Mandatory Post

Things are busy, show is going well. Still having fun, but definitely feeling some stirrings of the desire to have my regular schedule back.

Work is busy. VERY busy. I need to reign things in and may need to halt taking new referrals for a bit. Yikes.

Political things have been depressing me lately. As has the general lack of sunlight. I am not sure that we have actually seen a full 8 hours of true squinty, put on your sunglasses sunlight in these parts for nearly a month now.

OK. Would love to chat more, but my current busy life has put me behind on more than just blogging, so I gots to go start playing the catch up game.

Can't. Wait.

What to do what to do...

I usually like to come up with a good new year's resolution.

For most of the past 12 years or so my resolution has been to lose weight, exercise and generally adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Well....I have sort of already done that. (If you don't count the past two-three weeks of indulgence AND lack of exercise. I wish my scale didn't count it. All in all though I didn't do too badly.)

So of course I plan to keep that all up in 2010. And beyond. That has more or less become a rest of my life resolution I guess you could say.

So when it came to self improvement choices for this year I have been a bit stumped without my old standby to rely on.

I think I have finally decided on two things.

First, most days of the week I am striving to eat the daily recommended servings of fruit and vegetables. While I have adopted a healthier lifestyle and dropped some major poundage, I do not eat anywhere near enough fruits and veggies. That will be important for controlling my cholesterol, so a very beneficial change indeed. Two days in and I am doing pretty well. To maintain though, I have got to find some ways to prepare veggies that I will eat. I am pretty picky on this front so it will most certainly be a challenge.

Second, and boy hidee this one will be a huge challenge for me. I am trying to reduce the amount of time I spend on the computer engaged in non-work related pursuits. In a word, I gotta cut down on the Facebooking. Some comments from my children have led me to examine my computer time and I see now that I am spending more time on than I should. That one is only going marginally better so far. I need to figure out and set some limits for myself and that should help.

I am considering dedicating a day where I do absolutely no extra curricular computer time at all. I haven't quite made that decision however.

So I think those two are enough for now. There are as ever a million things I would like to do/change/etc. But one must start with small bites.

Now. I have told you about my plans. What are yours?

In Other News BH has turned in to a Cheap Old Man

Fellow sisters.. back me up here.

Old Spice is an aftershave worn only by cheap old men right?

For some reason BH has decided that Old Spice was a good choice for aftershave.

I did not know that he was in the market for aftershave. Had I known I would have gladly helped him out.

I may anyway. I am giving serious consideration to "losing" that bottle of ridculous.

Christmas is all kinds of funky this year.

We usually go to my parents house Christmas evening to imbibe in our traditional Christmas Lasagne that I look forward to all year long. My mom makes it using about 10 lbs of cheese and boy hidee is it delicious. Only time all year I get lasagne. You can't make a small one and BH and I are the only ones in the house who will eat it. Too much effort for two people.

Unfortunately my dad who drives a tour bus for a touring Broadway show had to leave a week earlier than planned. He will be gone until April. His early departure necessitated an early Christmas celebration.

So we now have no plans for Christmas evening.

We always gather at either my brother's house or my house on Christmas Eve to eat yummy snacky/appetizer type foods and open a few gifts.

WELL. Mother Nature seems to think tomorrow would be a good time to dump about 6-10 inches of snow on our fair city. The worst of which is to hit around the time of our planned gahering. My brother is the host this year and decided it was best to move Christmas Eve festivities to the day after Christmas.

So now we have no plans for Christmas Eve.

Hmm...

I bring this up because I am puzzling over my reaction. Typically I would be pretty bummed that all of our traditions are being turned upside down. However I don't feel bummed much at all. In fact I feel dare I admit....a bit.....ummm........relieved?

I think my sense of relief is a pretty clear indicator of my present level of fatigue.

August-December is always a very busy time for us. This year it has been even more so than usual. Starting a business is no joke.

I am very happy with my decision, but it continues to occupy a large portion of my time, and the kids, family, and rest of my life has not eased up to accomodate the extra work load.

To top it off I added doing a show to all of this.

So I am pretty much on the go all the time with little to no down time at all.

So when I realized that tomorrow was a day with no scheduled obligations at all I did myself a little happy dance. When I realized that the following day was going to have very few obligations my dance got even happier.

I may get to rest and do enjoyable things with my sweet honeys.

