Way to be a team player! WWYD?

Suppose you and your child are waiting for team practice to start. Several of the children get a few pieces of equipment out that they aren't suppose to be playing with. Most of the children are running around playing around and on the equipment. The coach comes up and sees the equipment out and says, "you aren't suppose to get that stuff out! Now go and pick it all up and then come on", and then he turns and starts walking away towards where practice will begin.

Your child wasn't one who physically got the equipment out, but you know he was playing with it. Your child obeys the coach and runs towards the equipment and starts to pick it up. Do you:

a) encourage your child and tell him/her he's doing a good job by following the coaches orders

or

b) tell your child to stop and not to touch the equipment. He/she didn't get it out so he/she shouldn't have to clean it up. When your child gives you a puzzled look you tell your child that only the children who disobeyed and got it out when they shouldn't have should have to pick it up. You tell your child to turn around and go get in line with the coach.


EEK!

I chose A. One of the annoying snobby Louis Vuitton clickish moms chose B. This happened last week with Travis at gymnastics and I'm still in shock over it. "Way to teach your child how to be a team player!"

The Story of Stuff

Click on this link: The Story of Stuff.

This video is amazing and I've been thinking about it all day. Really makes you stop and think about what you buy and what you toss.

Favorite Item of the Month...

This stuff ROCKS! I know, I'm a nerd. But seriously, my dad told me about this stuff, and I have to say, I am hooked! You can glue ANYTHING together! ANYTHING!! I've glued a cabinet back together, a stripped out windshield wiper, my laundry hamper, a car console, a car cigarette lighter, the button on my cruise control, screws that kept falling out, a car interior light that was falling down, etc.
It all started when my windshield wiper froze to my windshield last year. The retard that I am, I turned on the wipers trying to force them to un-stick. Well, it stripped the threading from the wiper arm and I had to buy a new one. $60 later I had a new wiper and was ready to go. Well, a week later Travis turned on the wipers and then climbed on the hood of the car and stepped on the brand new $60 wiper... stripping the threading off of it. Ugh. I called my dad in a panic. That's when I was introduced to one of the greatest products ever made. I bought the stuff, read the directions, and glued that wiper arm straight to the bolt under the hood! That puppy's not going anywhere! It's been a year and the arm is better than ever! Now I've become a bit obsessed and "look" for things to permanently bond together. There's something really fun about mixing the two tubes of stuff together and knowing that whatever you stick it to will never come apart - EVER AGAIN.

Okay, that was a very fun tangent. I just got finished getting Ben's truck ready to sell, so I've had a bit too much fun with the J - B Weld.

Next month: Mrs. Fix it. Trust me, if it involves toilets, washing machines, sinks, cd players, broken appliances, cosmetic defects, anything involving screws, gears, washers, bolts, etc... I can probably take it apart and fix it. And if not, well, it was already broken anyway, so what's the harm?

Is Cosmetic Surgery worth it?

I've always been a fan! I've said for years that one day I fully intend on getting a tummy tuck and a breast lift. lol
But then, there are moments like this that make you wonder how worth it looking physically perfect really is.
http://perezhilton.com/?p=8628
Is a perfect body or face worth risking your life for?

I stared death in the face and I lived!

For the very first time in my entire 27 years on this planet, I ran 4 miles!!

I didn't walk, not once. And I even finished in a respectable 47 minutes 24 seconds. That's less than 12 minutes per mile!

I almost cried when I hit 4 miles on the treadmill. Just last year I couldn't even run a full mile. Now I'm up to 4! It was a very surreal moment for me.

Holy Moly

I am a member of a site called www.thegrocerygame.com. Basically it tells you what items are on sale each week at certain stores and then matches up coupons from the Sunday paper so you get the item at the lowest price possible.
Today I went to a few stores to get my coupon items. I was shocked at my grand total!!

Total Spent: $87.79

Total Saved using grocerygame: $95.88 !!!!!

I saved more than I spent! That is just crazy to me.

