Oh the things we will do

It occurred to me this evening that I will do anything to hear the musical laughter of my children. Rhys has been really out of sorts lately - he is teething all 4 molars together and has had some digestive issues...no normal poo emerges from his body. ever. Anyway, we are taking him to the doctor tomorrow and I was pleased when Chris recommended that we take the boys out tonight. I recommended a new fountain open for playing in downtown in Baltimore. Rhys wasn't into it too much in the beginning because it was quite loud. He was happy for me to carry him through it and while I was wearing clothes that could get wet, I really didn't plan to. Well, he chuckled away when I kicked a pillar of water with his feet while I carried him. I kept doing it until I was absolutely soaked from the waist down. I didn't mind. His laughter made it all worth it! I will post pictures later.

The real diet secret

So, I believe that I have unraveled the truth behind our behinds and the surplus thereof. Since the first time your favorite jeans betrayed you and forced some of your own flesh to escape around the top, you all have been wanting to know the secret of losing weight. Well, we have heard it all before: reduce your calories, burn more than you are taking in, healthy diet, exercise, all things in moderation.

Well, the secret is that what works universally will always be a secret. While all of our bodies do work in similar ways, some people just hang on to fat more than others. I believe that I would have withstood the harshest ice age winters because my body stores what it can and if I start limiting what I provide myself for fuel, it just starts hoarding all of the fat it can get it's sausage-like fingers on.

So, I have found that just limiting calories isn't enough. I have to make sure that I get most of my calories from lean protein since all that work on the treadmill and elliptical machine will only burn carbs and not even make a dent in the muffin top that my jeans continue to create. Burning calories isn't enough either! My heart rate has to be in the "fat burning zone" to burn fat and not carbs. PHEW! No wonder, it is all a mystery. Real weight loss isn't simple. Our bodies reflect our lifestyle - something that I have said before. Now that I am trying to keep my heart rate elevated for a period every day and I am beginning to take in more lean protein and less simple carbohydrates, I hope to start seeing some real change on the scale and in the mirror.

Forget bathing suit season - jean season is right around the corner!

Two Words: Five Guys

Enough Said

This is the big diet splurge...imagine how hard we worked out in the gym on Saturday!

How old DO I look?

So, my best friend ever is up visiting and we had girl's night out on Wednesday. We had a lovely dinner and some delicious posh frozen yogurt from a new place and walked around downtown Annapolis. As we were heading to our next destination (Whole Foods), she remarked to me that she felt like she was old in comparison to all of the gen-whatevers that were milling around the area.

Granted, there were some young "whipper snappers" around. Spacifically, there was a group, sitting around a pair of guys busking by the waterfront. They all seemed to be friends, out supporting their budding musician friends, and it was a really nice atmosphere. I, however; didn't feel like I was old or even an older generation than these guys. I did that! I remember doing that! I remember how it feels to do that! I can relate, empathize and sympathize with them all. They are probably broke, in new love, thinking about going back to college or heading away for the first time...I remember that, I feel it.

I looked at my reflection in the rearview mirror and said with conviction, "I don't think I look 35! Do I look 35 to you?!" She very tactfully said, "yes". Really? I won't even be 35 for another couple of weeks! For the rest of the evening, I scrutinized everyone who passed and played the over-under 35 game with myself. Who knows how I scored but I still believe that I don't look 35. Could I pass for at least 32? I hope so! I know that I look rough when I wake up in the morning but once everything falls into place, I think I can pull off 32.

I have a set of old family photos and the earliest one is when my mom was 35. I remember when that picture was taken. Maybe I am getting old when I can remember my mom when she was my current age. In the picture, she looks youthful and radiant with the beautiful trademark smile that now also graces the faces of me and my sisters. I hope that I look as good as she does, although her hairstyle at the time did give away her age. Maybe I just need to keep a youthful hairstyle and I will cling to the feeling of youth and express it on the outside too!

Friends, Fun, and Festivities

Kelly and Scott are up with their boys and have been here since Saturday. We have been busy with the boys and playing a lot. Today, we took them to the observation deck at the airport. They all had a great time playing on the toys and watching the airplanes in their various stages of coming and going. We took everyone to Art Scape on Sunday. Art Scape is the biggest free art festival in the United States. It was crowded...very crowded but we all had a nice time and shared a couple funnel cakes.

Speaking of funnel cakes: Kelly and I are trying to hit the diet hard while she is here so we can encourage each other. (she has done so well having lost almost 20% of her body weight in just 4 months) We went to the gym on Sunday and Monday but didn't make it today. I have been doing pretty well with the calorie intake and burning but don't know how it will end up. I think that my body reflects my lifestyle and until I really commit to cutting the crap out of my diet and getting off my butt. Although anyone who knows me knows that I rarely sit - aside from the computer work - and eat remarkably well. I guess it is just the lifestyle overall. I enjoy the occasional/regular beer and on the weekends, I enjoy letting loose and eating whatever as well. Okay, so maybe that is it. Anyway, we will see how it all goes.