This was all helped by the fact that my sweet BH, who may be temporarily engaging in some cheap old man behavior, but was a total stud around the house. He and the girls cleaned the whole house today, and got most of the laundry done.

There will be rewards for that let me tell you.

So we will have a bit of an atypical Christmas here at Chez Babble.

But we are A-OK with it all.

I really should be memorizing lines right now

Hellooooo friends.


One of these days I just need to stand up and admit that I am just past the point of being a regular blogger.


Someday. But not today.


Once again my good intentions are going to be put on hold.


Why?


Because BH and I are doin' a show!


Why?


In recent days I have often thought the reason was because we are completely looney people who obviously don't know what to do with "free time." Or we don't know the meaning of "Hey why don't we slow down and take a break from the completely ridiculous pace our lives have kept up since ohhhhhh......AUGUST."


Or maybe we are just big hams who couldn't resist the opportunity once it was presented.


At any rate BH and I are in the process of rehearsing a show called, "Nobody's Perfect" at Topeka Civic Theatre. Opens January 15. Come see us if you are in the area. It is a really fun show. My BH is a complete hoot. He will be in drag for at least part of the show and I promise, no I SWEAR ON MY STACK OF DANIELLE STEEL novels that he will HI-larious. Totally worth the price of admission.


It is really fun working opposite my BH again. He is an amazing actor and it is indeed a shame that he does not have more time to perform. He is too busy teaching other young people the craft.


So while I am busy being a diva, may I suggest that you check out my good friend Michelle's new(ish) blog.


Her blog is titled Rational Living. Michelle is a big history buff and she and her family are about to take on a massive historical type project, that has involved a very impressive amount of research and preparation. In a very small nutshell, Michelle and her family starting the day after Christmas will spend a year living under the modern equivalent of World War II rationing, in an attempt to learn that they can indeed live happy, healthy fulfilled lives with less so that others may have more.


She has several interesting posts already detailing the preparations so far. Check it out! I think this is a very interesting undertaking and am so amazed with the work they have put in to it. I really look forward to learning more about their journey through this experience and will happily support their efforts.


(And I will likely occasionally bestow upon them a few sugar/chocolate and perhaps cheese based "charitable donations.")

For now though I must join my husband in watching awful videos from the 80's as I continue in my quest to avoid memorizing lines.

Who Knew?

I have wanted to get a new Christmas tree for a few years now.

I have had the same artificial tree for nearly 10 years now. When we bought it we lived in a much smaller house with MUCH lower ceilings. I would like a tree that is more in proportion with our current space.

For the past few years I keep saying that I am going to hit the day after Christmas sales and get a new tree.

Every year I have awakened the day after Christmas and decided that staying home and chillaxing sounded like a much better idea.

This year I have decided to just go out and get a new tree now. Post Christmas sale prices be damned! It is time to get real and say out loud that fighting crowds is not worth a bargain to me.

We had planned to put up decorations tonight, and I said that we would do everything but the tree tonight and shared my intent to purchase a new one.

Oh. Sweet. SWEET. Baby. Jesus.

I had no idea that this announcement would be received by the children in much the same manner had I announced that we were not putting up any decorations, would not be observing Christmas, and instead would be spending the entire day picking lint and cat hair off the carpet.

Were they upset because we were not going to put up all the decorations tonight?

Nay my friends.

They were upset because I intend to buy a new tree.

#2 was so upset, that we indeed did not put up any decorations this evening, she had no interest because she was too sad. Tears, very very sad drawings about her feelings, the whole nine yards.

Now my girls love their traditions, and do hate to give things up, but let me tell you I never in 10,000 years expected to get such grief over this issue.

#1 got over it more quickly once I said that the old tree may very well become the new tree for my office.

#2 was not mollified by this news. Nor was she comforted by the news that we would still put up the same decorations, and all the rest of Christmas would be the same.

It seems that she is tired of changes.

I suspected something like this.

We have had a pretty hectic change filled couple of months. Frankly that she held on this long without so much as a hint of a meltdown was pretty impressive.

After many hugs, cuddles, and a LOT of reassurance (coupled with my assurance to her that we are INDEED GETTING A NEW TREE regardless of begging and pleading on her part) she was able to come around. Not excited about the new tree, but accepting at least. Less sad too.

Those coping skills are improving with age.

Hers and mine.

Because I should probably let you in on a not so much a secret.

