I am currently in the car on my way to Virginia Beach. I can even update my blog with my Blackberry. How cool is that?
Anyway, we came down to Williamsburg to John's parents house last night. This morning John had to do his long run so Keller and I hung out with Nan (John's mom) and Aunt Kim. I then went on a short run to keep my legs loose for the race tomorrow.
Can I just say how nice everyone is in Virginia? When I was running, everyone I passed said hello and smiled. It was nice.
Now we're sitting in traffic. But we'll be there soon. And then tomorrow I'll kick some of that nice Virginia Beach butt!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Invisible Sun
I'm stealing this title from Lynne, who is also a music junkie. She sends out the lyrics to a song that the day reminds her of to all us. Anyway, it has been raining here for the last 24 hours straigh (at least!) and, while we need the rain, it's put us all into a mood.
In fact, all of the people in my office are wearing pretty much the same outfit: a black (or similiarly hued) top and jeans. There is one rogue colleague who is wearing pink. Damn her! She's ruining the mood.
Speaking of the rain, John told me that on the way to school this morning, Keller said, "The rain is killing me." You and me both, dude.
I am so glad it's Friday. I feel like this week has been dragging. And it's a long weekend to boot! We are going to VA Beach. I'm doing the Half Marathon on Sunday. I'm kind of excited about it though with my race experience so far this year being lackluster, I'm not setting my sights too high. I just hope to get through it in a decent time.
Happy Labor Day!
In fact, all of the people in my office are wearing pretty much the same outfit: a black (or similiarly hued) top and jeans. There is one rogue colleague who is wearing pink. Damn her! She's ruining the mood.
Speaking of the rain, John told me that on the way to school this morning, Keller said, "The rain is killing me." You and me both, dude.
I am so glad it's Friday. I feel like this week has been dragging. And it's a long weekend to boot! We are going to VA Beach. I'm doing the Half Marathon on Sunday. I'm kind of excited about it though with my race experience so far this year being lackluster, I'm not setting my sights too high. I just hope to get through it in a decent time.
Happy Labor Day!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Devil's Haircut
So, I got my haircut the other night. I chopped it off. I do this every year. I chop it off, I grow it out, I chop it again.
Why do women do this? Is it because society deems women attractive only if they have long, flowing hair? And then women like me, who don't have think hair, and can't get that ideal, end up chopping it off and hating themselves for it. It's truly a vicious cycle.
A bunch of women in my office have cute little bob cuts. And I love them. Then another one of my coworkers has the long, flowing hair. And then there's me. I'm the mousy one in the corner. I try to have cute hair but it just fails. My office mate isn't here at the moment, so I've been spraying and poofing and teasing for a little while. I think it's all right.
On another note, my wonderful husband bought me a Blackberry phone for my birthday. I am addicted. I LOVE it. Seriously, what did we do before we were so connected to everything? I was in traffic this morning (people, it's just rain!) and emailed my bosses to tell them I was late. I can check all three of my email accounts on the phone. And I can even do stuff with Facebook! I can take pictures and email them right away. On a work related note, when my graphics designer sends me stuff that I need to check right away, I can open the attachments right there on the phone! PDFs, Word, Excel, you name it, I can see it! It's pretty kick-ass.
Ok, I'm hopped up on coffee. I need to stop babbling and go do some work. Happy Thursday!
Why do women do this? Is it because society deems women attractive only if they have long, flowing hair? And then women like me, who don't have think hair, and can't get that ideal, end up chopping it off and hating themselves for it. It's truly a vicious cycle.
A bunch of women in my office have cute little bob cuts. And I love them. Then another one of my coworkers has the long, flowing hair. And then there's me. I'm the mousy one in the corner. I try to have cute hair but it just fails. My office mate isn't here at the moment, so I've been spraying and poofing and teasing for a little while. I think it's all right.
On another note, my wonderful husband bought me a Blackberry phone for my birthday. I am addicted. I LOVE it. Seriously, what did we do before we were so connected to everything? I was in traffic this morning (people, it's just rain!) and emailed my bosses to tell them I was late. I can check all three of my email accounts on the phone. And I can even do stuff with Facebook! I can take pictures and email them right away. On a work related note, when my graphics designer sends me stuff that I need to check right away, I can open the attachments right there on the phone! PDFs, Word, Excel, you name it, I can see it! It's pretty kick-ass.
Ok, I'm hopped up on coffee. I need to stop babbling and go do some work. Happy Thursday!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Welcome to the Jungle
I have come to the conclusion that all you have to do to find interesting things in the world is leave the house.
I'll start with last night. I got my haircut at yet another new studio. And the woman that cut my hair was very nice and I think I'll go back to her. But she was really short and when she was styling the top of my head, she couldn't reach it. Even with the chair all the way down. So, I had to slide down in the chair. I was basically falling off the chair. It was pretty amusing.
Then this morning I was out on my run with Connie. Because we essentially live in the same general neighborhood, we kind of run to each other and then run a route together. Before I met her, I was running along and this bunny was on the sidewalk. It didn't flee as bunnies normally do, but it was hopping along next to me for a little bit. I've never had a bunny as a running partner before.
On a side note, the weather was gorgeous this morning. It's days like this that make running wonderful. I think that, if you're not a runner, go for a little run on a cool morning like this and you'll be converted to a runner in an instant.
Anyway, once Connie and I met, we were running along and two deer came out of no where and were running straight at us. It scared the crap out of me. I jumped into Connie and grabbed her arm and screamed a little. I can't help it if I'm easily scared. My coworker scared me the other day because I was in the zone and she started asking me a question and it totally freaked me out. But that's another story.
The deer incident was about a mile into our run. So, we continued on and turned around after another mile. Then, as we approached the area where we saw the deer, we were at about 3 miles, so this was about 15-20 minutes later from when we saw the deer. Well, there they were again. Running full speed across the street. What the hell? This neighborhood has some crazy ass deer tearing through it.