Diet update

I've done WW for about 7 weeks now. I also run daily (1-3 miles) and do weights, so I know I have lost more fat then the scale says I have (b/c I've built up muscle and it weighs more than fat.)
Anyway, this is not a huge change, but enough of one that others have started asking me if I've lost weight and everyone keeps telling me my face seems thinner!
So, I don't have a full body shot (yet - I'll look for some) but here are some face ones.
Picture #1: First day of my diet
Picture #2: Last week (almost 10 lbs lighter)

Ewww... Sicko!

Last night K-bear was asleep in our bed and woke up around 2am and just started puking everywhere. It was so disgusting! I tried to grab a blanket to catch all the vomit, but she freaked out and pushed the blanket away. Then she started trying to push the hair out of her face and was basically crying and freaking out.

We get up and turn on the light and start stripping the sheets off the bed. K-bear is covered in puke from head to toe. It was all in her hair and all over herself. She even managed to get it in my hair. Hubbs and I had to sleep on the couches the rest of the night b/c there was so much puke everywhere.

So, anyway, she is fine today. No fever, no throwing up, no nothing.

It gets worse though... I washed all the pukie stuff today and when I pulled it out of the dryer there was dried GUM stuck to everything!! It was even melted and stuck all over the inside barrel of the dryer. Apparently she had swallowed gum yesterday and threw it back up. So not only did I have to deal with vomit in my hair, now half my clothes are ruined from regurgitated bubble gum in the dryer!

Psst, guess what!?!

I ran my first 5k today (in over 2 years). I ran it on the treadmill - not in an official 5k race, but I still did it! My time was 37.22 minutes! 12 minutes per mile would equal 38.4 minutes, so I ran at under 12 minutes per mile!!! My actual time per mile comes out to 11.63 minutes per mile!
Woot Woot!

On a side note, I was up .6 lbs this week from last (Boo Hoo!) BUT (TMI) I am bloated and Aunt Flow is visiting this week. AND I have been working out so much that I'm sure I've gained muscle this week. I'm sure next week will be a large drop in weight. I tend to have a large drop every other week and stay the same on the in between weeks. I've noticed that my weight fluctuation really follows my cycle.

Guess what I'm wearing today!?!

Only a pair of jeans that have been too small for the past year and a half! Weight Watchers rocks!

Just another reason to celebrate!

Ben and I went out to lunch today. When we pulled into his office parking lot after lunch EVERYONE from the entire building was outside. There were people everywhere. They were all eating popsicles and were gathered around a huge bouquet of balloons. It looked like a carnival! We rolled down the window and asked one of Ben's co-workers what the heck was going on (and why were we not invited?)!!? His reply,

"the fire alarm went off and they had to evacuate the building."

Hmmm, yes, I guess a potential FIRE is a perfect reason to celebrate! lol

"Worth it" moment last night

Travis just learned how to ride his bike last week. Last night we took him to the soccer fields parking lot and he rode around forever. The air was crisp and breezy and I was in my running/workout gear, so I decided I wanted to run the trail around the soccer fields (about a mile I would guess). Travis rode his bike while I ran and it was so nice to have him as a running partner. It's nice that my boy is finally big enough to go running with me (even though he was on his bike). I can't really explain it, but I just was loving every moment of my jog with him.

Go me

I had a surge of business at beyondbows.com on Thursday and Friday. In two days I had over $135 in orders come in! Word must be spreading about my bows because I only knew one of the people that bought from me. I've never heard of the others. :) I guess we should really get my site re-done quickly because it looks so messed up and tacky right now!
Anyway, go me!

Still loving Weight Watchers!

My first week on Weight Watchers I only lost 1.6 lbs, but this past week I lost 3.4 lbs!!! I've lost a total of 5 lbs in two weeks!! I only have about 3-4 lbs to go before I bust out the smaller size, and then another 15 before I'm in my "skinny" clothes again (the smallest size I've ever been in my adult life). I'm hoping to go at least 2 to 3 sizes smaller than that though. Baby steps... I don't want to get too excited and jinx myself, but I'm so dang happy! And the best part about Weight Watchers over other diets... It's so easy! I've tried them all and WW is just really really easy.
I don't go to meetings. 3 years ago I went online and bought the "At Home" kit from WW dot com. They sent me a fat packet of pamphlets etc, but the most important thing that I use is the calculator. It adds up my points for me.
I feel like I have to get into this certain zone before I can start a diet and stick with it, and I don't want to talk too much about WW because I'm really afraid if I start talking about it all the time it will throw me out of my zone. lol. Anyway, 5 lbs in 2 weeks... I'm really happy today!

