0.2

I just left my Weight Watchers meeting, and I lost 0.2 pounds in the past week. Hooray. I suppose losing 0.2 is better than gaining, but it's still a bit disappointing.

Update on Take Control of My Health Week

I've come a long way, baby...from fit to pathetic. Wow. Yesterday I went on a 2o minute walk during lunch. My buns are so sore. In my defense, it was very hilly. But still, 20 minutes should not be that hard for a 30 year old. It wasn't that long ago that I was running for 40 minutes!

My spiritual health is not progressing well, either. Bible study Monday night was not my scene. I have been too busy in the evenings to do yoga. I obviously have commitment issues with my goals. I am not giving up on this one, though.

On a positive note, I have been eating very healthy. Lots of fruits and vegetables, water, and vegan iron and calcium supplements. I have a Weight Watchers @ Work meeting today for my second weigh-in. I weighed 166 pounds at the first meeting last week, with a 10-week 10% goal of 16 pounds. I just want to see my 36Gs come down to nice, manageable 34DDs.

Take Control of My Health Week

OK, I have forgiven Athena. She has excellent taste in purses. As to the October of My Discontent, I made decisions years ago about the way I planned to live my life, and I need to be proud of the all the hard work that Michael and I put into my law degree, our home and our family. Enough whining about things I cannot change. Time to focus on those things I can change. Yes, I just botched the Serenity Prayer.

So, I have declared this week Take Control of My Health Week. I will eat healthy and exercise. I will start doing yoga again and take care of my spiritual and mental health. I started today with 30 minutes of cardio at lunch. I had a yummy laptop lunch (pasta, mixed veggies, celery and PB, and grapes). Tonight I will attend a womens' bible study with Gwen. Maybe some yoga before bed? It's going to be a good week, so long as I hide all my valuable from Athena. Maybe she was trying to tell me that a $80 purse does not fit with my personality or philosophy towards life. I really want a new one, though.

I hate dodgeball.

Did you know they still play dodgeball in public school? My 5-year-old is very athletic, and he seems to be great at every sport he tries. Well, great for a 5-year-old. He is not a mini-Jordan-Beckham-Woods-Manning yet. Anyway, he keeps trying to play dodgeball at home with his 3-year-old, slightly less coordinated, little brother. He learned how to play dodgeball in P.E. class at school, and he loves it! I hated dodgeball when I was in school. It's such a mean, predatory game where the stronger, more athletic bullies pick on the bookworms (like me). I am thinking about approaching the school administration about this. Jackson might be the dodgeball hero, but I have another son that will be at that school in 2 years that might not be able to "dodge the wrench". Am I getting all stirred up over nothing? I just feel like my son's school is training him to be a bully.

Fair Weather

It's true! The SC State Fair really does bring Fall weather to Columbia! Hooray!

Cool Orange Headkerchief

One of my favorite easy knitting projects. Unfortunately, I don't have the hair to wear it. Gwen is testing it out.

And another thing...

Did you know about Bloody Mary (the ghost--not the drink) when you were 5? Seriously, I am really starting to dislike 21st century children.

Poot Noises

Despite all my recent efforts to (1) spend more time with my boys, (2) be more consistent with discipline, and (3) eliminate the influence of television, I still cannot eliminate the influence of other little boys. I often communicate via email with Jackson's teacher to monitor his behavior, and yesterday she responded to my request for suggestions of things we can do at home to improve Jackson's behavior at school. One of her suggestions:
"The only thing I would recommend is reminding him to do little boy noises (flatulence with his mouth and hands or arm) at home instead of school."
Aye. How embarassing. When we discussed this with Jackson, he declared that it is ok to make poot noises on the playground because Garrett does it all the time. We countered that it is unacceptable to make poot noises ANYWHERE on the school campus. He pouted, and then made lots of poot noises in the car on the way to school this morning to get it all out. Do little girls do this?

Garden of Owings

I have tackled cloth toilet paper, reusable menstrual products, a clothesline, eating way less meat (on my path to veganism), reusable grocery bags, Sigg water bottles, plastic elimination, and I put a composter on the top of my Christmas list. I even told Michael it was the most romantic gift he could give me to show his appreciation and commitment to our family's new Green lifestyle. Next step: a garden.
I am so excited about growing my own food. All of this seems so new to me, but I used to live a Green lifestyle. My mom had 5 kids, and never used a dishwasher or a clothes dryer. My parents planted corn, potatoes, peppers, herbs, squash, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, blackberries and strawberries. I am probably leaving out several different types of veggies that we grew. Have I come so far from my roots in the past 13 years that I have forgotten all the values my parents taught me?
I have a huge yard just waiting for a hoe and some seeds! I have the hubby's commitment, and I am going to try to give my children the same values and opportunities to cultivate the earth that my parents tried to give me. They did not fail--it just didn't sink in until I hit 30!

When is the fair?

My boys keep asking me this question. In fact, they have been asking this question since last October when the 2006 fair ended. I can't say I blame them. I love the fair--but not for the rides, shows, animals, and greasy food. I love the South Carolina State Fair because Columbia FINALLY cools down in October and starts to feel like Fall. I will forever link cool weather with deep-fried Snickers and corn dogs.

The Amazing Mommy Network

I have never understood the Mommy Wars, or whatever the media deems the battle between working moms and stay-at-home moms. My best friend is a stay-at-home mom, and the only problem we have is that I miss out on fun times we can have during the day, and our play time is limited to evenings, lunch breaks, and weekends. Moms have so much advice and help to offer each other, and its amazing the ideas that we can share.
Case in Point: I have really been struggling over bedtimes, discipline, and televison for my children. Here is where the working mommy issue kicks in: in the mornings, it is so easy to sleep a little bit later, put the kids in front of the television, and get ready for work while they have the boob tube babysitter. I lost control of my children. They refused to stay in bed at night, woke up grouchy, and had bad days at school because they were so tired. Alex insisted on leaving his bathroom light on all evening because he is afraid of the dark. He also used the fear as a reason to "read" books until late into the evening. Jackson started showing aggressive behavior at school that probably comes from the extremely inappropriate cartoons and television shows he is exposed to at home when Michael and I are lazy. Our discipline got lazy, and the boys started winning "negotiations" over everything from what they would eat for dinner to how many movies they would get to watch in an afternoon.
The Amazing Mommy Network saved our family this weekend. I spent Saturday evening with Gwen, and she allowed me to wallow for just a moment in self-pity, then she shared some wonderful advice she received from other moms. Bedtimes are now so easy, peaceful and structured. The boys go to bed at their regular bedtime of 7pm with the light on. I set a kitchen timer for 2o minutes. They can read, chat, etc. for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, the light goes off. Alex now has a small nightlight beside his bed to ward off any monsters. My children have not watched television for 3 days--and they have not even asked for it!!! Gwen also has a wonderful, selfless philosophy about the sacrifices we should make for our children. My boys need ME in the morning, not The Smurfs. If anybody should make sacrifices, it should be me--the Mommy. I now get up 30 minutes earlier than my children so I can be completely ready for work before they get up. We eat breakfast together, chat, feed Zeus and Athena (their new chore), brush hair and teeth, and then we have about 15 minutes to play outside before school in this amazing autumn weather. I have been so focused on Green changes for our family, but these parenting changes are so much more important. In fact, it will be so much easier to teach my boys about Green living, kindness and compassion, the environment, sports, reading, and other things I care so much about because they will respect me as their Mommy and teacher. It's really hard to talk to your kids when they are staring at some stupid cartoon with a glazed expression! Television is not going to be completely banned from our house, but its going to be a sparsely awarded weekend treat.