After Connie and I parted ways, I was on my way back and my bunny friend was still hanging out where I saw him the first time. Do things like this normally happen? Ususally when I see some creature out in the woods or something they scurry off and I never see them again. But two incidents of animals sticking around? That's just strange.
Then, I get to the parking garage I park in near my office and I'm walking to the stairs and this poor very pregnant woman is also walking to the stairs. As I get closer to her, I hear her moaning and I see she's holding her belly. I mean, she looked like she was having 5 babies. I looked at her sympathetically and said something along the lines of 'poor thing' and all she said was "8 more weeks." She already looked like she was going to pop. Poor thing indeed.
So all of this happened to me by 7:30 AM. Pretty crazy, huh?
I'll start with last night. I got my haircut at yet another new studio. And the woman that cut my hair was very nice and I think I'll go back to her. But she was really short and when she was styling the top of my head, she couldn't reach it. Even with the chair all the way down. So, I had to slide down in the chair. I was basically falling off the chair. It was pretty amusing.
Then this morning I was out on my run with Connie. Because we essentially live in the same general neighborhood, we kind of run to each other and then run a route together. Before I met her, I was running along and this bunny was on the sidewalk. It didn't flee as bunnies normally do, but it was hopping along next to me for a little bit. I've never had a bunny as a running partner before.
On a side note, the weather was gorgeous this morning. It's days like this that make running wonderful. I think that, if you're not a runner, go for a little run on a cool morning like this and you'll be converted to a runner in an instant.
Anyway, once Connie and I met, we were running along and two deer came out of no where and were running straight at us. It scared the crap out of me. I jumped into Connie and grabbed her arm and screamed a little. I can't help it if I'm easily scared. My coworker scared me the other day because I was in the zone and she started asking me a question and it totally freaked me out. But that's another story.
The deer incident was about a mile into our run. So, we continued on and turned around after another mile. Then, as we approached the area where we saw the deer, we were at about 3 miles, so this was about 15-20 minutes later from when we saw the deer. Well, there they were again. Running full speed across the street. What the hell? This neighborhood has some crazy ass deer tearing through it.
After Connie and I parted ways, I was on my way back and my bunny friend was still hanging out where I saw him the first time. Do things like this normally happen? Ususally when I see some creature out in the woods or something they scurry off and I never see them again. But two incidents of animals sticking around? That's just strange.
Then, I get to the parking garage I park in near my office and I'm walking to the stairs and this poor very pregnant woman is also walking to the stairs. As I get closer to her, I hear her moaning and I see she's holding her belly. I mean, she looked like she was having 5 babies. I looked at her sympathetically and said something along the lines of 'poor thing' and all she said was "8 more weeks." She already looked like she was going to pop. Poor thing indeed.
So all of this happened to me by 7:30 AM. Pretty crazy, huh?
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Today is the first day of school in Montgomery County.
As I was driving into work this morning, I passed a bunch of kids waiting at the bus stop right by our house. I then passed a bunch walking to school as I drove by the high school that's close to our house. For the most part, the kids looked pretty happy.
I was trying to remember if I liked the first day of school. I think I did. I always had fun picking out my first-day-of-school outfit and looked forward to seeing my friends I didn't see over the summer. Or I think I did. I can't remember now.
There is a commercial they used to show for Staples, I think, of a dad strolling through the store, with his grumpy kids, getting school supplies as "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" played in the background. I love that commercial and I wished they still played it. But I think the dawn of a new school year would be a happy time for kids. It's like getting a clean slate, which rarely happens in life. But I guess once you get to middle school and high school, skepticism and doubt have entered your mind and you just want to go back to bed.
Thanks to Connie, here is the commercial!
Keller's first full day was yesterday. And he did great! He was a little whiny when we left, but his teacher said he did really well all day. He was clingy at circle time, but he still participated and wanted to be there. He also needed a little help with his nap, but he ultimately slept for an hour and a half. Not bad for the first day. I really hope this transition continues to go well. What is pretty cool is the new school is tiring him out a little more. He went to sleep about a half hour earlier than usual last night and slept until after 6:00 (which is like noon in our house). I almost didn't see him before I left for work because I leave at 6:45. But as soon as I heard him stirring and playing I made sure to go in there and get some squeezes. A day without seeing Keller before I leave is like a day without air.
Now I'm at work for another Tuesday. Ugh. I'm getting some more coffee.
As I was driving into work this morning, I passed a bunch of kids waiting at the bus stop right by our house. I then passed a bunch walking to school as I drove by the high school that's close to our house. For the most part, the kids looked pretty happy.
I was trying to remember if I liked the first day of school. I think I did. I always had fun picking out my first-day-of-school outfit and looked forward to seeing my friends I didn't see over the summer. Or I think I did. I can't remember now.
There is a commercial they used to show for Staples, I think, of a dad strolling through the store, with his grumpy kids, getting school supplies as "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" played in the background. I love that commercial and I wished they still played it. But I think the dawn of a new school year would be a happy time for kids. It's like getting a clean slate, which rarely happens in life. But I guess once you get to middle school and high school, skepticism and doubt have entered your mind and you just want to go back to bed.
Thanks to Connie, here is the commercial!
Keller's first full day was yesterday. And he did great! He was a little whiny when we left, but his teacher said he did really well all day. He was clingy at circle time, but he still participated and wanted to be there. He also needed a little help with his nap, but he ultimately slept for an hour and a half. Not bad for the first day. I really hope this transition continues to go well. What is pretty cool is the new school is tiring him out a little more. He went to sleep about a half hour earlier than usual last night and slept until after 6:00 (which is like noon in our house). I almost didn't see him before I left for work because I leave at 6:45. But as soon as I heard him stirring and playing I made sure to go in there and get some squeezes. A day without seeing Keller before I leave is like a day without air.
Now I'm at work for another Tuesday. Ugh. I'm getting some more coffee.
