AAGH!

I am having trouble getting on my dang blog. Don't you love my harsh language? I am a wild woman, I tell you. Anyway, I don't make it up to my bedroom until eleven and then I just practically fall asleep with my clothes on. It's not pretty in the morning, seriously.

Last night I exercised my flat flabby booty off and then today I ate a whole bunch of cookie cake at our preschool Valentine's party. What can I say, it was Publix, and I am a sucker for Publix frosting. Sigh.

I have some cute pictures and videos to post and I can't find the cord to connect my camera to my computer. I will keep looking, and if I get lucky I will post again tonight.

Next week I turn THIRTY-SIX. THIRTY-SIX!!! I'm on the downside to forty, people. It's okay, really. But just think, if I were a pioneer woman I'd be coming to the end of the line, if you know what I'm sayin'. I'd probably have four teeth left and boobs down to my knees and my twelfth kid at my feet. Yikes, I just got a serious chill up my spine. So I guess that it's not so bad after all. And to drag someone else into my misery I like to remind my parents that they have a thirty-six year old daughter.

And then after that, I go to Boston! BY MYSELF!!! Get ready Charlene, I'm panicking already!! Hardy har. Actually, you should probably be the one doing the panicking!

Today is a slow day.

Jack is heading down the last stretch of naptime.

Emma is sick, lying on the couch, reading Tom Sawyer. Last time we were at Disney World, she saw the little rafts going over to Tom Sawyer's island. She was fascinated by this island smack in the middle of Frontierland and wondered why there was a white fence over there. This was of course the perfect intro into the book, and she asked to read it. We checked out the Children's Classics edition, and she plans to read the whole thing before we go back to Disney.

And, since this is Florida, our weather changed dramatically in two hours. This morning it was a bit cloudy, but sunny and not too chilly. So I put Jack in the stroller and walked down to the library to pick up some things on hold. Jack rested his chin on the bar and watched the occasional car and truck go by. It seemed like a great idea until I realized I was walking onto Old Main Street in exercise clothes, no make-up, and my greaseball hair up on top of my head. I know, I know. What was I thinking? Praying I wouldn't run into anyone I knew, I just kept my head down and soldiered on to the library. Once inside, Jack was pretty good until he realized that libraries with high ceilings have AWESOME echo potential. He kept making these screechy noises and laughing while I checked my books out with one hand and tried to clam him up with the other.

Now it's afternoon and the weather could not be more different. It is so dark outside I had to turn lights on in the house. The rain is pelting the sliding doors all along the back of the house and the river has waves rolling hard against the seawall. The problem with this is that it automaticallly triggers my I-want-to-curl-up-and-read-a-book-and-then-sleep reflex. I have lots to do and I'm just lazing around here on the computer.

So I am going to get up and go take care of biz. But I will live you Lost fans with this fun video I found on EW here. I'm so happy it's Lost season again!!!

Have a great weekend!

catching up

Somehow the days have slipped by quickly quickly and I have not gotten around to posting. Is gotten a word? Anyway, here is the brief summarized version of what's happened around here.





We went to Disney. It "snowed."

We had actual freezing weather here. It killed our fish in the river. The past week it has stunk so badly that we couldn't go in the backyard. There are dead fish everywhere. It brought up memories of what I don't like in the winter up north. Freezing cold water out of the faucets and cold floors. Yick.

Jack got up five times in the middle of the night. He wasn't feeling well. I finally broke my rule and brought him into bed with me. It's called survival. I swear I'm too old now to share a bed with a kid. Plus I'm afraid I'll squish him. Anyway, for the longest time he lay next to me and stared out the window at the moon. It was nice because he doesn't typically hold still that long. Yes, I am a weirdo who took a picture of him sleeping in my bed. That is what happens when you are sleep deprived. Not to mention his eyes look creepy here, so really what was I thinking? Oh well, on to the next.


I have been eating at Moe's like crazy. Seriously, like twice a week. I had to finally break my addiction though, because I began my very serious exercise/eating healthy program. Really! I have been exercising six days a week for three weeks now and eating pretty mostly responsibly. Except for this crazy Nutella binge yesterday. Gosh, that was good. So I gave you pictures of Emma stuffing her face there. I spared you from a picture of me doing the same. Wow, I'm thinking of the queso right now. Must move on.












This is Jack playing on the "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" playground at Disney. Obviously it should be placed up with the other Disney pic, but I have screwed up my blogger thingy somehow and can't move it. Or stop typing on the right of my pictures. Moving on.









Well we also went to the teeny tiny Manatee County Fair and I also got a haircut. But I haven't uploaded those pictures yet and I swear to you I am so tired from jogging and my four push-ups that I could just go and stick my head in that Nutella jar. So instead I'm going to go to bed. Night!

I think I can, I think I can...

Jack is now almost nine months. He is sleeping through the night, eating well, and hardly ever hollers anymore. A dramatic about-face from......that time that gives me shivers to think about and makes my knees weak. Quelle Horreur! It was not so long ago, my friends, that our house was seized and controlled by Nuclear Colic.

Now when he is upset he kind of whimpers like a cute little puppy. He used to do this:

(and I am just smiling because I don't want to cry for the picture. Yes, he is screaming red-faced mad)

(Yes, I wish his bedroom were spic-n-span in this picture before I posted it, but come on people, he never slept and had nuclear colic. Give me a break.)

Anyway, now I am enjoying times like this:

(well earned, I might add)

Well anyway, all this new found peace and quiet has given me the opportunity to walk past a mirror.

And people, it ain't pretty.

I now have the chance to see myself in all my glory. The last few months have been tough. I've got bags under the eyes, blotchy skin, blah hair, and about 20 lbs to lose.

Sigh.

So I've started a TRUE effort to exercise everyday. I've been doing pretty well. Two days ago I walked with all my might for like an hour and I felt great when I got home. I do best when I mix it up a bit; so I've been also doing videos and machines and various and sundry things.

But the last two days haven't gone so well. I have to wait for Gary to get home to go out by myself, and he often comes home after dark. Tonight, I was all ready to go, shoes laced, and then, well, I forgot I lived in Florida. In the summer you can have a clear blue sky and ten minutes later a dangerous thunderstorm comes rolling in.

(check this out at the beach. when the natives see the clouds rolling in they know to pack everything fast and get to the car. the poor tourists decide to see what is going to happen and get pelted with hailstones within ten minutes)

Tonight a huge lightning storm popped up, and you guessed it, I'm stuck inside and all tied up with household problems and wailing children and don't get a stinkin' thing accomplished.

So how do you do it? Please, give me ideas. I want to exercise, and I am trying to eat right. I've got all the junk out of the house and just bought salmon for dinner tomorrow night. Help!! I'm determined to get these pounds off me! Share, do!! Love me, love me, do!!

Oh, and I just read "The Other Queen" by Phillipa Gregory. Snore.