My quest to become a runner...

So I'm on Week 2 of the program... and things are going well!! I waited until last week to start since cheerleading had finally slowed way down and I had more time after school. I have tried to make myself look forward to running, and have even caught myself in the midst of a crazy day anticipating jumping on the treadmill and pounding away the stress. I have also found that the key is to always keep a bag of gym clothes in my car. For example, today I was going to go to the gym. Then I went and did some errands and pretty much forgot about going to the gym (because I'm pretty much an airhead and just forget these things...), so then when I remembered about the gym, I thought, "Ugh...now I have to go home, change, and then come back out." But NO!! Lightbulb! I already had the clothes in the back of my car, along with my shoes (apparently I anticipated my airheadedness at some point this past week), so after my errands I drove my airheaded little self to the gym and jumped on that treadmill, feeling like a rockstar.

Please do not hear that I mistakingly think that I am a runner now.

I know I am not. But I am at least sticking with it. And that is far more than I can say about some other healthy habits in my life at the moment...

During Week 2, I have increased from running 60 seconds, walking 90 seconds (in Week 1) to running 90 seconds, walking 2 minutes. You are supposed to warm up with a brisk 5 minute walk, and then alternate these intervals for the next 20 minutes.

Today, after the 20 minute run/walk session, I was even fueled to keep running for the additional 5 minutes! (I always set the treadmill at 30 minutes, so after the intervals there is usually 5 minutes left to cool down.) I am starting to feel really great after my workouts, instead of just painfully exhausted and sore.


Next week is crazy though. Here's the breakdown:
1. Brisk walk for 5 minutes
2. Jog for 90 seconds
3. Walk for 90 seconds
4. Jog for 3 mintues
5. Walk for 3 minutes
6. Repeat #2-5.

Oh man.

Also, I would love to eventually run outside. However, these timed sessions prevent that from happening because I don't own a digital watch (and I REALLY don't feel like trying to keep up with a secondhand on a regular watch), nor do I own one of those cool little GPS thing-a-ma-bobs to track distance.

Maybe once I become a real runner (read: can handle more than 3 minutes at a time) I will treat myself to some running gadgets.

Yeah, I'll let you know when that happens.

Date Night With Dad

Tonight I went on a fun date with my dad! Just him and I. No one else. Just the like the old days. Patrick was (supposed to be) working on a paper and my mom is at the beach with some friends, so I called up my dad on Tuesday (ready for the weekend, eh?) and said, "Let's go on a date!" And he said, "Yeah! Let's go eat. Let's eat something that your mom and Patrick think is really gross and would never eat with us!" And I said, "I know! Indian food! Let's go eat Indian food!" And he said, "It's on."

My dad and I have always shared a love of exotic food. In fact, I attribute my love of exotic food to his love of exotic food. When I was in the high chair and my mom was insisting on mushing up some rice for me at the Chinese restaurant, Dad said, "No! Let the girl try some Moo Shu Pork!" And thus, it began. This girl has not met much food she doesn't like. (This is often my downfall. See here. And here.)

He called me today and said he'd been researching where we should go all week. We settled on Taaza. We'd never been but heard good food, good atmosphere. So off we went! I picked him up at 6:45, we jammed to some good tunes on the CD mix that Patrick has on repeat in his car, we ate, we chatted, we ate some more, and we chatted some more. We had fried califlower (which was great!) as an appetizer, chicken tikka masala, and lamb vindaloo (spelling?). Yummy! I love that we decided to get a couple things and just share it all. It was so much fun to have my dad to myself. Rarely does this happen anymore just because of the nature of our schedules and hurriedness of life lately.

When we left we decided we DEFINITELY need to do this more often. Such a refreshing time for both of us. I am thankful for the relationship that I have with my dad and how God has blessed our family. I'm thankful for a husband who said, "I think that's great! Go! Have fun!" And I'm thankful that my dad and I have things that only we share in common.

A good night all around and a great kick-off to the weekend.

For Beth:

This is Cousin Beth.

Beth is a (probably the only) devoted follower of our blog.