Monday, August 25, 2008
I can't believe it's been almost a week since I've updated my blog. I guess with not being at work all week, I just didn't have the time to post. Ha ha!
Overall, the week was good. But it flew by. My parents came into town Tuesday afternoon, so that was nice to have them all week.
The main objective was to get Keller familiar with his new school. And I definitely think we accomplished that. We went every morning and he met his new teachers and they really liked him. I tried to talk everyone up as much as possible outside of school so he would start remembering everyone's names and stuff. I think that helped too. When we brought him this morning, his first full day, he wanted to play. I was happy that he wasn't clinging to either one of us. Hopefully that will continue.
Having my parents here this week allowed for me and John to have some adult time. We went out to dinner with Eric and Isabel Friday night and then Saturday night was Mary's 30th birthday party. And there's no reason to feel guilty because my parents had so much time with Keller all week. When they left on Sunday, he was really upset. So we went out with friends to distract him. We really had a great weekend of time with friends. Sunday morning we went out for brunch with the Gies and Silberman families, then we met Chad, Tamrya and Preston (the Porter family) for dinner. I absolutely love having weekends loaded with friend time.
And now I'm back at work. I have a lot to catch up on. Should be a fun week! But this weekend is Labor Day weekend and we're heading down to VA Beach for the Rock and Roll Half Marathon. I'm actually looking forward to it. Mainly because I get a mini-taper and only have to run 13 miles this weekend instead of 20! Yay!
Overall, the week was good. But it flew by. My parents came into town Tuesday afternoon, so that was nice to have them all week.
The main objective was to get Keller familiar with his new school. And I definitely think we accomplished that. We went every morning and he met his new teachers and they really liked him. I tried to talk everyone up as much as possible outside of school so he would start remembering everyone's names and stuff. I think that helped too. When we brought him this morning, his first full day, he wanted to play. I was happy that he wasn't clinging to either one of us. Hopefully that will continue.
Having my parents here this week allowed for me and John to have some adult time. We went out to dinner with Eric and Isabel Friday night and then Saturday night was Mary's 30th birthday party. And there's no reason to feel guilty because my parents had so much time with Keller all week. When they left on Sunday, he was really upset. So we went out with friends to distract him. We really had a great weekend of time with friends. Sunday morning we went out for brunch with the Gies and Silberman families, then we met Chad, Tamrya and Preston (the Porter family) for dinner. I absolutely love having weekends loaded with friend time.
And now I'm back at work. I have a lot to catch up on. Should be a fun week! But this weekend is Labor Day weekend and we're heading down to VA Beach for the Rock and Roll Half Marathon. I'm actually looking forward to it. Mainly because I get a mini-taper and only have to run 13 miles this weekend instead of 20! Yay!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
I Want Candy
Ok, so how can I become independently wealthy? You know, so I don't have to work anymore.
I have been loving my time home with Keller. Yesterday turned out to be such a good day. He crashed after school in the morning, and took a 4 hour nap! We then went to the store and he picked out some underpants (Thomas the Train!). He then used the potty three times last night! And then again this morning!
He had a bad dream this morning and woke up crying. I was already downstairs (I haven't been sleeping well myself) and John said he heard Keller say, "That's my Puppy" and then he started crying. Oh man. He had a dream that someone was taking his puppy. He sleeps with a puppy doll and it's his little comfort item. Anyway, I went in there and got him. We came back and cuddled in our bed for a while. Then we went into the bathroom and he went on the potty (yay!) and got dressed.
I then went on an awesome run. I met Amanda at the trail and we ran a 6-mile steady state run (where you run at a pace just above race pace for a steady amount of time). John took Keller to school so he could see how things go there. And I've been hanging out here.
So, how can this be my life? Instead, I usually wake up at 4:30 to run and then I am rushing to get out the door, only to sit in traffic on my way to work. I don't like that. It truly sucks that we can't, as a society, just do what we want. But I guess things cost a lot, and we kind of need food and a house. But maybe, if, as a society, we all just pooled our resources and became one giant family? I know it sounds odd and probably wouldn't work, but I really just want to spend my days running and being with Keller. *sigh*
At least I'm FINALLY having a good Tuesday!
I have been loving my time home with Keller. Yesterday turned out to be such a good day. He crashed after school in the morning, and took a 4 hour nap! We then went to the store and he picked out some underpants (Thomas the Train!). He then used the potty three times last night! And then again this morning!
He had a bad dream this morning and woke up crying. I was already downstairs (I haven't been sleeping well myself) and John said he heard Keller say, "That's my Puppy" and then he started crying. Oh man. He had a dream that someone was taking his puppy. He sleeps with a puppy doll and it's his little comfort item. Anyway, I went in there and got him. We came back and cuddled in our bed for a while. Then we went into the bathroom and he went on the potty (yay!) and got dressed.
I then went on an awesome run. I met Amanda at the trail and we ran a 6-mile steady state run (where you run at a pace just above race pace for a steady amount of time). John took Keller to school so he could see how things go there. And I've been hanging out here.
So, how can this be my life? Instead, I usually wake up at 4:30 to run and then I am rushing to get out the door, only to sit in traffic on my way to work. I don't like that. It truly sucks that we can't, as a society, just do what we want. But I guess things cost a lot, and we kind of need food and a house. But maybe, if, as a society, we all just pooled our resources and became one giant family? I know it sounds odd and probably wouldn't work, but I really just want to spend my days running and being with Keller. *sigh*
At least I'm FINALLY having a good Tuesday!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Here Comes the Sun
Today was the first test-run at Keller's new school. I think it went well.
When we first got there he was a little hesitant and wanted me to hold him, but he warmed up to everyone really quickly. He loved all the colorful things on the walls and the numbers, letters, pictures, etc. they have everywhere. He was a little hard to manage because he was having so much fun exploring everything.
His absolute favorite thing was the playground. They have this really cool playground with a spongy floor so if the kids fall, they don't get hurt. Which is a welcome thing for my clumsy child. There is also this piano thing attached to the playground that he loved. He belted out a mean Twinkle Twinkle and a great version of the ABC song. My little Paul McCartney is on his way.
