive. And, I am not really sure how well I have done with that, as I am coming out of this week sick.
      This all goes back to my theme of the week, shoot of my life: BALANCE.
      And, that’s the last word, until tomorrow.