I said "I do", now mommy of two…

My First Spin Class

I attended my very first ever spinning class this morning with my friend, Meredith.  I was warned ahead of time about the impending sore-bum, and when I saw Meredith bust out her inhaler and lay it with her sweat towel I had a brief (panick-y) inner monologue, but grabbed mine as well and propped it where I had seen her put hers.  She’s a regular so I had personal assistance doing all of the pre-adjustments to the seat and pedals.  I stretched a little and hoisted my bum as ungracefully as was possible onto my perch (those seats are high!!).  We hung out in the back of the room, so I had a view of the instructor and my fellow classmates.  The music started and I readied my little ears to absorb the directions and held on tight and off we went (or did not go as the bikes are stationery….).

My goals for this exercise were A) don’t fall off the bike B) don’t turn into a crying, asthmatic puddle and C) DON’T STOP PEDDLING  no matter how slow I am going.  I can truly say I enjoyed the music, I can truly say I was glad to have Meredith there for the “Oy Vey, this is HARD” looks I gave her.  I had a woman in a red shirt and long ponytail in front of me/slightly to the right who was … I will say extremely enthusiastic and energetic.  She was the one I watched (as well as the instructor) to see how fast I could be going??  But I swear if these bikes had had actual wheels and if hers had hit the ground, she would have sped off like the silver Delorean from Back to the Future, hit 88 miles per hour and been in another decade before the next beat of the song!  I did my best not to be a wuss about it, I stood, I (kind of) sprinted, I kept steady paces and proudly, I made it through the class.

Holy spandex cycling shorts, y’all – that is a workout!  Praise the Lord I did not melt off the spin bike and puddle on the floor.  I will say that my thighs are killing me already, and to get all specific and technical – the bones and muscles directly on either side of “ladytown” are obscenely sore, which is a weird weird feeling.  But overall, I think I might just add this to my gym class repertoire!  I wasn’t exactly in love while doing it, but it went by quickly and the feeling afterwords is total elation and a true “holy cow, I did it” feeling.  Sorry to say, though, that I was in no condition to mow the back yard when I got home (apologies to my husband).

So, go, my little spinners!  Burn those calories, work those muscles and go forth with (somehow) renewed energy.

This is what I felt like doing immediately post-spinning:

Ummmmm…EXCUSE ME??!!

Another bloggity?  I just did one last night, I know!  But I had to think about this one and ponder how I wanted to approach the story-telling of the event I’m about to share.  It just happened last night also, and I was freshly ticked off about it.  I’m not ticked off anymore, just embarrassed for the guy’s poor wife and sorry that one of our favorite restaurants lost the business of Mr. Doodoohead and his wife (though they gained our party of 9 in return!)

As I mentioned in my last post, yesterday was my mom’s birthday and we tried to rally the troops for a quick and easy birthday meal celebration.  We scooted over to one of our favorite places for dinner.  A family friendly joint, a place that serves a divine breakfast menu all day, a place that staffs people who know us and care about us and most importantly put up with our small herd of little boys (4 total, all under 4).  We were asked to wait just a moment while they pushed a couple tables together for us and grabbed a high chair for my littlest man and we were seated right away.  I noted a slightly older couple in a booth across the way and also noted the man’s eye roll as we ushered the kids into place and got everyone situated.  Moments after we were settled and the boys were occupied with cars, trains and a few games on the iPhone and iPad I watched Mr. Doodoohead rise, speak to his wife and wander off – I immediately turned to my mom and sis-in-law and said “I bet you a dollar he’s going to ask the waitress if they can move”.

The boys were really well behaved last night, they were engaged with one another and sharing the games and happy to be with their Gran & Miss Ilene.  On my honor, there was no obnoxious shrieking, utensil throwing, rude language or anything seriously offensive or disruptive going on at our table.  While I see Mr. Doodoohead still waiting around for someone to pay him some attention another large party (of adults) is seated at another long row table directly next to us.  They had folders and notebooks and it looked like a serious meal meeting was about to be had over there.

Anyway, Mr. Doodoohead finally catches the waitresses eye and just past the corner, where I can see her and hear him, he starts yelling at her about his annoyance at having us placed near him and his wife.  He is making such a scene that a manager and a chef come over to help manage the situation.  He yells about this not being a freaking daycare establishment, and he and his wife came in there to spend their damn money on a good meal and how dare they be inconvenienced with having a family nearby.  I rise from the booth and move closer, just listening, jaw on the floor, ready to defend my family and our right to eat there, too, should he turn his unwarranted wrath our way.  His wife is looking antsy now and has her purse ready and her drink (I guess thinking that they are still moving tables).  Mr. Doodoohead yells some more and refuses a table move, and gestures for his wife to follow.  She looks pretty damn mortified and scurries past me and he storms out with wife close behind.  I sit down, stunned.

Are.  You.  Kidding.  Me?