So, I think overall, it went well. We were only there for 2 hours, but I think doing that all week will definitely get him familiar with the place. I mean, things will change once the new school year starts on the 25th, but at least the act of going there, what the place looks like, and the teacher, and some of the students will be familiar. That's really the important thing.
Things are looking up for us! Let's hope they continue going up! Happy Monday!
When we first got there he was a little hesitant and wanted me to hold him, but he warmed up to everyone really quickly. He loved all the colorful things on the walls and the numbers, letters, pictures, etc. they have everywhere. He was a little hard to manage because he was having so much fun exploring everything.
His absolute favorite thing was the playground. They have this really cool playground with a spongy floor so if the kids fall, they don't get hurt. Which is a welcome thing for my clumsy child. There is also this piano thing attached to the playground that he loved. He belted out a mean Twinkle Twinkle and a great version of the ABC song. My little Paul McCartney is on his way.
So, I think overall, it went well. We were only there for 2 hours, but I think doing that all week will definitely get him familiar with the place. I mean, things will change once the new school year starts on the 25th, but at least the act of going there, what the place looks like, and the teacher, and some of the students will be familiar. That's really the important thing.
Things are looking up for us! Let's hope they continue going up! Happy Monday!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Joy to the World
I had mentioned in one of my last posts that I was having some health issues. Well, I had the tests done and I am, in fact, healthy. Nothing is wrong! You're all stuck with me for a while longer.
I have a huge weight off of me. I feel good and now I can start catching up on the sleep that I didn't get during the course of the week.
In other news, Keller's last day at his old school was yesterday. We told him he was graduating and getting ready to go to preschool at the Big Boy School. We made a pretty big deal about it and I made him a graduation cap and we had a graduation dinner last night. He was really happy and I think he's pretty excited about going to the new school. I hope he is at least. I guess we'll see how things go this week.
Well, now I get to enjoy my weekend. Hope everyone has a great one!
I have a huge weight off of me. I feel good and now I can start catching up on the sleep that I didn't get during the course of the week.
In other news, Keller's last day at his old school was yesterday. We told him he was graduating and getting ready to go to preschool at the Big Boy School. We made a pretty big deal about it and I made him a graduation cap and we had a graduation dinner last night. He was really happy and I think he's pretty excited about going to the new school. I hope he is at least. I guess we'll see how things go this week.
Well, now I get to enjoy my weekend. Hope everyone has a great one!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
You've Got a Friend
At the urging of many friends, I have finally set up a Facebook profile thing. You can check it out here.
I am still very unsure of the whole thing. What do you do with it? I know there is a "wall" that you can post comments on. And you can send messages to people through it too. But how is that any different than just emailing someone? I get that you can find people on there. In fact, I found some people I went to high school with that I may ask to be my friend. And I get that you can post pictures for all your friends to see. But, in all honesty, it kind of makes me feel old.
So, my doctor told me on Monday that I wasn't allowed to have any caffeine. Well, I didn't have any on Tuesday or Wednesday. But I caved today. I have a client meeting in about 45 minutes and I need to be on fire! Well, since I haven't had any coffee in a couple of days, I'm flying right now. Seriously. I'm a little concerned that I'm going to go crazy in my meeting and my client is going to be frightened. Or maybe she'll just think I'm extra excited about the work we're doing. Yeah, that's it. That's the angle I'll go for.
Today is my Friday. I am taking off tomorrow all the way through to next Friday. Yahoo! It wasn't the original plan to take that much time off, but it just worked out that way. And I am definitely looking forward to it.
Tomorrow is Keller's last day at his current school. We are having a "graduation" party for him. I made him a little cap and we'll have a little scroll diploma for him. Then we'll have a congratulatory dinner at Red Robin. Maybe even some ice cream will be involved. I don't want it to be a sad thing for him. And then starting Monday, he'll be visiting the new school. I cannot wait to see how he likes it.
Ok, I need to go walk around some. I have to get this caffeine high under control!
I am still very unsure of the whole thing. What do you do with it? I know there is a "wall" that you can post comments on. And you can send messages to people through it too. But how is that any different than just emailing someone? I get that you can find people on there. In fact, I found some people I went to high school with that I may ask to be my friend. And I get that you can post pictures for all your friends to see. But, in all honesty, it kind of makes me feel old.
So, my doctor told me on Monday that I wasn't allowed to have any caffeine. Well, I didn't have any on Tuesday or Wednesday. But I caved today. I have a client meeting in about 45 minutes and I need to be on fire! Well, since I haven't had any coffee in a couple of days, I'm flying right now. Seriously. I'm a little concerned that I'm going to go crazy in my meeting and my client is going to be frightened. Or maybe she'll just think I'm extra excited about the work we're doing. Yeah, that's it. That's the angle I'll go for.
Today is my Friday. I am taking off tomorrow all the way through to next Friday. Yahoo! It wasn't the original plan to take that much time off, but it just worked out that way. And I am definitely looking forward to it.
Tomorrow is Keller's last day at his current school. We are having a "graduation" party for him. I made him a little cap and we'll have a little scroll diploma for him. Then we'll have a congratulatory dinner at Red Robin. Maybe even some ice cream will be involved. I don't want it to be a sad thing for him. And then starting Monday, he'll be visiting the new school. I cannot wait to see how he likes it.
Ok, I need to go walk around some. I have to get this caffeine high under control!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Everybody's Talking
Last night my child made everything that is going on just simply disappear for a little while.
We went through the usual bedtime routine, with John giving Keller his bath and getting him into his pj's. Then we played a little. The occupational therapist that was part of Keller's evaluation gave us some great tricks to get Keller to calm down at night. Which have really helped. Anyway, we played and then read stories. Then it was time to get into bed.
