Funny Faces

Hello November! Nice to see you!

It has been a whirlwind October, but I’m so happy to report I survived #Unprocessed October!! I feel like I need a shirt or something announcing that!! I had 3 “exception” meals built in before I started, and that helped remove some of the stress, but I still faltered.  But, here’s the deal, because of the heightened awareness, when I did falter, I was able to identify the trigger at the time, so I am totally taking it as a win! I was able to see what situations lead to what food decisions – and that was very insightful.  And yes, I lost a few pounds.  🙂  so… #winning! And yes, I’ll probably do it again next October!

This was a unique October full of grand adventure.  We said goodbye to my beloved Grandfather, and then I think I spent the rest of the month making funny faces to a camera.

Don’t believe me?

We had several pep rally’s, and here is a great shot of Mr. T after one of his performances… he was awesome, he slowed his walk down so I could snap the picture!  Love that kid!

And then we made funny faces!  And were photobombed by the cheer coach.  It was pretty much greatness… even if Mr. T and I were totally out of sync on the face making!

BA and I went to the Meatloaf concert!

And when I say concert, I use that term loosely, it really is more like a show than a concert – it’s pretty awesome.  Above is the start of Paradise by the Dashboard light… and the end… needless to say, if you know the song, you’ll totally understand why her top is off! Like I said, he puts on a production!

And then we made silly faces!

We had Senior Night at school, before the football game all of the Seniors in activities are honored and get to walk across the field with their family, and it was my honor to be able to walk my son across the field.  I don’t have the actual picture yet, but we snapped one while waiting.  All of the Senior Cheerleaders had sashes made with their names, except Mr. T, he got a crown!

But first, we made silly faces!

BA and I also went to the Cowboys vs Seahawks game.  Man, I just can’t even.

But the cheerleaders were great! That is a positive, and Rick, the other guy in the picture, is pretty much the best host in the world.  We’ve worked together for so many years and he is so generous and shares these tickets with us each year, I’m so very grateful for the adventure he grants me each year!

And happy to have an adventure buddy that will take silly pictures 🙂

So, like I said, I think I spent the last half of the month making funny faces and sticking my tongue out at the camera.  At one point I asked BA if he was going to out-grown going to the games with me… we looked at each other and laughed, I have plenty of evidence to indicate that neither of us plan to really grow up!

How about y’all? Ready for November?

Double Standard Anyone?

This weekend my reality was challenged.  It was very hard to let go and NOT have a double standard… In fact, these are the words that came out of my mouth “Well, if you were gay, I’d let you do it – so I don’t really have a reason why you can’t do it since you are straight.”

I didn’t have a valid argument.  This was a situation that in my mind shouldn’t happen because “you are a guy”.

And, it’s true, but not valid!

Here’s a hint:

Now, let’s back up and get the rest of the story!

First, we’ll start with a gratuitous shot of me and Mr. T – He’s in his Easter outfit thanks to Grammy and Papa – and just looking so handsome!

Really, there was no point to the inclusion of that picture!

Now onto the story, a few days ago My Amy texted me and the conversation went something like this:

Winter sucks

Yes, it does!

Haven’t seen you in forever!

I know, but I think the sun is coming out, so I’ll probably be leaving the house soon!

We should get together… want to do something this weekend?

Sounds great!

Want to go across the border?

Cha-ching!  Of course I do… because just across the border is where you’ll find the casino! She had to work that morning, and I was volunteering at the food co-op mid-morning, so we met at my place at noon, went and picked up another friend and took off!

FREEDOM!!!

It was so much fun! We walked the length of the casino and then back again, trying different machines along the way and just catching up with each other!

I would like to say I was strategic and parlayed my small pocket change into a large fund; however, I wasn’t strategic! And, no, the casino didn’t end up giving me a big check; however, I won enough to make me a very happy camper!

I told Mr. T that I’d be paying off our weekend fun, but that we should do something special together with the leftovers!

He picked pedicures.

It was a good idea, there is something about being in those chairs that invites conversation, and really, who doesn’t love a good foot massage! As we were sitting there, he looks at me and goes “Can I get a color?”