She comes by her dislike of change naturally.

Who is with me on this one?

Let me start out by saying that I LOVE to shop.

Love. It.

I like most people I believe, love a great bargain.

However, despite my love of shopping and a great bargain I can not begin to understand why people will line up in the cold, stand for hours well before the ass crack of dawn to both shop and get a great bargain.

Furthermore I don't understand why retailers do this to their customers and their employees.

Does something magical happen in the store between the hours of 5-10 AM on the day after Thanksgiving? Something that allows the store to make the same or a larger profit than they would make if they offered the same deals at their regular opening time?

That is the only thing that I can figure would justify this level of ridiculous.

To me that is what this get up at ludicrous o'clock and stand in line, then maybe...possibly...or even LIKELY not get the bargain I am hoping for is.... Completely ridiculous.

Now please understand that I am not passing judgement on those who choose to do the above. If that is what you want or in some cases I am sure enjoy doing be my guest. I am sure that there are extreme things I have done that others would consider ridiculous.

I just get pissy because I feel that it is manipulative. If there is anything in this world I despise it is being manipulated.

I know that I am manipulated many times over during the rest of the year by retailers in some shape or form the rest of the year.

I refuse to be manipulated in this one case however.

So there.

Big retailers I challenge YOU. Give me a huge and ridiculous bargain at 12:30 PM. Reward me for sleeping in and being lazy. I in turn will shop at your establishment at a reasonable hour when everyone else is out having lunch. I won't be hungry yet because I slept in and had a late breakfast.

C'mon. Manipulate me on my terms.

Eh. So Much for my "Plan"

Hmm...

Not so much back to that regular blogging I was promising in my last post that was dated ohhhhhh...sometime a little over a week ago.


I could give you the usual excuses, but that is boring and I am pretty sure you all know them by now anyway.


I realized a few days ago that my uhhh (excuse me I had to leave and go check my archives to make sure I am correct. I do my best to keep my reporting factual here at Babble On.) 4 year blogiversary passed sometime in early mid to late October.

Dang.

4 years is a long time to stay committed to something like this.

My readership is small. Very small. Minute. Teeny. I get about an average of 7 page views per day. Total visits since I started keeping track, which was some time well after I started the blog show that I have had around 9,000 visits to my page.

Seedling status compared to many of the blogs I frequent.

I am pretty sure that a good portion of the hits I get are from a picture that is the #1 Google Image Serach if you type Wizard Hat Cupcakes.

That is my biggest claim to fame with this thing. Which always gives me a little giggle.

Not that I was ever looking for fame and fortune from this venture. But it is nice to be recognized for something I suppose. Everyone should be #1 in some area right?

I guess me and my famous Wizard Hat Cupcake picture will keep it going for now.

Why stop after this long? As long as people keep commenting, I suppose I will keep Babbling On.

Ciao.

Instead of Session Notes

I thought I would blog instead. I have left all 5 of you in my blog posse hanging on long enough.

So I have survived the transition. I got the office moved, unpacked, and organized. I have seen many clients, and have a schedule that is staying full and have been getting referrals here and there. Looking forward to my first Medicaid reimbursement check. It will be nice to have some coming in, to help replace the scary amounts that have been going out.

I am a routine kind of gal and this having to develop new work routines after having a routine set for the past 4 or so years is kind of getting to me. My "commute" is longer too, which is one of the few downsides of this venture. (Not that I should complain. My "commute" has gone from about 5-10 minutes depending on the time of day to around 15-20 depending on the time of day) I know that soon I will settle in to a routine, I just want it to hurry up and get here.

Right now I am working a LOT. Trying to build up the coffers. I hope that in the coming months I can tweak things and have a schedule more like I envisioned when I first started working on this adventure. I am mourning the loss this year of my typical 3 days off at Thanksgiving and week or more off at Christmas. It is just too soon to take that much time off. Next year maybe. We'll see.

So here's hoping things continue to settle down. I think this is all starting to catch up with me. I am falling asleep about 2 seconds after my head hits the pillow these days and in the morning I swear the night was only 5 minutes long and I have no recollection of dreaming. That is some hardcore sleeping for me.

Hope you all have been well and my plan is to get back to regular posting soon.

Try to contain yourselves!

Telling it like it is

I got two kids at home sick with the flu.

I have 1 week left at work before I start the new practice.