We have gotten into the routine that we read a few stories either in the chair or on the floor but the last one is always in bed. So, we read the last story in the bed and it was time to say goodnight. Keller has chosen this time to be his "talk time" and tells one of us that he wants to talk. Last night, it was me that was privledged with talk time.
We talked about his new school and all the new friends he's going to make. He's starting to understand that his current friends will stay at the current school while he will be going to the new school. But he will always be able to see his friends from the current school even though he won't be in the same class. He is starting to get a little excited about the new school, which is great. I mean, his excitement varies and sometimes he doesn't want to go. But I think that's pretty normal.
He then asked me if I wanted to get into bed with him. Now, Keller's bed is a toddler bed. And I stress the word toddler. He is almost too big for it, so you can only imagine how I'm going to fit in there. Well, I balled myself up and got into bed. We cuddled and continued talking. He asked when he would see Mee-ma and Bee-ba (my parents) and I told them they were coming to see him next week. He asked about Uncle Jay and Aunt Nancy (my brother and sister-in-law) and I told them we would see them later. He was satisfied with that.
Then we just talked about silly things and off to sleep he went. It was really a wonderful moment. I have always loved putting Keller to bed because it was our family time. But now that he wants to "talk" at night, I absolutely love it. It's wonderful.
It's amazing how such a routine thing can make you feel wonderful.
Happy Wednesday!
We went through the usual bedtime routine, with John giving Keller his bath and getting him into his pj's. Then we played a little. The occupational therapist that was part of Keller's evaluation gave us some great tricks to get Keller to calm down at night. Which have really helped. Anyway, we played and then read stories. Then it was time to get into bed.
We have gotten into the routine that we read a few stories either in the chair or on the floor but the last one is always in bed. So, we read the last story in the bed and it was time to say goodnight. Keller has chosen this time to be his "talk time" and tells one of us that he wants to talk. Last night, it was me that was privledged with talk time.
We talked about his new school and all the new friends he's going to make. He's starting to understand that his current friends will stay at the current school while he will be going to the new school. But he will always be able to see his friends from the current school even though he won't be in the same class. He is starting to get a little excited about the new school, which is great. I mean, his excitement varies and sometimes he doesn't want to go. But I think that's pretty normal.
He then asked me if I wanted to get into bed with him. Now, Keller's bed is a toddler bed. And I stress the word toddler. He is almost too big for it, so you can only imagine how I'm going to fit in there. Well, I balled myself up and got into bed. We cuddled and continued talking. He asked when he would see Mee-ma and Bee-ba (my parents) and I told them they were coming to see him next week. He asked about Uncle Jay and Aunt Nancy (my brother and sister-in-law) and I told them we would see them later. He was satisfied with that.
Then we just talked about silly things and off to sleep he went. It was really a wonderful moment. I have always loved putting Keller to bed because it was our family time. But now that he wants to "talk" at night, I absolutely love it. It's wonderful.
It's amazing how such a routine thing can make you feel wonderful.
Happy Wednesday!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Turn! Turn! Turn!
Beware, I think this post is going to get a little philosophical and introspective. You've been warned.
It's funny how life moves in cycles. I don't know if 'funny' is the right word, but you know what I mean. The year 2008 has been a very ugly year for us. We've lost loved ones, we had family members ill, we needed to move Keller to a new school. Now, I am facing some health issues of my own. I don't want to get into details until I know more, but I have to get some tests done and I'll know more next week.
I was thinking back to 2004-2005. This was the beginning of the worst and best period of my life. The worst being me leaving my job, having a very complicated pregnancy and getting my identity stolen. The best being the birth of sweet Keller. The way I felt then is much how I feel right now, which is why I brought it up. That feeling of complete helplessness and not knowing if things will ultimately be all right. AH! That feeling bites. And that's how I feel now.
But, everything did turn out all right. The cycle of life continued and the issues we had in 2004-2005 were resolved, for the most part. So, in my heart, I feel like everything will be all right now. But I remember in 2004-2005, getting to the "everything will be all right" part took a really long time. And it wasn't pretty. So, I'm a little scared of the current path to "Everything will be all right."
I decided to take next week off from work. I'm not going anywhere. But that week is the week before Keller starts his new school and we will be bringing him there each day. So, I'll be spending most of the week with him, which is great. I just need to get my head together. I feel like I'm spinning right now and I just need to step back and regroup. Hopefully I'll feel better by the end of the week.
Hey- I just realized it's Tuesday. No wonder I feel shittier than usual. Oh well. Wake me up when it's Wednesday.
It's funny how life moves in cycles. I don't know if 'funny' is the right word, but you know what I mean. The year 2008 has been a very ugly year for us. We've lost loved ones, we had family members ill, we needed to move Keller to a new school. Now, I am facing some health issues of my own. I don't want to get into details until I know more, but I have to get some tests done and I'll know more next week.
I was thinking back to 2004-2005. This was the beginning of the worst and best period of my life. The worst being me leaving my job, having a very complicated pregnancy and getting my identity stolen. The best being the birth of sweet Keller. The way I felt then is much how I feel right now, which is why I brought it up. That feeling of complete helplessness and not knowing if things will ultimately be all right. AH! That feeling bites. And that's how I feel now.
But, everything did turn out all right. The cycle of life continued and the issues we had in 2004-2005 were resolved, for the most part. So, in my heart, I feel like everything will be all right now. But I remember in 2004-2005, getting to the "everything will be all right" part took a really long time. And it wasn't pretty. So, I'm a little scared of the current path to "Everything will be all right."
I decided to take next week off from work. I'm not going anywhere. But that week is the week before Keller starts his new school and we will be bringing him there each day. So, I'll be spending most of the week with him, which is great. I just need to get my head together. I feel like I'm spinning right now and I just need to step back and regroup. Hopefully I'll feel better by the end of the week.
Hey- I just realized it's Tuesday. No wonder I feel shittier than usual. Oh well. Wake me up when it's Wednesday.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
I Want You To Want Me
Ok, that sounds a little desperate. But it's really true.
