As the World Turns ...

... I'm just kind of existing right now. Hence, the lack of a post lately. My life is interfering with my blogging! :P

We've had a few family/life things to attend to lately, as well as work, play, and general family time. We're trying to enjoy the last few weeks of summer, basking in the glow of a successfully accomplished Awesome Summer Plan. I never thought I would like summer after being a kid, but this year we had a great time. I like summer again. Yay!

But ... I LOVE fall. Like full-on butterflies in my stomach oh my god is it here yet when can I start making stews and baking not to mention holiday time LOVE it. I'm watching preseason football games, people. This is how much I am looking forward to fall (and football - if you think I am crazy about fall, I am barely tolerable during football season. LOVE.)

I'm also being a bit of a lazy slug because work is ramping up for the last two quarters of the year and the monthly trips to North Carolina are starting up again. I'm kind of bummed that the lazy summer days are almost over, but I'm kind of excited to get back to a routine. Tom just started his school year so it feels like everything is back in order.

So ... an Awesome Fall Plan, maybe? Not sure - my fall seasons almost always tend to be awesome, so I may not need a plan. But the Cooking by Instinct Plan is still on; I just need to get to it. I just posted a Brown Sugar Cookie recipe on Tasty Kitchen; check it out!

Awesome Summer Plan Check-In!

I'm kind of blanking on new blog topics, so I figured I'd do a little check-in on my Awesome Summer Plan (ASP). It's probably only interesting to me, but whatevs. Here we go!

Treadmill = LOVE. Even though I have yet to jog on it this week, I've been on the thing pretty regularly and it is indeed awesome. Tom and I agree that our favorite part is the hook-up for the iPod with speakers. I'm freeeeee ... no earbuds, no stupid armband that doesn't fit around my chunky arm. Just sweet sweet crappy pop tunes coming out of my treadmill's speakers while I plod along.

And the plodding is going pretty well. I'm back to doing the Couch to 5K program and need to finish the last day of Week 3 and move on to week 4. The last time I did this program, Tom and I signed up for the Turkey Trot at Quantico Marine Base in November 2005. Except it was a 5 MILER, I didn't find out that fact until the day before, and it was 19 degrees outside. If not for the running program, I'd have probably been an ice pop laying in a ditch along the course, instead of the whiny, shuffling pain in the ass that eventually crossed the finish line. Isn't that inspiring?

I'm hoping to sign up for it again (now that I actually know that it's a 5 miler), but I'm hesitant. I think the reason I'm enjoying my treadmill so much is because I'm taking my time, improving my endurance and fitness, on my schedule. If I add a November deadline then there's all this pressure. But I love pressure and deadlines. I'll probably sign up. What could be a better prep for Thanksgiving that getting up early, braving cold weather, and hoofing it around a Marine base?

The local food thing is still going. Not as strongly over the past few weeks since we've been out of town, but we hit the market this Saturday and then on Sunday had a lovely dinner with most of our organic finds. Reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and making an effort to buy local have had a really good effect on my thinking about food. For someone with major food issues, this is in fact awesome.

We get out and about. The family has been great about getting outside to play and getting around to socialize. It's been a nice balance of lazy weekends spent outside with the water table and other fun toys and going out of town to see friends. Next weekend is my son's second birthday party--aside from the planning anxiety, I'm looking forward to it. It'll be another great day of playing and family time -- what this summer has been all about.

I got over myself. Really, I did. I wore a bathing suit in our backyard. I ordered another to wear in front of other people on vacation. I wore short sleeves. I wore skirts. I wear shorts now! Granted, they're Bermuda shorts, but shorts nonetheless. Consequently, I've been a lot more comfortable with being outside and enjoying my time. Go figure.

So there you have it - goals set, goals being attained. It doesn't seem like much, but with summer half over, I'm happy that we've used this time wisely. We're slowing down a bit, having fun, and reminding me of why I loved summer as a kid.

Up next? Vacation starting July 27th!

Two Tickets to (Colonial) Paradise

I booked our family vacation this weekend.

Oh yeah, I said vacation. We're going to Williamsburg: short drive, nice resort, relaxing time mixed in with a theme park. I'm probably more excited about this than I should be, but you have to know our history of planning trips to know how significant this is. The history usually runs like this:

Me: Let's *do* something this summer.

Hubs: OK.

Me: Great! I'll look up some places and we can pick something.

Hubs: Cool.

**A month goes by, I'm the only one looking into anything, I get bitter and stop. We go nowhere.**

Lather, rinse, repeat for like a million years.

I HATE planning trips, for the above scenario plays out over and over every time I want to do something. We were on our way down this road again in the spring, when I wanted to plan a beach trip and everyone was on board with the notion as long as I did the research, booking, etc. So once again, I got bitter ...

... and bought a treadmill.

But then, like cockroaches and Speidi, the vacation notion just wouldn't die: My mom mentioned that there's a Sesame Street section of Busch Gardens, for smaller kids. So I started thinking about going down to Williamsburg, maybe staying somewhere nice, just doing one day at the park, etc. My little guy would have fun, but it wouldn't be too overwhelming. We could still relax. We kicked the idea around for about a week and it was starting to fizzle ...

And then my brain was like, "Aw HALE no, we are not getting robbed of a vacation again!" So while my husband took a nap on Saturday, I booked the entire trip--resort, tickets to the park, everything. By the time he woke up he was on his way to Williamsburg.

Yes, I had to do all the planning again. But I'm getting a trip. And my treadmill. See, ladies? Sometimes you can have it all. Try not to be jealous.