She is one of our favorites.

When she comes to town, we drop whatever we are doing.

We took Beth to the Salem Fair 2 summers ago. She is forever changed, we think.

Beth is the only cousin who has shamelessly played our "dive for pennies and quarters in the pool" game, despite the fact that we are all well into our twenties.

Beth let my husband take copious amounts of pictures at her wedding with his new camera, despite the fact that she had hired a professional photographer. It was the only wedding Patrick has ever thoroughly enjoyed. Including our own.

When I have issues about my ability as an English teacher, Beth reminded me that I am a good writer.

Beth told me to blog for our unborn children, Lord help them. She insists that they will care at some point in their lives what Mom and Dad had for dinner before they were born.

Beth, thank you for reading!
It was so good to see you this past weekend.
We love you!!

(And please don't kill me for putting your picture on our blog. You were a beautiful bride!)

slowly coming into focus

Life is getting back on track after the 2 month cheerleading hiatus. Patrick reminds me daily that it is only MY life that is back on track and slowing down. HE still has schoolwork and lots of it. As we speak he is "writing a paper." Is he actually writing? I'm not sure. He may actually be reading online articles, checking facebook, and sneaking in some Midevil Total War on the side. These are his "pre-game activities" so he calls them. They "help him get motivated to write." Please don't ask. I have tried. Trust me I have.

I've learned to let him be and a paper eventually makes it out of the printer sometime during the night. How do I know? Oh, because he married an English teacher and I have to proofread EVERY. SINGLE. WORD. (I feel like this is slightly cheating?)

Nonetheless, we had a VERY productive weekend. Here is the list of tasks that got accomplished:

• cleaned the house (!!!!)
• learned to fold in the windows and clean them on inside AND outside
• put away clean clothes that have been sitting in the laundry baskets for weeks
• filled said laundry baskets with more clean clothes
• changed the sheets on the bed
• water our unkillable plant
• lots of groceries
• made some chocolate chip cookies for my expecting sister-in-law

and finally....[drum roll please.......]

dun dun dun DUNNNNNNNN

• CLOSED AND COVERED THE POOL!!

You heard me right. We had the pool open until November 7. A record for even us. This is slightly embarassing but I will say this in our defense: the longer we leave that thing open, the less time it has to get green and murky before Spring. We are only making things easier on ourselves down the road. That's our story and we're stickin to it.

On another note, our neighbor has swine flu (sorry Jenn) and her husband Trevor came over tonight to bring me lesson plans to take to school for her sub (she teaches with me). Of course, I'm in pajamas that don't match. (Why don't I have pajamas that match?? What has happened to my life??) Seriously, polka dot blue pants and a cheerleading t-shirt. And huge silver dangly earrings still in from church this morning. I think I was even wearing a black bra underneath my white t-shirt. Sooo Joy on My Name is Earl. So tacky. Oh goodness. I digress. Anyway, I'm frantically cleaning the house in my weird outfit, screaming over the vaccuum cleaner at Trevor who is in my living room dropping out lesson plans. Apparently I looked pretty stressed out, because he looked at Patrick and said, "You know, I thought about getting a cleaning lady to help Jenn out. To take a load off of her a little."

Trevor, you are my new favorite person. Please keep hanging out with my husband.

How the Freezer is Saving My Life

Oh man how I wish I had known about this while cheerleading was in full swing. I took a night a couple weeks ago and prepared several freezer meals from this amazing book:

I went to Sam's and bought in bulk like we've been doing for a few months now. This is saving us a lot of money, especially since I mostly cook from scratch and therefore cannot use many coupons (they just don't make coupons for produce, flour, eggs, etc.). As soon as I came home, instead of dividing up and freezing the food like we normally do, I took about 2 hours to go ahead and prepare marinades and pre-packaged meals, all to freeze and just pull out and cook over the next couple of weeks. This is working GREAT for us!!! We are saving money, eating home-cooked meals, and not spending tons of time (which I don't have) cooking.

I made granola (4 packages), barbeque chicken (3 meals worth), cranberry-apple pork roast (2 meals worth), and vegetarian chili (4 meals worth).