No, of course you can’t get a color.  You. Are. A. Boy.

That’s what I said in my head.  Actually, I may have screamed it in my head!

What came out was “If you want.”

I grew up in a culture where boys didn’t wear polish.

But, my parents grew up in a culture where boys didn’t wear earrings and that never phased me. Mr. T got his ears pierced at a young age.  He doesn’t wear them often now; however, that never bothered me.

So, maybe I’m old fashioned.  Maybe I need to be the one to loosen up and let it go.

And, I’m not kidding, I told Mr. T that if he was gay, I’d totally understand him wanting polish – so I didn’t have a reason for saying no just because he was straight.

Then Mr. T goes “Can I get hot pink?”

Go big or go home, I guess.

And that’s how I ended up with a son with hot pink toes sitting next to me at the nail salon.

And that’s how I ended up struggling with the double standard.

It was hard letting him walk out the door this morning.  But really, is there a valid argument?

Because it isn’t societal norm. Because I’m not comfortable with it.  Because it isn’t done.

None of that is valid.

None of those statements represent the person I want to be.

On one hand, it’s outside my comfort zone.  On the other hand, I’m so proud of that kid for being who he wants and not being bound by societal norm.

Yes, it’s a double standard, and yes, sometimes I still struggle with it.

But this morning, I was the person I wanted to be and I watched my son walk out the door with hot pink toe nails being the person he wants to be.

And I smiled, ’cause yeah, that just happened.

My Life is Full of Challenges

I know, I know, you have challenges, too.

All of our lives are full of challenges.

Some are not by our conscience choice, but due to decisions that we’ve made and placed us in certain circumstances.  Some challenges are completely brought on by us and some challenges we actively seek out.

Because sometimes we are all a bit nuts!

Last month I took this:

And turned it into this:

Look at that!!  Go Me!! I completed the challenge!

1840 squats.  902 lunges, 1550 crunches, 500 very long seconds in push up plank.

#winning

Now, as you know, I also took the declutter challenge.  One item on day 1; two items on day 2; three items on day 3; etc.  If you add that all up, it comes up to about 500 items.  I chose to break it into sections of my house.

And, guess what?

I failed.

I could not toss 500 items.  I made it to 362 I think the sheet says.

But, I gave it my all! I even parted with items I really didn’t want to!

The flip side of this is that I learned a bit more about me.

At one point I was in the kitchen and all of the cabinets and drawers were open, and all I had managed to do was find about 10 items, like an extra coffee scoop and some broken magnets that used to be on the fridge, and I was feeling very dejected.  Then I got mad! If I hadn’t had that garage sale 2 years ago where I got rid of all of my extra kitchen stuff, then I would have had another 50 items – easily – to count towards the challenge!

Next I was in my closet.  I knew that Mr. T had just bagged up about 50 items, so I just had to match that.  I think I found about 20 items.  And that includes socks with no mate and broken earrings!  Again, I was defeated! I couldn’t come up with more than 20 items! Then, again, I got mad! If I hadn’t been cleaning out my closet for the past couple of months, if I hadn’t sold those 10 pairs of shoes, I would have been so much further along!

Do you see the trend? The past several years I’ve been getting rid of things, which is great – but here’s the good news – I haven’t brought back in the items! The items that have been purged have not returned to my house!  I haven’t replaced my unwanted/unused/not necessary items!

So, yes, I totally failed.

And I’m totally taking that win!

So, how do you follow-up these challenges?

With more challenges!

I may have little upper body strength, and I may be using girly weights, but I’m taking the challenges!

And I hope your life is just as full of challenges, too!  

It’ll Be Fun

I was in the mood for some adventure on Friday.  It had been a really hard and very long week at work, my son had told me how he “Needed His Space” just a few days earlier and well, I was so over it all.

So, I checked my bank balance and then got on-line.

Hello indoor trampoline park! Fun and exercise! #Winning!

Picture from flightdecktrampolinepark.com

I grew up with a trampoline, my sister and I got it for our birthday one year (I think it was birthday, because it was sunny out, and our birthdays are in the summer months, but I could be totally wrong).  And, I think I was under 10 when we got it because I don’t think we had Lee yet.  (Yes, I judge a good portion of my life based on who is around me!)