Between caring for sick children, praying, chanting, rattling bones, and other assorted rituals to ward off germs for myself, annnndd...oh YEAH, starting my own business...blogging is falling off the radar for a week or two.

Try not to fuss too much.

Or at least don't fuss around me.

My current patience level :
"I will tear your head off and throw it over the fence if you annoy me in the slightest."

Don't say I didn't give you fair warning.

It's an I got a lotta crap done kind of tired

Hoo Boy.

I am surprised I have the strength and energy to type.

Things are hopping in Babble Land, and today was a doozy.

But...I now have a fresh and lovely painted office space. I am so pleased with how it turned out! I also have a bookcase, and we have intenet, phone/fax lines, and some furniture and toys in the lobby area. It begins to look a lot like a functioning office in there!

Next week I get a loveseat, find a chair, put together my desk, and start to arrange things in my office space.

So preparations for the new office are clipping along at a good pace.

Progress on the Journey to Better Health...not quite as clipping.

As is always the case at Chez Babble, fall brings on extreme busy times. I should take a picture of our calendar and post it here. Just for a good giggle. Because I promise you every time I look at it I giggle hysterically at the idea that we are going to cram all that in. Some how we do.

Anyway The Journey.

I have two pounds left.

Two pounds that seem to have separation anxiety. Cuz they ain't movin'. They are clinging to me like a toddler to it's mother when there are adults in huge scary costumes near by.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have been enabling this separation anxiety somewhat due to my lack of vigilance in counting my calories. Due to things like catching a cold, and ridiculously early sporting events my exercise has been somewhat less consistent, but overall not too bad.

I know what I need to do, now I just need to do it, lose these last two measly pounds and move on to the next phase of the journey. The phase I have dreamed, fantasized, and drooled over.

Maintenance.

Now that it is so close, the view is not quite as shiny as it was some 6 months ago. In fact it kind of looms a little scary. Because now I realize that these changes I have made don't stop. Ever.

That is kind of daunting.

I am pondering how to go about maintenance and I hope that next time we discuss The Journey I will be telling you all about the new maintenance plan I am carrying out.

On to good stuff about The Journey.

Since I now wear clothes that fit on a regular basis instead of clothes that are 2-3 sizes too big people have really noticed how much I have lost. That is kind of fun.

Someone the other day told me that I looked like I could afford to eat a brownie I turned down the other day. I don't believe that I am in the too thin category, but it was kind of nice to hear.

Unexpected stuff from The Journey. (warning that this could fall in to the TMI category for some of you.)

Boob loss. Wow. My rack is not what it once was. To the tune of about 4 inches less boobage. That may not sound like a lot, but the reality is quite noticeable to me. BH is not complaining however so that is good. Mixed feelings about this loss, and am frankly surprised that I care at all.

Cold. Good SWEET LORD AND BABY JEEBUS the COLD!!!!

I have always been one who tends to get cold easily. But since the weather has turned colder I am REALLT noticing it with more intensity. Last year we kept our house at 68 while we were home all winter long. We wanted to work on saving energy and felt that we could really just put on an extra layer or two. I was fine all winter with that temperature and tolerated it well with the extra layer or two of clothing. We are not even in REAL winter yet, in fact have only had the heat on for maybe two days and I am not sure if I am going to be able to handle it. I was lamenting to BH about how I was doubting and remarked that I remembered it being fine last year. He lovingly reminded me that I have lost almost 30 pounds of insulation since last winter. Never even thought of this outcome. Pretty sure I don't care for it, but will learn to live with it. May just have to add a layer or 3 this winter instead. Because I really like the way that temp shrinks our heating bill. In half people. It has cut it in half.

Non-Journey related public service statement:

Get a programmable furnace and set it to 68 when you are home, 62 when you are gone during the day and at night. Get out those layers , and extra blankets out then watch that bill and your carbon footprint shrink baby shrink.

Until next time...

Coming Out

I have been teasing about some upcoming changes for a while now.


Finally I can come out about what is going on, although I bet some of you have guessed already, or you are friends with me on Facebook and know through there.


Anyway! My big news is.........


I am leaving my job.


I have been at this job longer than any other. Almost 4 years. That is a real record for me. If you feel so inclined, you can go back in the blog archives and read about my job jumping history. Try February 2006. That is the best I can do, as I am lazy blogger who doesn't categorize and tag things.