On Sunday night of this week I pulled out a couple of different entrees and put them in the refrigerator to thaw. Last night we had veggie chili. I fixed some rice and shredded some cheese to go along with it. Tonight we had the cranberry-apple pork roast. It was so easy!! I literally pulled it out of the fridge, dumped it into a pan, and put it in the oven for an hour. I quickly sliced up and roasted some potatoes to go along with it and that's it!! Done!! It was yummy and very fall-like feeling. Mmmmm...

Tomorrow night we've having the barbeque chicken. I'm going to slice up some apples and sweet potatoes and throw 'em in the oven like my lovely friend Jenna suggested.

Two of my friends had this British professor in college who would always say, "Easy peasy like sugar candy..." in a nonchalant, happy, British-accentish voice.

I think it will be my new mantra.

"Easy peasy like....cranberry-apple pork roast from the freezer."

On this gloomy Sunday, I:

• worshipped the Creator of the universe, who loves me despite my sinfulness


• sipped tea cozied up on the couch watching Gilmore Girls reruns


• baked fresh bread


• did not have to clean up lunch dishes (thank you, Subway)


• am happily catching up on neglected schoolwork from the past 2 months


• am looking forward to hanging out with friends tonight that we haven't seen in months


• am loving the cute kitty cat curled up at my feet

• breathed--for the first time since school started.

So Proud!

Our competition girls got 4th in the district today!! I was so proud of them. They performed their routine the absolute best they have done all season TWICE!! While we don't get to move on to Regionals, it was definitely a day of excitement and pride. We overcame 2 injuries that happened in the last 24 hours which resulted in us having to us an alternate girl at the last minute, since one injured girl was unable to compete. We were so proud of their hard work!! I couldn't stop jumping up and down as they hit EVERY SINGLE STUNT and totally rocked our socks off!

I would just like to say...

I did it! I went to the gym! I did Day 1 of the running program! And...


I DID NOT DIE OF AN ASTHMA ATTACK.




Patrick told me I should set some goal, like running a marathon this time next year.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves, baby.

It's Time

I just got an email from our head cheerleading coach with the coming basketball season schedule. I was reluctant to open it, not prepared, at this point in the hectic game I am calling Life, to see how my time would be slipping away again in the near future. (Please do not get me wrong. I am LOVING coaching. It has just been crazy lately, and I'm tired.)

Turns out, not so bad! Between the four coaches, it works out to me supervising one game every week to week and half or so. Do you know what this means?? This means that I MIGHT be able to slowly dig my way out of the mound that has slowly been growing around me for the past 2 months entitled My To-Do List. This means I might be able to actually ENJOY the holidays without it seeming like a blurry mess.

Also, I am thinking about starting this program this week (thoughts?). I desperately need to start exercising. I dream of being a runner. I would love to be one of those people who "needs to run" (this phrase has never come out of my mouth). For whom running is "theraputic" and who just can't go without it.

Plus, everyone I know who runs is skinny.

I would like to be skinny. Just. Once. In. My. Life.



Is that too much to ask?

Confessions:

Life has been crazy. More like a blur since September 8th, aka The Day School Began. Patrick is back in school. I am teaching and coaching cheerleading and trying not to lose my mind/social life in the process. Meanwhile, we have fallen off the horse in just about every area of healthiness/sanity in our lives:

1. We have only been drinking soda for days. Weeks really.
2. The last time we exercised was the night we walked to the end of the block to see trucks repairing a water line break down the street, about a month ago. We saw lots of lights and thought there was a fire. We were sorely disappointed to walk all that way just for a water line break. And sadly, out of breath.
3. The laundry has been stacking up for maybe a good 3 weeks. Patrick is taking that back over soon. He did a much better job than me.
4. We are currently being very successful at sticking to a strict high-carb, high-cheese diet.
5. Often during quick trips outside, we will observe the rotting, decaying leaves in the pool and the clogged drain at the bottom of the basement stairs and remark to one another, "We should really do something about this." Then we quickly retreat inside for a high-carb, high-cheese snack instead. We have determined it is best not to even go out there anymore.
6. We have convinced ourselves that the clutter all over the house makes it look "lived in" and "cozy." These terms make us feel better. They just do.