Anyway…

I grew up on a trampoline – and I. Loved. It!!! It was so much fun, we all had a blast on it.

I haven’t jumped on a trampoline since approximately 1992.

So naturally, it’s a great idea to just dive right back in!

I bought an hours worth of time for me and Mr. T.

And we bounced.

And bounced.

And bounced!

Picture from flightdecktrampolinepark.com

And we played trampoline basketball!  I actually made 95% of my shots!  It’s amazing how accurate you get when you are inches from the hoop!

Then Mr. T goes “Go jump into the foam pit!”

“It’ll be fun!” he says.

Picture from flightdecktrampolinepark.com

So, I did it, because as I posted on Facebook:

A sweaty mom? Yes. A mom that sits on the sideline? Never! 

Needless to say – the foam pit is not my friend.  I felt like a beached whale trying to navigate my way back to the ledge, and then ended up having Mr. T come help pull me out because there isn’t a step or anything to help a 40 year old woman get her butt out of a pit filled with weird foam squares!!!

It was not my finest moment.  I was totally drenched in sweat after that!

Still, it was worth it!

We bounced a bit longer and laughed and joked and then decided it was about time to head back.  I knew I’d be feeling it tomorrow, but man, was it fun!

Later than night, I realized my hands were sore.

 Yeah, okay, my knuckles are very red, and quite a bit swollen… and I know it was from some of the tricks I was performing while bouncing! And if you look closely, you’ll see that the redness extends all the way to my little pinky finger!

The next day they were still red and swollen, and then you could see where the skin was torn.  It pretty much looked like I had been in a fight!

By Sunday I was starting to worry that I might have fractured my left hand – it was still really sore and swollen over two of the knuckles.  Then I looked over and my right hand was still sore and swollen, so I decided that maybe it wasn’t fractured after all! I just tend to forget how very sensitive my skin is!

It’s three days later and the broken skin is healing, the redness is gone and the swelling is starting to finally subside.

But, you know what?

It was worth it.

My June Joust

 

Before I declare my June challenges, let’s recap how May went!

1. Increase my daily exercise from 30 min to 60 min.  This will be a combination each and every day.

This did happen, except for the one week I took off.  

2. Yoga 2 – 3 times a week.

This did not happen.  I have issues with Yoga, Yoga is not my friend.

3. Continue with my wall sit (this is thrown in so that no matter what, I know I will accomplish something!)

Done!  Yippee!!  

4. Schedule community volunteer time (cause my mental health is just as important!)

Researched, but not scheduled.  I have to make time to fit this in, and unfortunately, their volunteer hours and the hours I had free didn’t match up.  

So, 2/4 challenges completed.

Now, thanks to Nancy at My Years of Sweat (who by the way just completed a day hike that she was clearly told could kill her if she did it in a day – but survived) here are my June goals.

1. Finish the calf raise challenge that I started in May when I realized that yoga sucks.  🙂

2. Do a plank challenge.  And I’m calling out Me, Who Am I? to join me because she said she would!

3. Continue to incorporate 60 minutes of activity/exercise into my daily life.

4. Now, here is where I planned to actually do the community volunteer time that I have researched, but I’ve got to be honest, I don’t know if I can fit it in – so this is tentative!

June is a really busy month for us.  This is Mr. T’s last week of school.  Next week he is gone for a week at church camp.  He is back for a few days before he leaves for Cheer (Mascot) camp and I leave for Vegas, Baby!  About 10 of us are going to Vegas to celebrate my 4oth birthday!  Whooo Hooo!  (I’ll update you on that later).  We are both home for a week and then I leave for a 4 day business trip, only to return and immediately prepare for our annual family reunion the first weekend in July.

My intentions are good; however, I will not overload myself with challenges and put additional stress on myself just because I’m uber-competitive! I want to be able to enjoy my life, too!

Join us!

Kerry’s Winding Road

My Years of Sweat  – who hasn’t posted her challenges yet, but she’s been busy taking the hike of death, so I’ll update this once she does!