Dude, you are not at an exclusive 21 and up club.  Dude, you are not at a high end chop house.  Dude, you are not at your fancy country club in the private adults only dining room.  It is not Friday or Saturday date night at a more adult-type restaurant.  If it were any of those places, I would A) NOT have my children there and B) I’d understand the feelings.  I cherish my alone time with my hubby, too.  That combined with the fact that our motley crew was not being um…motley.  Dude, you have a big issue.  There’s a group of eight right next to us, so if it weren’t our group of 5 adults and 4 kids you’d still have the power meeting next door to be annoyed with.  We are at a family restaurant.  This area next to you is the only one available at this current moment where they can shove tables around and seat nine together.  I apologized to the manager and the waitress, not for my children, but for their lost business.  I was told in response that if that’s the way that man wants to act, then they’d rather not have his business.

I love our yummy little restaurant.  And we had a fabulous and deeeeee-licious dinner without Mr. Doodoohead, who I’m sure would have commented, huffed, puffed, sighed and glared at us all the way through his.  Your loss, you weiner.  And I hope your dinner elsewhere cost twice as much.

Everyday Angels

Three years ago today, my daddy took his last breaths on earth after one week in the gentle care of Hospice and 51 weeks of knowing about and fighting a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.  I was a lucky girl and had him in my life for 28 years and 10 months.  My oldest son was 8 months and 2 weeks old, and I thank God most sincerely for every second my baby boy knew him and for the pictures I have of them together ~ oh, how I wish I had thousands… and I miss him.  Every.  Single.  Day.  I miss him.

Today was quite a perfect day of remembrance, though.  I will go so far as to label it “the perfect summer day”.  From the mild 70-degree temperature, to the constant gentle breeze that has lasted all day.  I took the boys out this morning for a few errands and we met my mom for lunch.  We dined on the patio at one of our favorite spots, which is rare for us (near-albino pale) folks who generally avoid the sun like we avoid any…..um…bad or yucky things that do not appeal to us in any way whatsoever.  It was that nice.  Our umbrella’d table provided shade for the kids, and we ladies sat with our backs in the sun just…basking.  It was delightful.  We discussed various factors for my little sister’s upcoming wedding, talked about travel plans for the next few months, brainstormed for her kitchen remodel and enjoyed a truly pleasant and calm lunch together with the kids (miraculously) on their best behavior.

It was a beautiful day on Friday, June 26, 2009 as well.  I remember the 4am-ish phone call from my sister, who had been sleeping at Hospice with my mom so dad wouldn’t be by himself.  I remember arriving barely 30 minutes later, to be together and share our tears.  I remember waiting till the sun was up before I called my dearest friends to tell them the news and the beginning of our memorial plans.  I remember mom and dad’s closest friends coming, also barely after sunrise – no makeup, eyes as red as ours were…one had a giant basket of her famous cinnamon sugar muffins that she usually reserves just for Christmas.  And thus began the longest 5 days of my life.  Knowing what was inevitable was a blessing in some ways because dad said from the beginning that he wanted a celebration after he was gone.  He wanted all his friends, colleagues and loved ones to be able to come together to celebrate our lives and having had him in it.  So, many many months before this day dad had asked me to help make preparations and asked if our house could be the location for the post-memorial gathering.  Planning the catered menu, arranging for the whole backyard to be tented, and not being able to tell anyone precisely when you will need these services rendered is a bit weird, but those we worked with were extremely accommodating and helpful.  All of the ahead of time preparations made our barely 5 day “head’s up” an adequate enough time frame to welcome all who loved him to our town and our home and to send daddy home properly.  My brother’s eulogy…I will never forget it or how brave I think he is for being able to do it.  But that is for another post.

I took another unusual liberty during the kids’ nap time today and instead of rushing to get laundry done/folded, dishes in or out of the dish washer, or some other task – phone calls, emails (right now mostly wedding related items), I just stopped.  I fixed a big glass of ice water and a cold granny smith apple (my FAVE), grabbed my latest unfinished trashy romance novel and set up shop on our deck under our new giant umbrella.  Oh man…I was in heaven!  I set my phone alarm clock so I wouldn’t forget to get the kids up (I can read for hours and hours and feel like no time at all has gone by).

After naps I tossed the kids in the car and we went to our favorite playground.  It was too nice to not go to the playground!  I set another phone alarm so we could have an hour and a half at the park and leave in enough time to get home and make spaghetti for dinner before daddy got home (one of very few things we will ALL eat, though my oldest does not like the sauce….)  And we wrapped up a good day ~ weatherwise/behaviorwise.  Poi-fect!

I got dibs on my oldest at bedtime tonight.  My husband and I do a divide and conquer technique that generally works pretty well for us.  My son asked me if we could pick a different book off his shelf, one not in our current rotation.  Of course, sure!  Go grab one, kiddo.  He runs over and looks, touching a few as his eyes wander their titled spines.  Then pulls out a large hardback and I see the cover…and I almost lose it.  It is a book called, “Everyday Angels”.  He has had this book in his little collection for ages…I’d say it was a gift to him shortly after his birth.  And what gets me, almost as much as the title, is that we have never read this book together.  Not once.  It’s just not one that we have gotten to yet, or maybe one I didn’t think he’d be into it yet.  But, man.  Out of alllllll the books in his room, probably more than 100 – on this day out of all days of the year for him to pick “Everyday Angels”, I am slightly astounded.  Sure, it could just be a giant coincidence, but it makes me happy to think that someone guided his eyes and little fingers to that title.  Someone knew it would give his mama a special message.  I thought I would share with y’all.