But this is a new week. Patrick has a 2 week break from school. Competition season in cheerleading is quickly reaching its peak (Districts this coming Saturday and Regionals are next week) and life as we know it will hopefully slow down. Hopefully?!? Please?!? I don't know how much more I can take. We did set some goals for the week to make us feel more on the ball:
1. Exercise at least twice.
2. Do not go out to eat (I took Friday night to go bulk shopping and prepare some freezer meals...more on this to come)
3. Close down the pool.

Oh, and Patrick just informed me while reading this that no, my social life is actually dead. I'm going to try to work on this too.

Finally...

• finished painting my grandma's old jelly cabinet and moved it into my dining area for extra storage
• gave myself a much needed mani and pedi
• got some good sleep
• got my husband to clean and return the ugly metal dog pin that's been sitting in our living room from when our cat broke her leg 1 YEAR AGO
• brought up the fall and winter clothes up from the basement
• made a good trip to the grocery store
• started that book that's been laying on my bedside table for the last year
• got to see my good friend from high school who's moved back and her precious family!

A productive yet relaxing weekend. Perfect for the beginning of Fall, my favorite season!!

Weekend Plans

In a couple words:

1. Sleep in.
2. Read.
3. Wear pajamas.
4. Worship.
5. Date.


I'm reveling in the fact that I'm caught in grading and lesson plans. It's still early enough in the year that I'm motivated to get things done, and I mean GET THINGS DONE, in planning period. You should see it...I'm like a freight train! A grading machine. In a short time, though, essays will be turned in, tests will stack up, the "to be filed" pile will be uncontrollable, and I will slowly begin to lose my mind (and my free time).

For now, peace like a river.

Week 1 Down

It's midnight on Sunday and I still haven't gone to bed. I don't have to teach tomorrow because our principal is coming to speak to all my classes on school rules (a routine, beginning of the year procedure) so I feel like a little kid who gets to stay up past their bedtime!! On a school night!

So I survived the first week of school with a much more peaceful attitude than I had antcipated. I made my To Do List during teacher work week, completed it, and showed up on the First Day of School calmer and more relaxed than I really thought I would be (despite the fact that I could not sleep the night before...). I have a first period this year so getting to school on time is a MUST and I must say I have done a superior job so far! I've gotten up when the alarm clock goes off and only managed to hit snooze once. We'll see if that's still the deal come November...

My kids this year are much quieter than last year! I will say, I miss my former students like crazy!! I feel like a mama whose baby chicks have flown the coop. I had visits from lots of them throughout the week and am looking forward to the point in the next couple weeks when my current students start to feel like my own in the same way my former students did. It's nice to know more kids in the school as well and not be the newbie on the block anymore.

Hopefully Week 2 be even better as we start to get into the flow of the class and I get back in the habit of running a classroom. Thanks for your prayers!

Back to School Eve

The last load of laundry is in the wash so that I have the absolute full spectrum of my clothes from which to choose my First Day of School Outfit.

Today I stocked the fridge/pantry with peanut butter, jelly, banana, apples, and plenty of bread.

Mom bought me a new Teacher Bag so that I can finally ditch the ugly black square briefcase-looking thing they give us to carry our laptops in. Hello red snakeskin with a shiny buckle! You will make leaving for work in the dark each morning not so dreary.

I also bought new travel mugs. There are never enough when we're both working.

Pencils are yet to be sharpened and I still have to put the finishing touches on my First Day PowerPoint.

Tomorrow is coming so quickly...

A Married Person Date

Shared a pepperoni, mushroom, and onion pizza
Cherry coke (my first soda in 2 weeks) to boot
Catching up on our bulk grocery shopping
"Surprise" bouquet of daisies in honor of finishing Grad school
Stopping off at Food Lion for a bottle of champagne
Home to hang out and enjoy each other's company



A lovely time was had by all.