We are getting new windows, and I am home babysitting the work crew. It is absolutely freezing in my house. Small price to pay, I suppose, for a more energy efficient home and a beautiful new door. Still, I am freezing.
Every now and then I get a glimpse of what my life would be like if I did not work. Just a glimpse, because today is really not at all what my life would be like if I did not work because I have been "working" all morning at my dining room table. Sure, I take breaks to change out laundry, but I haven't stopped emailing since 7:45am. I had hoped to complete a PowerPoint training program today, but I can't get away from problems.
Working from home opens my eyes to how cluttered and dirty my house really is--and I don't have time today to do anything about it. My dining room is clean, but the rest of the house is a disaster. I know Michael will post that the house isn't really that bad...but he will be lying. There is dirt everywhere. My kitchen cabinets need to be cleaned, my kitchen floor is gross, there is crap and clutter everywhere, our bathrooms are gross (especially the boys...ewww!), our woodwork looks like it hasn't been cleaned or dusted since the house was built in 1959.
When do other people have time to do this? I read the blogs of my SAHM friends, and I know they don't have time or energy left for this. We hired a cleaning service several months ago, but they did a horrible job. When we complained, the owner insinuated in her sugary-sweet manner that perhaps my home wasn't liveable. No kidding. The name of the service was Deserved Comfort Housekeeping. Many love them...just not the Owings family.
What is the point of this rambling little post? I don't know. If I keep typing my fingers maintain feeling in this ridiculously cold house. My creative juices are frozen, and I think that is why I can't make any progress on my PowerPoint training program. Happy Tuesday. Hope you are all warm!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Reading...
Just finished...
The Shack, by William P. Young
*Itching for discussion. If you read it, what did you think?
Reading now...
The Autobiography of Malcolm X, As Told to Alex Haley
The Shack, by William P. Young
*Itching for discussion. If you read it, what did you think?
Reading now...
The Autobiography of Malcolm X, As Told to Alex Haley
What's For Dinner?
In case you are wondering why I post our meal plans every week...so Michael will know what he is having for dinner :).
Monday: Chicken and Rice Burritos
Tuesday: Hamburgers and Fries
Wednesday: Grits and Eggs
Thursday: Barbeque Chicken
Friday: Speedy Barbeque Chicken Pasta (pre-10K meal)
Saturday and Sunday: Not a clue. Michael and I are running in the Race Against Hunger 10K in Lexington on Saturday morning. I have a salon appointment at 1pm and we are heading to a get-together at the Kupchinsky's Saturday afternoon. No idea what we are doing Sunday...but I will think of something!
Monday: Chicken and Rice Burritos
Tuesday: Hamburgers and Fries
Wednesday: Grits and Eggs
Thursday: Barbeque Chicken
Friday: Speedy Barbeque Chicken Pasta (pre-10K meal)
Saturday and Sunday: Not a clue. Michael and I are running in the Race Against Hunger 10K in Lexington on Saturday morning. I have a salon appointment at 1pm and we are heading to a get-together at the Kupchinsky's Saturday afternoon. No idea what we are doing Sunday...but I will think of something!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Late Menu Plan
Oops. Forgot to post this. Busy week. Yoga on Wednesday, an Upward Basketball banquet on Thursday and a charity bowling tournament on Friday. Here goes:
Monday: Low-fat smoked sausage, cheesy corn and asparagus
Tuesday: Pan-fried tilapia and bowtie pasta with a capers/white wine sauce
Wednesday: Breakfast for dinner (Michael is cooking b/c I have yoga.)
Thursday: Moe's...the boys' special request.
Friday: Not sure. Michael will want to eat at the bowling alley, but I have to find a healthy alternative.
Monday: Low-fat smoked sausage, cheesy corn and asparagus
Tuesday: Pan-fried tilapia and bowtie pasta with a capers/white wine sauce
Wednesday: Breakfast for dinner (Michael is cooking b/c I have yoga.)
Thursday: Moe's...the boys' special request.
Friday: Not sure. Michael will want to eat at the bowling alley, but I have to find a healthy alternative.