Now that I'm, ahem, in my 30s, I don't think it's worth it to be doing something you just don't love. I mean, yes, it's rare to find a job that makes you jump out of bed in the morning. But, I think you should at least have a job that doesn't make you contemplate throwing yourself off a bridge everyday.
I'm not saying this is how I feel about my job. I actually like my job. I really love writing. But my passion, as you all know, is running. And I love coaching. Seriously, I find it so rewarding to help someone reach their fitness goals. I have heard so many people say how they never would have believed they could run a race and they were so proud they did. Hearing that makes me want to cry (in a good way) and it inspires my own running.
So, I've been thinking long and hard and I really want to try to coach full-time. I don't know how I would go about doing this, seeing how I already have a full-time job, but I want to try and make it happen. And I could still work my job now.
Anyway, I have been kind of working my ass off trying to promote my coaching services. I've taken out ads online and have been doing various other things. I was hesitant to bring this up on my blog because I didn't want to sound desperate. And I'm not. Up until this point, I haven't been trying to make this a full-time gig. But now I think I want to.
How can you help, you ask? Well, promote the you-know-what out of my website: http://www.coachjenn.com/. And tell anyone you know that is interested in running that they definitely need a coach. And you just happen to know a great one (that would be me). People often think that they have to be a really competitive, experienced runner to need a coach. So not true. Anyone that runs can benefit from having a coach. I've coached true never-run-before beginners all the way through to experienced runners looking to reach a new goal. I compare the process to that of a personal trainer's role. If you wanted to learn how to lift weights correctly, or develop a new strength training program, you'd hire a personal trainer, right? Well, I'm a "personal running trainer."
And I coach in a lot of different ways. For individuals, I primarily coach online through email and phone calls. It works because everyone is busy and this way they get the benefits of having a coach without having to carve out time to meet me. Plus, I can coach anyone anywhere. You could be in Thailand and still get all the benefits of me. :) But, I also coach individuals in-person, and I coach groups as well. If you and a friend want to start running, or train for a certain race together, I offer group rates. And I'm still coaching groups through Fleet Feet Sports.
Whew. I'm not used to promoting myself. But if I want to make this work, I need to get the ball rolling.
Happy Friday! I hope everyone has a great weekend.
Now that I'm, ahem, in my 30s, I don't think it's worth it to be doing something you just don't love. I mean, yes, it's rare to find a job that makes you jump out of bed in the morning. But, I think you should at least have a job that doesn't make you contemplate throwing yourself off a bridge everyday.
I'm not saying this is how I feel about my job. I actually like my job. I really love writing. But my passion, as you all know, is running. And I love coaching. Seriously, I find it so rewarding to help someone reach their fitness goals. I have heard so many people say how they never would have believed they could run a race and they were so proud they did. Hearing that makes me want to cry (in a good way) and it inspires my own running.
So, I've been thinking long and hard and I really want to try to coach full-time. I don't know how I would go about doing this, seeing how I already have a full-time job, but I want to try and make it happen. And I could still work my job now.
Anyway, I have been kind of working my ass off trying to promote my coaching services. I've taken out ads online and have been doing various other things. I was hesitant to bring this up on my blog because I didn't want to sound desperate. And I'm not. Up until this point, I haven't been trying to make this a full-time gig. But now I think I want to.
How can you help, you ask? Well, promote the you-know-what out of my website: http://www.coachjenn.com/. And tell anyone you know that is interested in running that they definitely need a coach. And you just happen to know a great one (that would be me). People often think that they have to be a really competitive, experienced runner to need a coach. So not true. Anyone that runs can benefit from having a coach. I've coached true never-run-before beginners all the way through to experienced runners looking to reach a new goal. I compare the process to that of a personal trainer's role. If you wanted to learn how to lift weights correctly, or develop a new strength training program, you'd hire a personal trainer, right? Well, I'm a "personal running trainer."
And I coach in a lot of different ways. For individuals, I primarily coach online through email and phone calls. It works because everyone is busy and this way they get the benefits of having a coach without having to carve out time to meet me. Plus, I can coach anyone anywhere. You could be in Thailand and still get all the benefits of me. :) But, I also coach individuals in-person, and I coach groups as well. If you and a friend want to start running, or train for a certain race together, I offer group rates. And I'm still coaching groups through Fleet Feet Sports.
Whew. I'm not used to promoting myself. But if I want to make this work, I need to get the ball rolling.
Happy Friday! I hope everyone has a great weekend.
They Say It's Your Birthday
We have a tradition in my house: we play The Beatles' "Birthday" for everyone's birthday. We play it for me, John, Keller, Lola, and Percy. Even if you have to work or go to school on your birthday, at least you have a few minutes all about you. As it should be.
And this morning was no different. It took me a while to get moving this morning though. I'm kind of feeling a little old. I was stiff and achy, so I needed to do a little yoga to get loosened up. Then we let it loose and danced. We danced to the song twice and I think, if Keller had his way, we'd be dancing all day. But we old folks needed to rest.
I was telling John this morning that this will be the first birthday I have to work in 4 years. I've been home with Keller every year, plus the year I was pregnant with him. So, I haven't worked on my birthday since 2004! That's kind of nuts. But I'm only working a half day so it shouldn't be too bad.
So, it's my birthday, and life is good. I hope everyone has a great day!
I was telling John this morning that this will be the first birthday I have to work in 4 years. I've been home with Keller every year, plus the year I was pregnant with him. So, I haven't worked on my birthday since 2004! That's kind of nuts. But I'm only working a half day so it shouldn't be too bad.
So, it's my birthday, and life is good. I hope everyone has a great day!
Hit Me Baby One More Time
One of the big stories in the news today has to do with a teen from Bethesda basically plotting to kill lots of people, perhaps even POTUS (that’s the President of the US, for the non-Washingtonians).
