Antici…..pation.
So thrilled that I finally got to make it to the pool today. Finally! Sure, despite better efforts, I ended up with a bit of a sunburn, but that is okay (I say that until it starts really bugging me). I got a few hours of real swimming in for the first time in way too long. I did not expect my one year old and the boyfriend to be such good (unintentional) coach/trainers while I did laps.
So, the gluten free diet failed today, thanks to an entirely too tempting bowl of cereal and an empty stomach with no desire to cook after hours of swimming. Oh well! It was only just an experiment to see if I have a gluten sensitivity, or maybe a slight allergy (my mom does). I’m none too worried, however. But the animal free diet continues! Yes! That’s the one I’ve been quite concerned over. I fear the day I crave pizza. I’ll be fine though! Things will go well.
Topping the new diet off, I’m participating in a month long weight loss challenge orchestrated by a friend of mine. He’s going to bust my butt, and I cannot wait! Between that, the diet, and getting myself off all sorts of hormones (birth control, temporarily. Been researching other kinds I can take and weighing options), I am very VERY interested to see how my body handles it all and what exactly it is going to do!!!
I mean really…i have important things to get ready for!!!
(PS. So You Think You Can Dance playing a song by Jeff Buckley…best surprise of the day by far…dear God I love that man)
Trying to Beat the Heat!
Do I really have this little thing called “time” today? Nope. The lovely child (who is officially a year old) has turned into monster cling-on (Klingon!? She does have the language down) lately, so doing much of anything has been impossible. Honestly, all she ever seems to want to do is cuddle on the couch, play with my hair, and just chill…and then run off and play with daddy if he’s got the energy when he gets home from work at noon. Usually, they both end up passing out for a nap at the same time so I’ve been taking that opportunity to get cleaning done, make shopping lists, plan dinner, shower, and if I’m lucky, actually have a full meal to myself. Then spending time at the hospital with the boy’s dad as well, it’s definitely been a little difficult to get any me time in.
However in all this irritation (love my baby but good grief, I want to get moving and do stuff without her screaming her head off), I downloaded Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr onto my Android Kindle app and I’ve been enthralled. It reminded me of why I had ever been a vegetarian in the first place (which I only gave up because I came to a point when the only food I could afford was Campbell’s Ravioli and whatnot) and had tried veganism (I love my cheese). Now I’m trying it again, and also tossing gluten out the window. We’ll see how this goes, but I’m excited to at least try!! What may help me is that I actually enjoy veggies now, as I didn’t like them as much before, plus I’d really like to see how it effects my weight and energy levels. Experiments are fun!! I miss cheese and bread though, and it’s only been a couple days!! I’ll survive, haha. It’s going to be a fun challenge!
I also got Spotify! Loving it so far!! I’ve had a massive playlist I created going all morning so far. Stuff I know, stuff I’m not as familiar with…I just love it. I miss having music playing all the time! I really need to update my iPod, but with my external hard drive being dead, and the boy always takes his external to work, I just don’t have time to actually concentrate on it. And yes, it is something I have to do in solitude. No idea why I’m like that, but I am. Must concentrate!! <3
Don’t Forget To…
Be a love letter to the universe today & forever!! The always lovely Miss Gala Darling has a fabulous list of ideas on how to do this if you don’t know where to start. Just thought I’d remind y’all. <3
“becoming your own hero requires we kill the myth that someone is coming to save you. save yourself”
pierre bennu (via thedame)(Source: pierrebennu)
It’s The Little Things
Home & finally relaxed. I brought home boxes I had stored at my mom’s & discovered all sorts of things I didn’t remember that I had. I also discovered that I need more bookshelves…since one can never have too many books. It’s just exciting to have more of my stuff in my possession once again. It only took 2 years to get it. Geez. But that’s what I get for last minute decisions & hopping on a plane with only 2 bags, right?