Random Pics
Just because...I need inspiration for my race next week...my kids are cute...Alex looks so much like my dad it is scary.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Random Friday Thoughts
This has been a tough week for the Owings boys. Jackson woke up with a fever on Monday. He also complained of a headache, achy legs and he rocked a few nosebleeds. After two days home, he went back to school on Wednesday still complaining of leg pain. His calves are really tight, but we think he may have "growing pains".
Alex was really crabby when Michael picked him up from preschool on Friday. He checked Short Round's temp when they got home, and he has been running a fever ever since. Last night around midnight he threw up, and then spent the rest of the night in our bed. Needless to say, Michael and I got very little sleep. Alex had some creepy hallucinations...at one point he sat up in the bed and said: "The bad people are coming. Look out the window and see if they are here yet." Creepy!
Hopefully he will feel much better tomorrow. After Jackson's basketball game, we are going to lunch at Red Robin. Instead of candy or toys, the boys are getting a round of putt putt golf for Valentine's Day. That is, if Alex feels like putting around.
Although my boys have been feeling yucky, I had a good health week. I limited my caffeine to green tea in the morning, eliminated aspartame and most refined sugar. I ran Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, and attended yoga classes on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. I am running again on Saturday and Sunday, and I am going to yoga again tonight. So far, so good. I am really tired in the afternoons, but I am using a healthy snack, lots of water and sheer willpower to get through without caffeine. Unfortunately, I crash early. I can't stay up past 9pm, but I am waking up without an alarm at 4:50am ready to run. Early to bed, early to rise is my natural sleep cycle.
Happy Friday everyone!
Alex was really crabby when Michael picked him up from preschool on Friday. He checked Short Round's temp when they got home, and he has been running a fever ever since. Last night around midnight he threw up, and then spent the rest of the night in our bed. Needless to say, Michael and I got very little sleep. Alex had some creepy hallucinations...at one point he sat up in the bed and said: "The bad people are coming. Look out the window and see if they are here yet." Creepy!
Hopefully he will feel much better tomorrow. After Jackson's basketball game, we are going to lunch at Red Robin. Instead of candy or toys, the boys are getting a round of putt putt golf for Valentine's Day. That is, if Alex feels like putting around.
Although my boys have been feeling yucky, I had a good health week. I limited my caffeine to green tea in the morning, eliminated aspartame and most refined sugar. I ran Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, and attended yoga classes on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. I am running again on Saturday and Sunday, and I am going to yoga again tonight. So far, so good. I am really tired in the afternoons, but I am using a healthy snack, lots of water and sheer willpower to get through without caffeine. Unfortunately, I crash early. I can't stay up past 9pm, but I am waking up without an alarm at 4:50am ready to run. Early to bed, early to rise is my natural sleep cycle.
Happy Friday everyone!
Monday, February 09, 2009
Keeping It Real
My shingles seem to have returned to the hell dimension from whence they came, but I still don't feel "right". In the past 6 months or so, I have let stress take over my life. Last week I went to a homeoenergetics clinic in Arden, North Carolina. This is NOT conventional modern medicine, and it is in fact quite quackish to most. However, the Owings family has had much luck with natural medicine, herbal remedies, and alternative treatments. Last Tuesday I made the 2 1/2 hour trek to see the witch doctor, and here is what he told me:
I am allergic to aspartame. Not a big surprise. Most people are. For those that don't know, aspartame is an artificial sweetener found in most "sugar-free" foods.
My adrenal gland is on the fritz and I have all the symptoms of adrenal exhaustion. Quick biochemistry lesson: The adrenal gland produces adrenaline (fight-or-flight) and cortisol. Cortisol is what allows you to keep pushing when you are tired. When women run out of cortisol, the body burns glycogen. Unfortunately, when the body runs out of both cortisol and glycogen, the body starts burning progesterone, and your body becomes estrogen-dominant. Bad things can happen when you are estrogen dominant: emotional problems (rage and depression), lack of sleep, spaciness, depressed immune system, and higher risk of certain cancers (breast, ovarian, cervical), etc. I also have Epstein Bar Virus, the unfortunate result of a really bad case of mono in high school. EBV and shingles are in the same family of viruses, and it now makes sense why at age 31 I pushed myself into such a state that I got shingles twice! BTW--I am by no means an expert on biochemistry, so check out this LINK to a great site that explains the effects of adrenal fatigue on women.