Book Reviews

I just finished the following books:

I am not the greatest at giving Book Reviews, but I'll at least say a few words about each.
Memory Keepers Daughter: I thought it was pretty good. It was somewhat depressing to read about how one set of parents made bad decisions time and time again. Also it was depressing to span the lifetime of these children so quickly because it made me feel like my time with my kids is so short. However, when the book was finally finished I felt like I hadn't wasted my time reading it, and that is always a good thing. =)

Freakonomics: Wow, interesting read! If you want a book that will make you think from an entirely different point of view, this is a great one. Be forewarned though, there is a section about abortion and it's effect on our society that most Pro-Lifers will squirm through. It's always nice to read a thought-provoking book that promotes free thinking though.

Tribute to my Diet Dr Pepper

Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.

It's been over a week since I gave up my beloved Diet Dr Pepper. And you know what? I feel better! I have MORE energy. I also am LESS hungry. It's been a fun ride, Diet Dr Pepper, but the time has come to part ways. I've enjoyed you being a staple in my life for the last 2 years, but I'm ready to start enjoying Propel's company now. Thanks for the great memories! I'll cherish them forever.

New Week, new begining

Today is the day. I have committed to Weight Watchers. If I do it diligently from now until Christmas I will be 3 sizes smaller - and that is the best Christmas gift I could give myself. I'm hoping if I tell the world that I'm committing to Weight Watchers then I'll actually continue doing it. Wish me luck! I'll keep everyone updated periodically.

More randomness

Being sore from head to toe all day every day for 4 weeks is totally worth it if you are actually losing weight. But being sore from head to toe for 4 full weeks and NOT losing a single pound? That is just cruel and unusual punishment. Life isn't fair.

I hate skinny people!

***

Open letter to random people....

Kinsey, seriously!... Do you have ANY other way of communicating besides whining or huffing? I'd really appreciate it!

Travis, you don't have to argue with every single word that comes out of my mouth.

Ben, I cleaned the garage today (again) and I am counting it as TWO additional workouts for the day. Can you help keep it clean this time? Thanks.

***

Oh, another reason I love Fall... Hoodies! I can't wait to bust 'em out!

***

I've over-scheduled myself. I admit it. Some people work well under pressure. I am not one of those people. You know what I do when I have too much on my plate? I decide what is least important (even if I've made a commitment to someone) and I just don't do it. No note. No phone call. I just blow it off and walk away. Yes, I suffer serious guilt over this, but my biggest problem in the first place is my inability to tell anyone NO. If I could say NO from the start I wouldn't get into these situations to begin with.
So, besides the obvious Family, getting the kids to school, etc, my FIRST priority in my life right now is working out. Next would be coaching Travis' soccer team and getting the kids to their gymnastics classes. After that is my adult gymnastics class and then everything else. I'm totally slacking on my hair bow website (I have an order at the moment that I've put off for over a week! ack!) and visiting teaching. (I'm dodging my companion at the moment b/c I'm too embarrassed to face her). What have I totally blown off? PTA. I told them I would be there, I signed up to help out, and now I'm in hiding. I just haven't shown up. I don't have time! I can't even get my laundry done or keep my car clean much less do PTA at a school that Travis will probably only go to for at most his Kindergarten year.
I hate having this dark cloud of guilt hanging over me because I blow people off. I don't want to be unreliable. But in the end, it's easier to duck and hide then have to say NO.

***

I organized my email! I sorted and deleted ALL my email and now I have NOTHING in my inbox! I feel so accomplished.

Reasons I love the Fall....