Riding on a wagon on your tummy is bad news

Cole had his first trip to the ER on Monday night. He was riding on his stomach on a wagon with a seat and fell nose first onto the deck. His nose exploded in a crimson tide and he came screaming into the house. I put him on the counter and tamed the tide and calmed him down. I called the doctor and we were told to take him to the ER. Chris was on his way home and took him after a quick wardrobe change. They made it by 7 and were home by 11 after a CAT Scan and the resulting waiting time for the results to be reported. He was fine - no broken bones and no serious head injuries. I was glad to hear it and we are now trying to keep him from continuing with this risky behavior...he hasn't learned anything from this.

Lunch with Rhys

Today, I decided to offer an alternative to the regular lunch of ham and cheese that is always requested in my house. I was told that at a certain age, a toddler likes to take control of certain parts of his life and with Cole, that control is in the form of the same lunch every day. It is a predictable routine that he has control over. Well, today, he got a fun bun with cheese. Sounds great, right! Well, I love them and had high hopes.

Fun Bun with Cheese = veggie burger cut into strips served in a hot dog roll with slices of Colby Jack cheese. Upon looking at it, Cole immediately said that he didn't like it. Rhys ate his up (minus the roll). Cole had THREE bites! Now, for Cole, I count it as a victory. I see fun buns with cheese on the menu again.

The side was watermelon. Cole wanted his in a whole wedge so he could pick it up and go to town...he also abandoned this effort and asked to be excused after three bites of that too. Anyway, that left Rhys and I to dine alone. Rhys decided that he also wanted a wedge of watermelon This is what followed:

After lunch and the removal of the watermelon-soaked clothes, Rhys decided to push the ottoman all the way from his room at the end of the all into the kitchen...so, how scary is this picture?! He is quite capable of climbing on top of and standing on this ottoman. I guess he will be making his own eggs in no time.

Eating Local

In late winter, my friend Jessica introduced me to a Barbara Kingsolver, et. al. book entitled "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" and I was hooked once again on gardening and farmers markets and eating local. I know this will fall a bit by the wayside come winter because I am just not that hard core about it but I love knowing that the food I am eating didn't travel far to get to my mouth from the ground and that the money that I paid for it helps the farmer down the street. The farmer then buys other stuff that eventually helps us all! I get my CSA share on Thursdays and go to a farmers market on Wednesday. Come Tuesday night, I am ready to go to the farmers market again. I rarely buy veggies at the store and since the meat truck was at the farmers market this week, I didn't even get meat at the store! Something in me doesn't want to mix store-bought stuff with local stuff so I try to make meals that consist of only one, if possible. This was our Locavore meal on Wednesday night.

Herbivore

Carnivore

Locavore

Chris even picked up some local wine from Boordy Vineyards. Yum

Who comes first and where do I belong?

I have recently struggled with where I belong on my priority list. Oprah touts that you should be at the top. I am happy if my name appears on the list at all. I joined the gym for myself and, while the money that I earn from my job benefits everyone in the family - and community, I really do that for myself too. The people in my family always come first around here. Rhys probably inches out the other two fellows because he relies on me for more. Cole is probably next and then Chris. The house chores and meal preparation probably is next on the list then work then working out and somewhere after all of that, I may get a shower.

I have been trying to get to the gym first thing in the morning but have a hard time with that because I usually leave housework or work work for later in the day - when I don't have a desire to start those things. Frustration set in on Monday when I realized that the gym couldn't be on the schedule because housework and laundry had gotten so out of control. Jessica, I too was considering arson as a permanent solution to this problem.

I noticed something refreshing when I was visiting my family recently. My younger sister, when preparing to go out, would always get herself ready FIRST and then get to work on her daughter, who, incidentally, is always perfectly put together. I take a different approach entirely. My boys get dressed and ready to go and then I fill in the remaining time with putting myself together. I don't know if one way is better than the other but it may speak to where I fall on the priority list. I just thought it was interesting. At the end of the day, she may actually do it for the practical reason of giving her daughter less time to mess her clothes but I thought it was really great. Hopefully one day I can have the same approach.

Independence Day Celebrations

This is the flag art project that Cole did this morning...beautiful!

My friend had a cookout yesterday for the 4th and we went (with roasted veggies in hand). Everyone had a great time. The food was fantastic, visiting friends was as fun as ever, the boys were well behaved, and we got to see fireworks and roast marshmallows. What can be better than that?!