What do I do about this? I am on herbal supplements to support my adrenal gland and I ditched aspartame cold turkey. How I miss you Coke Zero! I am on an eating schedule that makes sure my body has enough glycogen at all times, and I have dramatically reduced my caffeine consumption. Caffeine, sugar and alcohol worsen adrenal fatigue. Ugh. Being healthy is more important than sweets, Coke Zero, coffee, and wine. My new mantra.
My healthy lifestyle changes will be all for naught if I don't get a handle on stress. I know, we all have stress. Unfortunately, my type A personality does not handle stress very well. I welcome it, I thrive on it...until it reaches a level that I cannot control and it takes over my life. I looked into seeing a therapist, but my awesome insurance gets a little crappy when it comes to mental health. For now, I am going to keep running and go to yoga classes at least 3 times a week. Yoga is not cheap, but I would rather pay money to benefit BOTH my muscle tone and mental health. This might not be the best logic, but I am sticking to it for now.
Why am I posting all of this personal and somewhat embarassing medical info on the internet? Well, I try to keep it real and honest on Surviving the Os (otherwise, why bother?), and maybe my story can help some of you!
I am allergic to aspartame. Not a big surprise. Most people are. For those that don't know, aspartame is an artificial sweetener found in most "sugar-free" foods.
My adrenal gland is on the fritz and I have all the symptoms of adrenal exhaustion. Quick biochemistry lesson: The adrenal gland produces adrenaline (fight-or-flight) and cortisol. Cortisol is what allows you to keep pushing when you are tired. When women run out of cortisol, the body burns glycogen. Unfortunately, when the body runs out of both cortisol and glycogen, the body starts burning progesterone, and your body becomes estrogen-dominant. Bad things can happen when you are estrogen dominant: emotional problems (rage and depression), lack of sleep, spaciness, depressed immune system, and higher risk of certain cancers (breast, ovarian, cervical), etc. I also have Epstein Bar Virus, the unfortunate result of a really bad case of mono in high school. EBV and shingles are in the same family of viruses, and it now makes sense why at age 31 I pushed myself into such a state that I got shingles twice! BTW--I am by no means an expert on biochemistry, so check out this LINK to a great site that explains the effects of adrenal fatigue on women.
What do I do about this? I am on herbal supplements to support my adrenal gland and I ditched aspartame cold turkey. How I miss you Coke Zero! I am on an eating schedule that makes sure my body has enough glycogen at all times, and I have dramatically reduced my caffeine consumption. Caffeine, sugar and alcohol worsen adrenal fatigue. Ugh. Being healthy is more important than sweets, Coke Zero, coffee, and wine. My new mantra.
My healthy lifestyle changes will be all for naught if I don't get a handle on stress. I know, we all have stress. Unfortunately, my type A personality does not handle stress very well. I welcome it, I thrive on it...until it reaches a level that I cannot control and it takes over my life. I looked into seeing a therapist, but my awesome insurance gets a little crappy when it comes to mental health. For now, I am going to keep running and go to yoga classes at least 3 times a week. Yoga is not cheap, but I would rather pay money to benefit BOTH my muscle tone and mental health. This might not be the best logic, but I am sticking to it for now.
Why am I posting all of this personal and somewhat embarassing medical info on the internet? Well, I try to keep it real and honest on Surviving the Os (otherwise, why bother?), and maybe my story can help some of you!
Yummy Dinners!
Thanks to the Weight Watchers Momentum Cookbook for this week's meals. I only planned through Friday. Michael and I are not going out for Valentine's Day, but I am going to cook something yummy but I haven't figured out what it will be!
Monday: Chili con Pollo
Tuesday: Moroccan Meatballs with Couscous
Wednesday: Chicken and Penne Casserole
Thursday: Spicy Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce
Friday: Steak and Potatoes
Our grocery bill has definitely gone up since I started meal planning. We certainly do not eat out as often, and we are eating a lot healthier.