Apparently, this teen and a friend have been testing pipe bombs, stock piling guns and ammunition, devising lists of teachers to be killed, learning about how to kill someone from 200 meters away, and obtaining and marking a map of Camp David. Interesting, huh?
The kid at the center of it all is an 18-year old, just graduated from high school. The friend is a year younger and still in high school. Those are two lives that are lost right there. I am not sure of the entire back story, but apparently the two were being investigated for bomb-making and all the rest of the goods were discovered when they searched the home of the older boy. It’s really scary.
The story made me think about my high school, good old Newfield High School, and how, while I was there, it had the reputation of being “homicide high” because of a couple of incidents that occurred. The most notable incident was the Cheryl Pierson story. Cheryl claimed she was sexually abused by her father, and was afraid he would start in on her little sister. So, she hired a classmate to kill her father. Which he did. This was big, huge news and they even made a TV movie about it. There were some other incidents that occurred regarding Newfield students doing hideous things, but since I don’t have all the specifics, I won’t mention them.
While I was writing this blog post, I was doing a little bit of research into Newfield since it’s been a while since I was a student there. Apparently, it’s now an up-and-coming school. It’s completely revamped, with new facilities and amenities. Must be nice. And, I found out that one of the finalists on the last season of Project Runway was from freaking Selden (my home town) and graduated from Newfield. How about that? And, can you believe Newfield has a Wikipedia article? That’s just crazy.
I’m a little peeved that the school got all revamped and great after I graduated. We got stuck with all the homicide, crumbling building, and resentful teachers, and the kids today get new classrooms and stuff. I bet the teachers actually want to be there too. So not fair.
Apparently, this teen and a friend have been testing pipe bombs, stock piling guns and ammunition, devising lists of teachers to be killed, learning about how to kill someone from 200 meters away, and obtaining and marking a map of Camp David. Interesting, huh?
The kid at the center of it all is an 18-year old, just graduated from high school. The friend is a year younger and still in high school. Those are two lives that are lost right there. I am not sure of the entire back story, but apparently the two were being investigated for bomb-making and all the rest of the goods were discovered when they searched the home of the older boy. It’s really scary.
The story made me think about my high school, good old Newfield High School, and how, while I was there, it had the reputation of being “homicide high” because of a couple of incidents that occurred. The most notable incident was the Cheryl Pierson story. Cheryl claimed she was sexually abused by her father, and was afraid he would start in on her little sister. So, she hired a classmate to kill her father. Which he did. This was big, huge news and they even made a TV movie about it. There were some other incidents that occurred regarding Newfield students doing hideous things, but since I don’t have all the specifics, I won’t mention them.
While I was writing this blog post, I was doing a little bit of research into Newfield since it’s been a while since I was a student there. Apparently, it’s now an up-and-coming school. It’s completely revamped, with new facilities and amenities. Must be nice. And, I found out that one of the finalists on the last season of Project Runway was from freaking Selden (my home town) and graduated from Newfield. How about that? And, can you believe Newfield has a Wikipedia article? That’s just crazy.
I’m a little peeved that the school got all revamped and great after I graduated. We got stuck with all the homicide, crumbling building, and resentful teachers, and the kids today get new classrooms and stuff. I bet the teachers actually want to be there too. So not fair.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Groovy Tuesday
Well, it isn't, but there aren't very many songs about Tuesdays. And that is definitely the theme of the day.
I hate Tuesdays. And this one is no different. I am currently working on the bi-annual newsletter the organization for which I'm a contractor puts out. This is a newsletter that contains all the latest and greatest news on obesity, nutrition, physical activity, diabetes, and other exciting things. I have been muddling through the statistics just recently put out by the CDC and I kind of want to cry. Not only do I want to cry because there are 24 million people living with diabetes in the US, but I also want to cry because my head is throbbing and my eyes want to pop out of my head.
I woke up with a nasty headache this morning. And I don't even have a night of drinking to blame on it. I don't know what the deal is. But I'm not the only one because many of my coworkers are complaining of headaches today. I wonder if someone is trying to kill us. There has been talk that my company is lacking in direction, but solving its problems by killing its employees? That seems a bit extreme. But if I suddenly drop dead, you'll know where to look first.
So, Keller is a genius. And I mean that in the most objective way possible. He's been learning how to spell words! John and Keller have been spelling words in the morning. I mean, they're not spelling words like "surreptitiously," it's more like "dog" and "cat." But the kid's not even three and he has an interest in spelling. I am a proud Mama. Though he was rather rude to me this morning. He and John were spelling together and sitting on the couch. I sat down and Keller, of course, told me to get up. But he said it very loudly. Because of my aching head, I asked him not to speak so loudly. He then whispered, "Get up, Mama." Nice. At least he listened to me.
And that, my friends, pretty much sums up how I feel today. Happy Tuesday, people.
I hate Tuesdays. And this one is no different. I am currently working on the bi-annual newsletter the organization for which I'm a contractor puts out. This is a newsletter that contains all the latest and greatest news on obesity, nutrition, physical activity, diabetes, and other exciting things. I have been muddling through the statistics just recently put out by the CDC and I kind of want to cry. Not only do I want to cry because there are 24 million people living with diabetes in the US, but I also want to cry because my head is throbbing and my eyes want to pop out of my head.
I woke up with a nasty headache this morning. And I don't even have a night of drinking to blame on it. I don't know what the deal is. But I'm not the only one because many of my coworkers are complaining of headaches today. I wonder if someone is trying to kill us. There has been talk that my company is lacking in direction, but solving its problems by killing its employees? That seems a bit extreme. But if I suddenly drop dead, you'll know where to look first.
So, Keller is a genius. And I mean that in the most objective way possible. He's been learning how to spell words! John and Keller have been spelling words in the morning. I mean, they're not spelling words like "surreptitiously," it's more like "dog" and "cat." But the kid's not even three and he has an interest in spelling. I am a proud Mama. Though he was rather rude to me this morning. He and John were spelling together and sitting on the couch. I sat down and Keller, of course, told me to get up. But he said it very loudly. Because of my aching head, I asked him not to speak so loudly. He then whispered, "Get up, Mama." Nice. At least he listened to me.