Fall is quickly approaching!! I went outside this morning at about 7am and it was COOL! I know most places are cool in the mornings, but not Texas, so this was a very pleasant surprise! There is also a scent that comes along with Fall. It's very minimal, but it is there. It's like the smell and feel of the air before a rainstorm. You can just smell it. Anyway, I smell Fall air and I felt the breeze, and I am SO EXCITED!
I love the Fall because....
1) Ben and I were engaged through the Fall. The Fall always reminds me of us dating and getting married and it brings those first jitters and new love feelings back into our relationship. When the Fall rolls in just the weather alone reminds me all over again why I love my husband.
2) Ben and I were married in the Fall. Again, cool weather makes me reminisce about our wedding and why I married him!
3) I HATE, no I DETEST, hot weather. I hate hot Texas weather so much that when the Fall rolls in it is that breath of fresh air that I have been needing and yearning for since April.
4) Fall is the start of a new year for me. Yes, January 1st is actually the start of a new year, but school starts in the Fall. Therefore, when I feel and smell the first signs of Fall, I feel like I'm starting a new refreshing year.
5) TV!!! All my favorite shows begin in the Fall! I am really really really looking forward to Grey's Anatomy and several others.
6) And just for Ben.... FOOTBALL season! When we were first married almost 9 years ago I hated football! I didn't grow up in a football house and I didn't understand it. Well, I was jolted quickly into football reality when I married Ben b/c he worships football. UT football to be precise. I went from never thinking about football to eating sleeping and breathing football. Ben has season tickets so I had to get use to him being gone 6-7 Saturdays each Fall. And the biggest adjustment... Thanksgiving and New Years Football. I still admit that I don't particularly enjoy having two of my holidays over-run with football, but it is what it is so I guess I should jump on for the ride. Anyway, I really do love the atmosphere of UT Football games and I really do understand more about a Football game then I ever thought was humanly possible for me. More importantly than all of that though... Ben loves it. If he loves it so much, I can support him and love it too.

I know some of you are laughing that I am going on and on about Fall considering in Texas there really isn't a "Fall". I do like the cooler weather though and I do love the idea of watching leaves change and seeing the earth become beautiful again.

Random thoughs about exercise

How come I can fairly easily run 2 12-minute miles back to back (24 minutes non-stop), but when I try to run one 10 minute mile I literally think I'm going to die?! Building up endurance sucks.

On a side note... I realized today while at the gym that I'm still fairly athletic and strong. I think I might just have a pretty hot little body hidden away under all that fat.

Hopefully with the excessive amount of exercise I've been doing lately I'll be able to rediscover that hot little body.

Also, did you know that exercising daily curbs your appetite? Well, it does mine. And even better than that? Exercise in the morning AND night and you might as well not eat ever! (Okay, a bit of an exaggeration, but I swear, the more I work out, the less hungry I am all day.)

One more for the road. I don't want to shout from the roof tops quite yet, but I'm down about 3 pounds. My schedule these past two weeks has been as follows: Monday-run 1 mile and weights in the morning. Adult Gymnastics class in the evening (and as Kristine would say, that class is HECKA FUN!!!). Tuesday-Rollerblade for an hour and a half. Wednesday-run 2 miles and weights in the morning. Coach soccer in the evening (more of a workout then you'd assume). Thursday-Rollerblade for an hour and a half. Friday-more running and weights. Saturday and Sunday-off. Ben and I may start up Racketball again too. Now THAT is fun!

I don't have a Meth Lab.

How come when I get allergies really bad I can't just buy Sudafed anymore? I was at Costco today and decided to pick up some Claritin-D - Claritin for allergies with sudafedrine (is that spelled right?) - and because it has Sudafed in it, it now gets locked away behind the counter. Now the saying "over the counter" really makes sense. Anyway, not only do they need two forms of identification to purchase anything with Sudafedrine in it, you also can only buy one 15-count box at a time. However, after your buy your 2nd box (minimum of 24 hours later) you then must wait a full 30 days before you may purchase sudafedrine again. So what you are telling me is if I want a month supply I have to buy 15 pills one day, come back the next day and buy 15 more and then wait a full 30 days to re-stock? So if I take one a day then I have to wait 24 hours after I take my last pill to purchase more. Can't I get it just one day early so that I don't have a full blown allergy attack the day I have to go back to the store for my refill?