Monday: Chili con Pollo
Tuesday: Moroccan Meatballs with Couscous
Wednesday: Chicken and Penne Casserole
Thursday: Spicy Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce
Friday: Steak and Potatoes
Our grocery bill has definitely gone up since I started meal planning. We certainly do not eat out as often, and we are eating a lot healthier.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
What A Crazy Woman Looks Like
I am running a 10K on February 28. I could run it now, but my times would suck and I would probably be in a lot of pain for the rest of the day. After almost a month of illness and an irregular running schedule, I am trying really hard to get back into my early morning routine. What better way to commit to my goal than to run at 5am on the coldest morning of the year! It was 18 degrees this morning, and behold the many layers! I wore my Under Armor coldgear tights, Nike coldgear sweatpants, Nike dryfit tanktop, Nike coldgear top, windbreaker, Bondiband headband over my ears, mittens, and my black baraclava. Check out my super cool LED headlamp on my forehead! It took me ten minutes just to get dressed! I ran 4 miles. Only my eyeballs and the little strip of skin between my socks and my tights froze. And yes, I am getting over my fear of running early in the dark. Who would mess with a badass in a black ski mask anyway?
Meal Plan...a bit late
This has been a very busy week. Not a lot of time for blogging, but I did do my meal planning. Monday through Thursday's meals come to you courtesy of the Weight Watchers Now & Later Cookbook. Here goes:
Monday: Balsamic Sausage and Peppers
Tuesday: Sausage Shepherd's Pie
Wednesday: Apricot-Glazed Chicken
Thursday: Chicken Cubano Paninis
Friday: Kashi Mediterranean Pizza
Saturday: Chicken and Sausage Pileaux and Green Beans
Sunday: Burgers and Fries
Monday: Balsamic Sausage and Peppers
Tuesday: Sausage Shepherd's Pie
Wednesday: Apricot-Glazed Chicken
Thursday: Chicken Cubano Paninis
Friday: Kashi Mediterranean Pizza
Saturday: Chicken and Sausage Pileaux and Green Beans
Sunday: Burgers and Fries
Sunday, February 01, 2009
A Rant a Day
I truly believe in the power of postivie thinking, but I do like a good rant. The best rant is one that makes you laugh (eventually) and laughing about my problems helps me realize they aren't that important. So here goes...25 Rants:
1. Michael's truck tires are in AWFUL shape and we are going to have to drop a grand or so this month for tires and an alignment.
2. Football season is officially over today and I have no idea what I will do on Sunday afternoons for the rest of the winter.
3. The 26-year-old hot water heater in my 50-year-old house is on the fritz.
4. There is only one female vice-president in my company.
5. When I ask my boys to clean their room, they shove things in closets and under furniture.
6. Sometimes they come back...shingles, that is.
7. A horrible crime was committed about a block from my house and now I am too chicken to run in the early morning.
8. I have to run during my lunch break on a course that is so hilly I feel like I am running in Western North Carolina.
9. My 31-year-old metabolism in on the fritz.
10. I cannot find the crunchy people in Columbia. I know you are out there!
11. I have been told I should not talk about my belief in karma in my workplace.
12. I cannot do fitness videos in my living room because our new secretary desk rattles during the cardio portions. Gets on my nerves, stresses me out, and cancels out the therapeutic effect of exercise.
13. I cannot seem to lose that last 5 pounds in order to reach my Weight Watchers goal.
14. It really should not be this cold in Columbia, South Carolina. Seriously.
15. Somebody booed my education last week...I majored in Religion at Furman University and he...the booer...considered it to be way too liberal. Furman? Really?????
16. I can't make my bed without risking a broken ankle because of all the crap my husband throws on the floor on his side of the bed.
17. We can't grow money on trees, but we can certainly grow clutter in our house.
18. My power bill has been over $300 for the past few months. Can we just wrap up in blankets, use candles and cook our food over an open fire?
19. I can't leave any food on the counters because my enormous labrador retriever...or black bear...will eat it.
20. I am tired of my miniature bassett hound terrorizing my enormous labrador retriever. And I really wish my lab would grow a spine.
21. I am running out of things to rant about.
22. I can't stop myself from checking my Blackberry at 2am when I get up to go to the bathroom.
23. I actually have work-related emails to answer when I check my Blackberry at 2am!!
24. The news is always bad...the news media is perpetuating our economic problems. The news is bad...we get scared...we don't spend money or invest...the news gets worse...