So what am I going to be doing after I leave my job?

Why going into private practice that's what!

Yup, I have pondered, thought, mulled, fretted, crunched numbers and decided that this is the way for me to go. If all goes as planned I hope to be able to work a little less eventually and make as much money or perhaps a bit more than I do currently.

I am also ready to call the shots now. I say how big my caseload will be, when and how late I work. I WILL CONTROL MY OWN SCHEDULE!!!! ( I am way excited about this. I swear to Baby Jesus it takes an act of congress to make a change to my schedule where I am now.)

So I guess I am not so much changing jobs as I am changing where and how I do my work.

I will be in an office space with 3 other therapists, so it will be nice to have others to talk to and consult with when necessary. The office space we have leased is lovely and in a great location. Getting the space ready has been fun, and exciting too. We paint my office and the lobby area this weekend.

So big stuff going on. It is getting pretty intense now that I am slightly less than a month away from starting this gig. The transition is going to be a lot of work, and I might get cranky so be warned, because you know you will be among the first to reap the uh...."benefits" of my mood state.

So that is it. My BIG NEWS.

Stay tuned for updates as they happen.

Things that make my heart break

My precious old lady kitty Kalypso died Sunday evening.

BH and I got her about 6 months after we got married and about 1 month after we moved ourselves alllll the way out to California where we knew not a soul so that I could go to graduate school.

I always say that we did not pick out Kalypso, but rather she picked US out for herself. We got her from the SPCA shelter in Oakland. It was not very well lit, and I was peering in the cages at the kitties when I felt a little paw on my back. I turned around to see a tiny and very fuzzy long-haired tortoise shell kitten. We asked to have a look at her. We took her in to the visiting room and she immediately curled up in my lap and started purring and seemed as happy as could be. I told BH that we had just found our kitty. He wanted to reserve opinion until he saw how she did with him. So I very reluctantly handed her over. She curled right up in his lap and kept on purring.

So home with us she went. She really was a welcome friend in a town where we had none. You would have thought that cat was our child, the way we treated her. She went on many plane trips home with us, because we hated to leave her behind. If we were sitting or lying down she was in our lap, curled up on our backs, sitting on our heads, never far from our side. She would play for hours and was extremely entertaining.

As happens with all pets when kids enter the picture, she did not get quite the attention she had when she was an only child, but she was ever patient with the girls and they loved her dearly. Nothing made them happier then to sit in the hallway every morning so that Kalypso would come sit in their laps to get her morning pets. When they started helping to feed her they were thrilled when she would sleep in their beds at night. When she got to old and frail to jump up to their beds, they both made special spots on the floor with pillows and t-shirts so that she would have a place to rest near them. The nicknamed her Pippy and loved her as much as we did.

Kalypso turned 14 this year and got very ill last spring. Her kidneys were failing and she was having seizures. We had made the decision to end her suffering, but before we made the call the she rallied around and recovered somewhat.

A couple of weeks ago, she started having seizures again. She was eating only the tiniest amounts no matter what treats we gave her to try and coax her appetite. We knew that she was winding down.

Sunday afternoon she had a seizure and seemed to have a lot of trouble coming out of it. We did not think she was going to make it to the next day, and decided that if she did the time had come. She was obviously suffering now, and we could not let her go on like that.

We told the girls at dinner, and everyone cried. We checked on her periodically. Finally shortly before the girls bedtime BH called me in and said that he thought Kalypso was at the end. Her breathing was erratic and very very shallow. We gave the girls the chance to come in and say goodbye, and then BH and I sat there petting her until she was gone.

It has been very sad around here these past few days. We are grateful to have been with her as she took her final breaths, and grateful even more that she suffers no more.

I still expect to see her sitting in her favorite spots, or to have her come in after I have showered to lick drops of water off my legs. I miss seeing her watch over the other two cats like the matriarch she was.

I miss my friend.

Things that make my heart melt

This evening I was preparing to dry #2's hair when she says to me, "Mommy, when I am older will you tell me all of your secrets?"

I counter this remark with my best, "whatchootalkinbout#2" look.

She goes on to say, "I want you to tell me all of the secrets about how you are such a great mom so that I can be a great mom like you when I grow up because you are the best mom a little girl could ever have."

I reply by melting into a great big huge pile of lovey dovey goo all over the floor.