I’ve gotten super reflective about life right now. I am endlessly lucky & blessed to have my little family unit. I cannot wait to take the next step forward doing whatever it is that we’ll end up doing. Staying here & proceeding as is for a bit longer is great, but I am hoping & praying for bigger & better things for the three of us. With the way my little girl lit up the entire time we were in my hometown & how upset she was to leave (though she was quite happy to get home & have her toys again), as well as the opportunity for the boyfriend to get a job in the field he actually went to school for, with a significant raise in pay…maybe Michigan is the place to be?? I fought long & hard to get myself back into Virginia after living here when I was 10-13 years old, but while maybe it was the right choice for a period of time, maybe it’s time to get my butt back home? So hard to say. I look forward to whatever may happen though. Besides, I’m having way too much fun looking at houses we will actually be able to afford (the same houses we could get on much less land for about a 5x higher cost at the least!) & getting excited about having trustworthy babysitters!
Today I finally got to go to Dunkin Donuts & try the frozen hot chocolate!! Definitely not an every day kind of drink, but it was oh so nummy. Then a splurge on a couple donuts only made me feel worse about my diet since we got home (my mom’s house is bare of anything that is not organic & healthy except the coffee I bought…such a good thing! Then the first thing I do when we get home is order pizzas. Pfft).
Really though, even though the boy irritated the crap out of me today when he opted to play video games instead of helping me out with housework (of course, once I finished he decided to clean the computer & undo all the cleaning I had done! GAH!!), I’m just so ridiculously happy right now. All sorts of little things add up into one big thing. Bliss.
A Woman Should Have by Maya AngelouA WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she’s content to leave behind….
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to
retelling it in her old age….
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …..
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
one friend who always makes her laugh… and one who lets her cry…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ….
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
a feeling of control over her destiny…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to fall in love without losing herself..
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without;
ruining the friendship…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
when to try harder… and WHEN TO WALK AWAY…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that she can’t change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that her childhood may not have been perfect…but its over…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to live alone… even if she doesn’t like it…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
whom she can trust,
whom she can’t,
and why she shouldn’t take it personally…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
where to go…
be it to her best friend’s kitchen table..
or a charming inn in the woods…
when her soul needs soothing…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she can and can’t accomplish in a day…
a month…and a year…
Vacation!
Vacation is coming to a close! :( Not looking forward to the 11+ hour drive home, but I suppose it could be worse.
We got to spend a few hours up in Grand Haven at Lake Michigan. The boyfriend had never seen any of the Great Lakes before, so it had to happen. Of course, a storm was rolling in by the time we got there, but really, watching a storm over the water is amazing.
Penelope had a riot at the small lake across the street from my mom’s. Dove right in when all we intended was introducing her to sand, haha. Definitely my kid. Honestly though, she has had more than her share of fun since we first arrived. Almost like a completely different kid! She’s still a little shy, but not so much that she has to cling to mommy if someone even glances at her. Penelope has also been enjoying having a large yard to play in all the time. She loves the outdoors! We don’t get enough of them in Virginia, apparently.
We also managed to get in a trip to the zoo! The child had way too much fun! She loved all the cats, go figure! Then there were also the monkeys! By the time we got to the penguins, she was about to pass out, so not much of a reaction there, but I am alright with that! Baby girl slept hard afterwards!!
Also, the U2 show was amazing, of course. I never expect any less. We upgraded our crappy nosebleed seats for some just behind the stage, sold the old tickets & I proceeded to get laughed at. I’m an overly enthusiastic fan, can’t help it. My brother & my boyfriend said they couldn’t hear the show over me (joking of course) & couldn’t help being difficult every time I cried (“Where the Streets Have No Name” gets me every single goshdern time! Then there was “Stay (Faraway, So Close!)” that had me nearly sobbing…but that brings back hard memories). I finally got the Achtung Baby era shirt I’ve been trying to get off of ebay for years & had once nearly spent over $100 on an XXXL size just to have it! Now I got it in a size that fits for a much more reasonable price, & brand new. Yeah, I can deal with that. :)
Then of course there was the Locksley show. I love those boys endlessly. Penelope enjoyed her first rock show & the boys enjoyed her being there. They played to her when she was in my stomach, & they played to her at the show. Cannot complain. I love those dudes.
Now to pack up the car & get some good relaxing in before heading back home. Booooo!! But man, I cannot wait to get back into my routine!!! <3
Smiles
My brain is filled with a ton of nuttiness today. From odd conversations with my ex & trying to figure exactly how I feel about karma biting him in the ass again, to just enjoying the moment & all the goodness that is surrounding me right now & then trying to figure out why people always feel the need to be nasty to each other. Oh, life, you crazy thing.