The Usual

I have a a few post topics in my head, but life is kind of getting in the way right now:

• I'm moving offices for the 7th time in 2 1/2 years. Hey, at least I get a window this time; I'll make sure to enjoy it before my next inevitable move!

• We're trying to plan a short mini-trip to Williamsburg.

• Work is stressful. That's all I'll say about it.

But hey, the ASP is rolling right along:

• My little guy starts his first Beast class tonight. Should be fun and cute!

• We're still doing the local food thing; dinner tonight is pasta with homemade pesto and sauteed zucchini and squash. Yes I realize that pesto is so 90s but it's also nice and summery, so back off food snobs!
  

The only ASP bummer I'm experiencing right now is that I still haven't heard anything about my treadmill coming, and it should be here later this week or early next week. Need to call and harass a SOLE customer rep, methinks.

Oh and somehow I got sucked back into the Real Housewives of New Jersey. I guess I'm just a sucker for the accents.

Whoa. It's June Already?

Well, yes, I know - it's not quite June. We've still got a few May days left. But since I always seem to live my life looking out two weeks ahead, it's basically June for me. I can't believe how fast time is going.

Summer's a big time in my family. Aside from my Awesome Summer Plan and its related activities, there are birthdays galore: my husband's in June; mine, my MIL's, my son's, and my dad's in July; my SIL and GIL in August. There's a whole lotta celebrating going on all summer.

That's my guy in the picture at the top, celebrating his first birthday last year. Can't wait to see if he's as messy with his cake this year (I'm guessing ... probably)

Around this time of year people always start in with the "What would you like for your birthday?" question. Which is lovely of them to plan ahead, but I'm stumped every year as to what to answer. Sure, I have the usual Amazon Wish List of books, music, etc., that are nice to receive, but I really want is time: with my family, my friends, to myself ... more and more time.

And thinner thighs. When are my 10-14 days over so I can get my treadmill already?

Amesome Summer Plan - Check It!

Hey, look at me saying I'm going to do something and then doing it, for once!

Above you'll see my lovely Sole F83 treadmill. It's coming to my house in 10-14 days. And then it will be time to get my fitness on, aw yeah. Maybe if I think of Jillian while running I'll be too scared to stop after half an hour.

Time to compose some guilty pleasure iTunes mixes. Danity Kane, Britney -- maybe even Beyonce, Lord help me -- I'm looking at you!

Awesome Summer Plan - Oh it's ON!

I'm Type A. I like to plan. Hence the 50 million plans I have going on at all times, some of which were listed in my last post.

I mentioned an Awesome Summer Plan last week. After having an awesome weekend, I figured hey, let's make this weekend the model for our summer.

Elements of the Awesome Summer Plan:

Stay home more. Considering how much havoc traveling for work and family wreaked on my life this spring, I want to stay home as much as possible this summer. Being home means long evenings playing in the backyard, beers on the deck, home cooked meals, and low pressure.

Local entertainment. We hit the local farmers market this weekend, scored some great produce and grass-fed beef, then we went home and ate it. It was yummy. We plan to lather, rinse, repeat. I like the philosophy of eating local, reinforced by my current book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. We're embracing local restaurants, venues, attractions. Why waste all of that gas schlepping around, anyway?

Get over my fear/hatred of hot weather and its fashion. I hate being hot. HATE. I'm usually a mess during the summer because I have so many hangups about my body that I practically wear fall-ish clothes all year (pants/cardigans/light sweaters), with the occasional short-sleeved shirt thrown in. This year I'm done with that crap. I've already worn my first dress of the season (gasp!) and I plan to wear short sleeves, skirts, dresses, and whatever other warm-weather staples will make me more comfortable. Maybe even shorts! Look at me, brave girl! People will just have to get over my flabby pale self. I'm finally starting to.

Stop whining and do something about fitness. My personal local food movement doesn't really include my good pals Ben & Jerry, so I'm OK on the food front. Now, to fitness. I've joined and quit a gym, taken classes, tried just walking around the neighborhood, blah blah. Nothing sticks. The only thing I have ever been able to do with some regularity is hit the treadmill. Yes, it can be dreadfully boring, but I always do it. I need one for my house so I can stop bitching about not having time to hit the gym. I'm buying one as a birthday present to myself. I've managed to lose 65 pounds in 2 years -- it's really time to get the rest of this weight off. Plus I need an excuse to compose more random mixes on iTunes.

So there's the plan. I'm ready and excited. No pressure, just time with my guys, my house, and my 'hood. Pale legs be damned.

More Plans

I'm just plugging along, getting projects done -- both professional and personal.

Up next in the personal projects? Another book (possibly The Thirteenth Tale, it seems like a fun spooky read) and some sort of Physical Activity plan. I've got figure out something to do with myself to spur the rest of my weight loss. I'm trying not to obsess about the weight like usual, yet still stay motivated. It's difficult.

My son has already embraced his physical activity: Little Gym classes this summer. He'll be a Beast. And I'll try not to lunge at the first kid who knocks him over during class. Hey, I have restraint! Sort of.

As for the rest of the plans:

The Get More Sleep plan started out strong this week and has faltered a bit, but I'm getting back to it tonight. The Cook More at Home plan included a family meal last night courtesy of my husband, and I made homemade chicken stock. I feel so Ina Garten!

Now I need an Awesome Summer plan. We'll see how that goes; I may need to implement a Don't Blind People with Your Paleness plan first.