Survived

I survived my first specator parent experience.

#2 had her first basketball game over the weekend. Her team is scrappy I tell ya! Scrappy! Those little girls were not afraid to take the ball any time the other team managed to get their hands on it, which was not often. #2's team won 22-0. That is no typo friends. That was the final score.

I clapped, but did not holler at my child. I have to maintain my dignity doncha know.

In other news, last week showed much improvement over the previous one despite a very bumpy start.

Once again I am dying to go in to detail, but smarts keeps me from doing so on here. Dang, I do often lament the really interesting blog I could have if I could share more information.

In a about a week or so I think it will be safe to announce some upcoming Big! Changes! For! Me!

Too bad that the changes won't be as exciting for all of you as they will be for me. But you are a kind and loving audience who no doubt will get over it soon.

Hey, did I tell you about my totally weird dream the other night?

I dreamt that I was taking an algebra class, and it was taught by my high school algebra teacher. He was much more pushy in my dream and did not let me get away with my complete inability to comprehend algebra. Several times in the dream I thought I was going to cry but didn't. That dream seemed really long and when I woke I was really grouchy that I had spent my night trying to learn algebra.

Especially since I now know that I am right and I NEVER use it in my adult life.

Because I have a mathematically inclined husband who can help the children with their math homework.

I knew what I was doing when I married that man.

Awful

The past week was awful.

This week looks to be much the same.

Can't really discuss any of it here.

Having a really hard time TCB.

Ugh.

Wide World of Sports

BH and I are not athletic people.

We don't watch sports, play sports, or in truth really care at all about sports.

We have no teams that we support or care about.

Being Midwesterners, that sometimes puts us on the oddball scale. Particularly when there is a KU vs K-State game on the horizon. Saying you could care less about who wins, or failure to declare a loyalty puts you on par with aliens, or baby stealers, and the like. People just don't understand.

When we were expecting #s 1 and 2, we used to always joke that we artsy fartsy theater loving people were going to give birth to the most tremendous sports loving jocks on the face of the planet. That is how things work right?

Well that hasn't exactly come to pass. Our youngest is 8 years old and we are about to make our first foray in the world of "Parents Whose Child Participates in a Team Sport."

Y'see #2 has decided that she would like to play basketball this year. Never one to discourage a valid interest we signed her up.

Now I wonder what have we gotten in to? We will have to attend practice once a week and go to games once a week. GAMES. Where we have to watch and pay attention. There will be cheering on involved.

I am going to be totally out of my element.

I bet I can count on one hand the number of sporting event I have attended as an adult. I have NO INTEREST. NONE. DON'T CARE.

I assume because my child is involved that this will increse my level of interest.

However there is one thing that worries me greatly....

Cheering on.

I. Don't. Cheer.

Ever.

I also never never E-V-E-R clap along with music at concerts and performances.

Because I HATE THAT.

I am no good at audience participation. I flat out refuse. I will be the only one standing there mute and unmoving and I am ok with that. Perfectly ok.

Until now.

There is going to be much pressure to cheer on.

Of course my anxious irrational self is coming out and imagining the horror and evil things I will do to my darling child because I don't holler out and cheer and participate with the rest of the audience.

Oh Lordy.

I should have just signed her up for dance and told her to live with it.

Oy.

Go #2!

Woot.

Woo Hoo.

Can I just Twitter my support?

Doncha Hate it?

When you have something exciting to share, but the timing is just not quite right?

I do.

Sigh.

Soon. Hopefully soon.

A Journey Update

Dooooon't stop Beeeeeliiiieeevvinnnn'!! Hold on to that feeeellllllliiiiiiinnn'! (You have to imagine that this is actually being sung by Steve Perry as it is in my head for this to work you know!)

So the Journey To Better Health.

Well the first milestone has been met. This past week I finally hit the first goal mark. I am now officially at the weight recommended by my doctor. I have fully committed to going on to my own personal goal that is 7 lbs past the doctor goal.

Wait, did I say 7 pounds??

Oops. I misspoke, becuase as of yesterday I only have 6 pounds left.

Yeah!

I have gone back to my earlier vigilance about keeping track of my calories every day and added in the extra 10 minutes of exercise. That seems to have gotten me over my stall. Not dropping quite as rapidly as in the beginning, but dropping pounds again all the same.

Still have good energy and mood. And the best news of all has to be the clothes.