A few brags

I'm allowed to toot my own horn on my own blog, so here it goes...

1) I just ran a mile in 10 minutes and 30 seconds. Pretty darn good for someone who "isn't a runner". Next week I start interval running training though, so no more mile updates for awhile.

2) Travis had his first soccer practice last night - I'm the Coach. Coach Hepworth... lol. I told the boys to call me Coach Allison. They are so cute and adorable and most of them are totally awesome soccer players. I was quite shocked and pleased. I'm sure with this great team we may actually win a few games this season! We are the Mighty Sharks and are black, white, and gold.

3) I did a much better job coaching then I thought I would. I was nice to all the boys (lol - I was worried they would all irritate the crap out of me), we had a fun time, I never ran out of drills to do, and I was so much more confident then I anticipated. I think I may like this Coaching thing after all! 'Cause you know I like to be the boss!!

Hobbies

So I've been bothered lately with the idea that I have no hobbies. Everyone has a hobby, right? Some scrapbook, some watch sports, some play an instrument, etc. Well, there are things I like doing, but I wouldn't consider them a hobby b/c I don't yearn to do them all the time. All I could think of as hobbies for me are taking care of my kids, surfing the internet, and reading celebrity gossip. Pretty pathetic if you ask me. Anyway, as I've been becoming more frustrated with the idea that I am so boring that I don't have hobbies, I finally realized I do in fact have a few.
First off, I own my own business. Some may laugh, but I do love maintaining my business site and blog and I love making hair bows - and it does bring in a decent amount of money too!
Second, I like updating all my blogs. I have 3 now. lol
Third, I think my main hobby is exercise. I try to do something 5 days a week. I love to run - mainly a mile or two at a time (on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays), Rollerblade (on Tuesdays and Thursdays), and do my Adult Gymnastics class (on Monday night). I look forward to exercising each day and have fun while I'm there. Now if only it would actually help me shed a few pounds....

And, on a small side note, I would like to brag that today I ran a mile in 11 minutes and one second. This may seem slow to most, but for me, this is great. I've run a 12 and a half minute mile for at least 6 years, so the fact that I've shaved off a minute and a half is a huge accomplishment for me. I'm pretty confident by Wednesday I'll be able to shave off two seconds and come in under 11 minutes. Happy Day!

Magnet Quote

It's on my fridge:

One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star. -Nietzsche

I'm glad to know that all my chaos is going to good use!

The answer is...

None of your flippin' business, but "never" will work too.

The question, "When are you having another baby?"

Okay, here is my long reply...

Just because I'm Mormon and just because I got married at 18 does NOT automatically imply that I will be birthing 12 kids.

If you knew me at all you wouldn't even consider asking the previous question for very obvious reasons. If you know me you would already know that we have spent thousands of dollars trying to get pregnant with the first two. You'd also know that I am at my mommy max with the previously mentioned two.

After countless tests, surgery, fertility drugs, intrusive fertility treatments, two horrible pregnancies, two c-sections, two bouts of post-pardum depression, at least 4 fertility cycles that didn't work, a chemical pregnancy, and 7 years of complete roller coaster emotions, my final answer is, "DON'T ASK. If I get my way, we are 100% DONE, if Ben gets his way we are probably 85% done." And for the record, I AM allowed to change my mind in the future if I decide to do so. (Not that it will matter b/c we can't get pregnant anyway.)

We are thrilled with the two we have, we love them, we are extra lucky to have one of each, and we appreciate the fact that we even were able to conceive them. With that said, no, we are not bummed out that we can't get pregnant again, and yes, we are done. Stop asking.

So, we're not going...

Yeah, we're not going to the first UT Football game anymore. Ben's sick and doesn't feel like driving down there. He wants to spend this weekend recovering. Not to mention there are always reasons to be annoyed about having to go to Austin...

Football

Maybe Travis would like to go to a Football game every once in awhile too. Have you ever thought about that? (This is NOT directed at Ben, in case you were wondering).

My Musings

Instead of mixing all my personal thoughts with my family blog, I've created this one for just me! I'm sure it will bore everyone to tears, so if you don't like it, feel free to not read it!