And that, my friends, pretty much sums up how I feel today. Happy Tuesday, people.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
The Beginning of Something New
We've given our two-week notice to Peppertree (Keller's school) today. His last day there will be August 15th and he'll start his new school on the 25th.
We're taking him out early so that we can use that week before he actually starts at the new school to slowly transition him there. So, we'll take him there for a couple of hours each day for that week before he goes full-day. This way he can meet his teachers and get familiarized with the new school so that it isn't such a shock to him when he starts regularly. I also felt it would be confusing to him to visit the new school and then go back to the old school during that week. So, he's just going to end there on the 15th.
I'm having such anxiety about this. I want so badly for this to go well. I am so worried that he's going to freak out when he can't see his friends anymore. But, in all honesty, the only friend in his current class is Noah. Everyone else is fairly new and he hasn't formed those bonds yet. And we see Noah all the time outside of school, so hopefully it will be all right. But I am definitely worried. I think I may even have an ulcer.
If anyone has any advice on how we should be doing things, I'd greatly appreciate it. I think we're handling things as best as we can and I just hope it's enough. In the long run, Keller is going to get so much more out of this new school, that the bumps we'll face transitioning should be just a drop in the bucket. I hope anyway.
We're taking him out early so that we can use that week before he actually starts at the new school to slowly transition him there. So, we'll take him there for a couple of hours each day for that week before he goes full-day. This way he can meet his teachers and get familiarized with the new school so that it isn't such a shock to him when he starts regularly. I also felt it would be confusing to him to visit the new school and then go back to the old school during that week. So, he's just going to end there on the 15th.
I'm having such anxiety about this. I want so badly for this to go well. I am so worried that he's going to freak out when he can't see his friends anymore. But, in all honesty, the only friend in his current class is Noah. Everyone else is fairly new and he hasn't formed those bonds yet. And we see Noah all the time outside of school, so hopefully it will be all right. But I am definitely worried. I think I may even have an ulcer.
If anyone has any advice on how we should be doing things, I'd greatly appreciate it. I think we're handling things as best as we can and I just hope it's enough. In the long run, Keller is going to get so much more out of this new school, that the bumps we'll face transitioning should be just a drop in the bucket. I hope anyway.
Friday, August 1, 2008
It's a Beautiful Day
It’s Friday!
This week has just been a big poop-fest. I have had a lot of stuff go down at work and it has just ruined the week. I will not get into it, in fact, I never will talk about work here on my blog, but let’s just say I’m not pleased, I’d like things to be different, and that’s that. But I'm still down about the race over the weekend, as well as Keller's evaluation next week, moving him to the new school, blah blah blah.
I have to say, though, that I am feeling better than I was at the beginning of the week. I just feel like, when things are not right for me, I just disconnect myself from the world. And let’s face it, things have been down right shitty for us this year. And just when I think things are looking up, WHAM! Something else comes along.
Last night my book club met to discuss the latest book read: The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death by Laurie Notaro. Um, hilarious! Seriously, that was a funny book. Anyway, our book club is really just an excuse to get together and eat. We discuss the book for a short time, but for the most part, it’s just a gathering of friends. Which I’m all for.
Last night was no different. And it was greatly needed. It was at Melissa’s house, and it was just a small number of us (Mary, Holly, Melissa and myself). And the three of them are so sweet, they had a little pre-birthday celebration for me since Melissa will be out of town for my actual birthday next week (it’s the 7th for those of you that still need to shop. Get on it!). Anyway, we had cake and wine and these interesting beer margaritas that Melissa made. They were yummy. And I am fully convinced that all you need to get through a bad time is a group of great friends. We were all so frazzled and emotionally spent last night, but just sitting there talking things out and being there for one another made us realize that we’re never alone in the things we go through and we always have each other to lean on. It’s really wonderful and I’m so grateful. So, ladies, thank you for making me feel special. It was greatly needed and appreciated.
So, now it’s onto the weekend! Yay! We don’t have any plans, other than the usual training for our respective races. Maybe we will actually watch a movie or something.
This week has just been a big poop-fest. I have had a lot of stuff go down at work and it has just ruined the week. I will not get into it, in fact, I never will talk about work here on my blog, but let’s just say I’m not pleased, I’d like things to be different, and that’s that. But I'm still down about the race over the weekend, as well as Keller's evaluation next week, moving him to the new school, blah blah blah.
I have to say, though, that I am feeling better than I was at the beginning of the week. I just feel like, when things are not right for me, I just disconnect myself from the world. And let’s face it, things have been down right shitty for us this year. And just when I think things are looking up, WHAM! Something else comes along.
Last night my book club met to discuss the latest book read: The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death by Laurie Notaro. Um, hilarious! Seriously, that was a funny book. Anyway, our book club is really just an excuse to get together and eat. We discuss the book for a short time, but for the most part, it’s just a gathering of friends. Which I’m all for.
Last night was no different. And it was greatly needed. It was at Melissa’s house, and it was just a small number of us (Mary, Holly, Melissa and myself). And the three of them are so sweet, they had a little pre-birthday celebration for me since Melissa will be out of town for my actual birthday next week (it’s the 7th for those of you that still need to shop. Get on it!). Anyway, we had cake and wine and these interesting beer margaritas that Melissa made. They were yummy. And I am fully convinced that all you need to get through a bad time is a group of great friends. We were all so frazzled and emotionally spent last night, but just sitting there talking things out and being there for one another made us realize that we’re never alone in the things we go through and we always have each other to lean on. It’s really wonderful and I’m so grateful. So, ladies, thank you for making me feel special. It was greatly needed and appreciated.
So, now it’s onto the weekend! Yay! We don’t have any plans, other than the usual training for our respective races. Maybe we will actually watch a movie or something.
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