Everyday Angels.

Our Brown Headed Cowbird named Steve

We have one of these:

Whom we named Steve.  He has been sitting on our kitchen bay window and tap-tap-tapping ALL HOURS of the day and night…pausing for a brief snooze between 7pm and 4 or 5 am (yes…Steve starts tapping on the glass that early).

The boys look forward to him coming to visit while we dine or craft at the kitchen table and I crack a smile whenever I hear, “Hi, Steve!” while I’m in the other room.

Just a tidbit to share, some bonus knowledge you can say ~ I was reading about this little fellow when doing a quick search for a picture, and I was discovering what a jackass this bird is.  The females spend all summer laying multitudinous eggs in other birds’ nests, expecting the other bird to foster the cowbird young, and in essence sacrificing one or more of the host bird’s eggs.  Not cool, Steve.  Not cool.

My June Personal Challenge

I am quite the shopper.  Part of it I think is ingrained in female genetic codes, part of it I think is hereditary (haha).  But these last few months in particular I think I have gone a bit overboard a bit too regularly.  I will fully admit to building back up my wardrobe recently since not a stitch of clothing fit me anymore having gone from a size 20 to a 10 (and counting!) in the last 11 months.  Jeans, tops, sundresses, undies and bras – all new.  I have been an excellent bargain shopper, though.  I purchased underthings at the local Hanes Brands Outlet during their buy 1 get one 50% off (at their already awesome outlet prices).  Target, Old Navy & TJ Maxx have supplied many of my easy warm weather sundresses, tops and jeans most of which is under $30 a pop.  I have raided several consignment shops and found killer deals there on some really gorgeous stuff and even a few Lilly Pulitzer items in “new with tags” condition.  And my shopping trip to Atlanta with my sister this past January gave me a nice selection, too.  I shop for the boys on and off when I see things, though they really (REALLY) don’t NEED anything.  At all.  My little one in particular has access to ALL hand me downs from my three year old and my three nephews!

I am also a bit of a product whore, as a few of my posts may have revealed.  If I see a new product that I’ve read good reviews on, I’ll pick one up at the drugstore next time I’m in.  It isn’t unusual for me to have two or three shampoos in rotation at one time, and I’m a sucker for cosmetic products in general.  Seasonal trends, limited edition collections (by MAC usually), glosses, creams, mascaras……ooooh ~ I love me some mascara, primers, potions, concealers, powders, nail polishes…if it’s in the beauty aisles, there’s a good chance I’ll be interested.  And I can say, too, that I really (REALLY) don’t NEED anything.  At all.

As the boys and I go to the mall one afternoon every other week or so to do a lap, say hi to the indoor choo choo train and maybe get a cookie, something inevitably catches my eye and I steer the stroller into GAP or Banana Republic or whichever department store to see what cute things I can find on the sale racks that fit my new frame.  But my closet is seriously full and the only remnant of me as a Former Fat Girl is my favorite pair of Calvin Klein jeans.  I’m in trouble this coming fall & winter because I have no cold weather clothes but for the coming southeastern humid heat wave that we call summer, I am set.

And I’ve thought about this a lot lately.  I have not been a good steward of our funds.  Yes, our pantry and fridge have all the necessities plus some, and yes the kids are clothed and happy with their toys and gadgets.  But we don’t NEED anything.  I am issuing myself the challenge of not buying anything extra/frivolous/unnecessary for the entire month of June.  No clothes for me or the kids.  No makeup.  No random household items or decor.  No impulse purchases.  I don’t mean not replenishing toothpaste or deodorant or things like that…the necessities.  Just using this as a time to use what I have.  To go shopping in my closet for outfits, to go shopping in my bathroom drawers and cabinets for toiletries.  I have my husband and my kids and they are what I truly NEED.  My boys are the delight of my heart.  School is out for the summer, the pool is open now (hooray!) and we have plenty of activities to keep us busy in and out of the house and this might be just what I NEED.  A type of cleansing.  A refreshing break from the consumer market maybe?

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend thus far!  We have had an amazingly productive and active day outdoors.  After dropping off my car for a tire rotation and having a hearty breakfast at Duke’s, we slopped on our sunscreen (SPF 4,227) and set to work trimming trees and bushes all around the house, pulling more weeds *OY*, pine needling everything, playing in the sprinkler with the kids…and we ended the day with a Papa John’s picnic in the driveway before showers all around and a group story time tonight before bed.

Cheers to a long weekend and genuinely striving to appreciate all that you already have.  “Joy is not in things; it is in us.” ~ Richard Wagner