25. None of the teams I pull for are in the Super Bowl.
There. I feel better. Sometimes it is fun to bitch and moan, if only to make yourself laugh!
1. Michael's truck tires are in AWFUL shape and we are going to have to drop a grand or so this month for tires and an alignment.
2. Football season is officially over today and I have no idea what I will do on Sunday afternoons for the rest of the winter.
3. The 26-year-old hot water heater in my 50-year-old house is on the fritz.
4. There is only one female vice-president in my company.
5. When I ask my boys to clean their room, they shove things in closets and under furniture.
6. Sometimes they come back...shingles, that is.
7. A horrible crime was committed about a block from my house and now I am too chicken to run in the early morning.
8. I have to run during my lunch break on a course that is so hilly I feel like I am running in Western North Carolina.
9. My 31-year-old metabolism in on the fritz.
10. I cannot find the crunchy people in Columbia. I know you are out there!
11. I have been told I should not talk about my belief in karma in my workplace.
12. I cannot do fitness videos in my living room because our new secretary desk rattles during the cardio portions. Gets on my nerves, stresses me out, and cancels out the therapeutic effect of exercise.
13. I cannot seem to lose that last 5 pounds in order to reach my Weight Watchers goal.
14. It really should not be this cold in Columbia, South Carolina. Seriously.
15. Somebody booed my education last week...I majored in Religion at Furman University and he...the booer...considered it to be way too liberal. Furman? Really?????
16. I can't make my bed without risking a broken ankle because of all the crap my husband throws on the floor on his side of the bed.
17. We can't grow money on trees, but we can certainly grow clutter in our house.
18. My power bill has been over $300 for the past few months. Can we just wrap up in blankets, use candles and cook our food over an open fire?
19. I can't leave any food on the counters because my enormous labrador retriever...or black bear...will eat it.
20. I am tired of my miniature bassett hound terrorizing my enormous labrador retriever. And I really wish my lab would grow a spine.
21. I am running out of things to rant about.
22. I can't stop myself from checking my Blackberry at 2am when I get up to go to the bathroom.
23. I actually have work-related emails to answer when I check my Blackberry at 2am!!
24. The news is always bad...the news media is perpetuating our economic problems. The news is bad...we get scared...we don't spend money or invest...the news gets worse...
25. None of the teams I pull for are in the Super Bowl.
There. I feel better. Sometimes it is fun to bitch and moan, if only to make yourself laugh!
Shout Out to Holly
Big thanks to Holly for her very honest blog post about her son's hearing issues. With her post in mind, I asked my pediatrician to check Alex's hearing during his 5-year-old well child check-up Friday morning. Alex asks "huh?" and "what?" quite a bit when we talk to him, but we just assume that he isn't really paying us any attention because he can usually repeat what we said if we put him on the spot.
For those of you who don't know Alex, he has had respiratory and allergy issues since birth. Although he has mostly outgrown his allergies and asthma, it tends to act up in the winter, early Spring, and late Summer. He gets really winded when he participates in too much physical activity, he has a really husky voice and he snores.
That all being said, Alex did poorly on his hearing test. The husky voice and snoring were red flags for his doctor. He is on two weeks of oral and nasal steroids in an attempt to shrink his adenoids, and if that proves unsuccessful, we will go to an ENT to discuss surgery. Hopefully the hearing issues are related to his asthma, allergies, and adenoids. Wow. I didn't see this coming.
For those of you who don't know Alex, he has had respiratory and allergy issues since birth. Although he has mostly outgrown his allergies and asthma, it tends to act up in the winter, early Spring, and late Summer. He gets really winded when he participates in too much physical activity, he has a really husky voice and he snores.
That all being said, Alex did poorly on his hearing test. The husky voice and snoring were red flags for his doctor. He is on two weeks of oral and nasal steroids in an attempt to shrink his adenoids, and if that proves unsuccessful, we will go to an ENT to discuss surgery. Hopefully the hearing issues are related to his asthma, allergies, and adenoids. Wow. I didn't see this coming.
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