Oh the clothes.

I finally had to break down and go get some clothes to get me through the rest of the summer weather here. (Seeing as I am in Kansas summer weather could end next week or possibly sometime in mid-November.) I was shocked by the final results when I went to try on clothes. I have been wearing things anywhere from 2-3 sizes too large. Which explains why belts were not very helpful. I barely held it together in the dressing room. What was even more exciting is that the final size was almost loose. Not enough to go one more down, but I am suspicious that once I drop the last 6 that I may be one more size down. Especially if I keep up with some of the toning stuff I am doing.

I have renewed my love for buying clothes. Oh my sweet baby Jesus I have renewed it. Clothing stores are once again my Mecca. So many pretty choices. So many.....

However I will have to keep myself in check. While it is good for me to be slimmer, that is not a good state of being for my bank account.

Let's get random

I have no solid unifying theme for this post. It has been a while since I have done a Randomosity post so I figure....what the hell?

#2 figured how to make armpit farts this weekend. She can also do back of the knee farts.(Is there a name for that part of the body? Kneepit? I tell you this is the kind of thing that keeps me awake at night.) We are now discussing when and where it is appropriate to make such noises. Good times indeed.

How 'bout this healthcare reform? I have not been following it too closely because it makes my head spin and I figure why would I purposely raise my blood pressure? My barely informed thoughts you ask? In a nutshell...I don't think we will see true reform and I am pretty certain that it is the fault of greedy insurance companies. This makes me very sad. Almost more sad than angry. Almost.

Did I tell you that we now have a kitten? Yup. Cat number 3. We are apparently running an animal refuge here at Chez Babble. Why a 3rd kitty? Because EMILY posted a link about overcrowding at a local shelter and I am a giant sucker is the short version. Yes Emily I am still placing full blame on you. The kitten's name is Penelope. She is a tiny sweet little Calico Kitty. Ooh! I can do a full post with pictures later!

I am feeling less irritated at work. That is nice. A small raise and the return of A WHOLE HOUR of paperwork time has helped. Helped some apparently, seeing as I am not opposed to making snarky comments about the management's "generosity" on the paperwork end. The raise was nice, and given the current state of the economy, world, job market, etc. I feel extremely grateful to be in a position to have gotten an unplanned raise in the middle of the year. But the paperwork hour made me laugh. (We used to get 8 hours blocked off and many was the week that barely covered what needed to be done.)

I bought some new clothes last weekend. I figured I could not wait until winter as I originally planned when I had two incidents where I was running and my pants nearly fell off, and my decision was cemented when I was able to pull off a pair of denim capri pants without undoing the zipper and button. My current size is one I have not seen since a few glorious months post-partum with #1. (So that would be nearly 12 years for those keeping track.) I might have gotten a little teary in the dressing room. I might have gotten really excited that the new size was such that it won't take much to go down one more either. I am trying to come to terms with the feelings of shallowness that accompany my elation over this very respectable jean size. I am doing MARVELOUSLY overcoming by the way. I am trying to keep my urge to buy lots of fun new clothes under control. This is difficult.

Have any of you watched the show Coupling? It is a BBC comedy and by God it is hilarious. I strongly suggest checking it out. You can watch it instantly on Netflix if you are a member. Seriosuly. As soon as you are done reading and commenting on this post I want you to go immediately to Netflix and start watching. If you don't belong to Netflix join. Now.

What are you waiting for?

Can't Spill The Beans But I Wanna

I have some exciting stuff brewing here at Chez Babble.

I really REALLY want to write about it, but I am not ready to make it quite so public just yet.

Soon though.

In other news, school is back in session, and we are adjusting back to that way of life once more. I am trying not to be emotional yet about it being #1's last year of elementary school. It does not help when BH shares bits of trivia like, "Hey! Did you know that this is the last year the girls will be in the same school together until #1 is a senior in high school."

I'm not saying my eyes got leaky at that one, but they were extra watery for a few minutes.

#1 is definitely presenting with some pre-teen moody issues. I may change my references to her from #1 to Moody Blue.

Oy.

This is challenging my patience in a tremendous way. Adolescents are delicate creatures. They must be handled with skill. My skills in this area are dull and weak right now. I am having to do much stopping and thinking before reacting.

Just like baby and toddlerhood this will pass. Right?

RIGHT?

Somebody throw me a bone here.