Out come the sparklers and an opportunity for mommy to try out all of the features on her camera!

Cole was mesmerized.

We headed out front for the real show on the street. The kids all were excited in spite of the fact that it was WAY past bedtime. Look at my little boys having the time of their lives.

Rhys wasn't sure about it but he was clearly impressed with the show.

I took a video too.

At times like this, I feel a sense of obligation to start family traditions. Growing up, we always went to the lake for the 4th. My dad's birthday is on the 6th so we would pair up the two celebrations and enjoy fireworks, sing happy birthday, and eat cake! For several years, we would go with a group of boats to a resort/yacht club/marina that took a fair number of hours to boat to. We would all tie up near each other and sometimes to each other and watch the firework display that the club put on. It was spectacular.

I can put myself there right now. I can feel the cool breeze on my sunburned shoulders, the damp beach towel wrapped around my feet and see the light from the fireworks reflect off the whole front of my body and the faces of my sisters. We are sitting on the roof of the boat and the lights flash. A moment later, we hear the BOOM! The distance from the display adds to the beauty because we can see all of the lights reflecting on the water. When we think that it is nearing the end, we incorrectly call out, "This is the grand finale!" The display goes on and on, to our delight, and eventually we are right...finally: "This is the grand finale!" and it is.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for such great memories of this very American holiday. I hope that my children can say the same in years to come.

photo recipe - marinated roasted veggies

I volunteered to bring marinated roasted veggies to a 4th of July cookout as a side and since the veggies that I selected were from the farmer's market and my CSA and were SO BEAUTIFUL, I decided to do a step-by-step photo recipe. Enjoy!


I especially like the unique little green and yellow squash, the orange cauliflower, and the purple bell pepper. The outliers - the portobello mushrooms were from the grocery store - boo.


All of the greens and stalks are trimmed and everyone goes in for a shower

These purple bell peppers needed a solo shot...so beautiful!

And check out this squash from my CSA...just lovely. My friend, Bibi, would call this food porn.Everyone is treated to a turn under the knife and this is my pile of chopped veggies.
Mix the marinade: white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, chopped garlic, and some ranch dressing mix.
Everything gets tossed together in a bowl and goes into the refrigerator for several hours, tossing occasionally.

After 45 minutes in the oven, they are roasted to perfection.

Delicious.

Hot fun in the summertime

Bellyaching about having to pack a bag for the pool is the best way to start the day. At least, that is the way my day started. Chris and I were dragging this morning from life's business catching up and I had already planned on taking the boys to the gym so I could workout and then change them into swim gear for some pool time. Now, I am one of the luckiest girls in the world to be able to spend a day like this...I know this. The only thing that I loathe is the planning and work involved in getting us there, making us all comfortable and keeping us all safe. It would be so much better if I had a helper on days like this.

SO: I packed a lunch since I knew we would be there through the regular lunch time. I also packed our swim suits, towels, toys, a cover-up and pair of flip flops for myself, the camera, water bottles, pacifiers, extra diapers...

Once I got us out of the car and all of the stuff loaded onto the stroller, the kids were checked into kids club and I worked out for about 40 minutes. I sprung them from their luxurious holding cell and we made it to the family bathroom after a requested brief snack stop and an unfortunate bag explosion along the way. I got myself changed out of my gym workout stuff into my bathing suit and while Rhys hung out in the stroller eating his snack, I changed Cole too. The search in vain began for swimming diapers. Oops. Rhys would have to wear a regular diaper under his padded bathing suit and soak up all of the water in the pool. So, I get Rhys changed and buckled back in the stroller, pack away our regular clothes and we made our way out to the pool.

After we chose a spot by a table, I went about unpacking the toys and lunch items that I had brought. Rhys wouldn't wear his hat but I slathered them with sunscreen and crossed my fingers. When Cole saw the food, he wanted to eat so we had lunch almost right away. Rhys got confident with the water but was more interested in snacking on my apple than anything else. After a while, Rhys was getting tired and I was worn out so we packed it all up, I re-dressed the boys and we headed out. I looked at the clock - all of this for only 90 minutes of pool time?!
Oh well, what else would I have done with the time? We had a great morning...what a life!

Being aware and drug-free

Nancy Reagan said it, "Just say NO!" Well, I said yes and was hooked on anti-depressants resulting from a bout of postpartum depression. I have managed to get off the drugs and am happy to say that I am back to about as normal as I can be. After my busy week last week, though, I am coming down from the high and crashing a bit. Today I took the boys to the gym, the farmer's market, play time at the mall, and then home for lunch and paddling pool time outside. I didn't even sit in the house until 2:00pm. It was lovely and I even got some leisure writing done. I just have to make sure that when I start to feel down, I break the cycle.

Life is good.