The child of mine had sleep issues last night which lead to a sleepy morning for us all with the rainy weather not helping, but I’m so digging on my coffee right now. My apartment is also chilled to perfection & the sounds of Jeff Buckley are swirling through the air. Love love love! To top it off, the boyfriend came home from helping a friend move some stuff last night with some homemade coffee cake, which is making the coffee that much better. Penelope has also improved immensely on her walking & it’s been so much fun to watch her determination & pride in doing it…plus that dang diaper waddle is always the greatest. It’s always the little things, right?
MK & Ashley Olsen's Stylemint! →
I’ve always had a soft spot for those Olsen’s, & all their fashion! They have always been & always will be my favorite guilty pleasure. :) This line sounds awesoooooooooome!! (PS, I’ve been watching too much Yo Gabba Yabba lately…”awesome” always gets lengthened when I say it now…)
Poor Neglected EVERYTHING!
No clue how I’ve been so busy & yet not busy at all. Preparing for the trip to Michigan, getting all sorts of stuff ready (though I still have piles of laundry to do!) & having lots of Penelope time. We have even neglected the grocery shopping until yesterday! That was quite an interesting time with a tired, cranky child, my hurt neck (no idea what I did! It just came on a couple days ago & now I can’t really turn my head right!), & to top it off, a hurting toe ever since I managed to somehow break the toenail in half…& then I managed to break it further yesterday despite the band aid. Le sigh. Life goes on. Band aids don’t stay on toes, but the Mickey Mouse ones are too damn cute.
Lately the one thing I’ve been loving is the brand new couch & entertainment center we bought! Half the reason I’ve been so neglectful, I think, haha. The entertainment center is just made of awesome & is such an awesome dark “merlot” wood. The cabinets & drawers have windows, so I’m on the hunt for the perfect things to put in there for punches of color…well, beyond our staple Verizon cable box, Xbox, & DVD player. Just having gotten rid of the old tv stand we had & replacing it with the new one has given us so much more space! It’s amazing! Then we also got to toss the futon that we never liked in the first place! Yeah, normally I’m all about giving as much as I can to Goodwill or Salvation Army…no. This futon was just not good enough for that (neither was the tv stand! But thank heavens for free hand me downs!). Now we have Gigantor, as I like to call it. It was bigger than we thought, and yet, we still have a ton of space. True, I’m not a fan of a coffee colored couch (especially when my color scheme was/is green, yellow & orange! But now I’ve done away with the orange & am replacing it with a lovely turquoise) & I really liked the smaller, simpler cement gray couch…but I cannot complain with comfort. With the ottoman, we can push everything together & have almost a queen sized “bed.” The boyfriend won me over with that fact. I was looking for something with style, he was looking for comfort & something we could easily cuddle up on. When it was delivered, it also got the Penelope stamp of approval…she was dead tired, but refused to relax & take her nap because she was enjoying running around on the couch too much. She still loves it! & of course, in true boy fashion, the boyfriend was home not even 15 minutes & managed to get a marinara sauce stain on the ottoman. It’s definitely ours now, haha. Gosh, I need to stop rambling about furniture…but if anyone has any ideas on how to block of a fireplace from a curious almost 1 year old…HELP!
I also found myself hooked on a new show (well, two…but there was never any doubt I was going to go nuts over Paranormal Challenge. Hi, Zak, you’re amazing, fyi), & that is Drop Dead Diva. I know the third season is about to start, but I managed to see most of the first & am currently making my way through the second. I don’t know what it is about the show, but I love it. Interesting concept, that is for sure. Never thought I’d get into any Lifetime shows!
A bonus trip to Gettysburg is also being planned. Funny thing, however. The boyfriend’s workplace told him to take a couple extra days off at the tail end of the Michigan trip merely because they’re switching the schedule around at that same time (he’ll be working 3am-noon…still unsure how to feel), so we figured perfect time to hang out in the historical town & battlefield. Then, when watching a Ghost Adventures rerun (Hello again, Zak…permeating my life!) while they were at Gettysburg, it was mentioned that July 1st was the anniversary of the beginning of the battle. That was also the day we were planning on being there. Interesting. To top it off, with VA changing their license issuing policy (instead of getting them same day, they send them to you & for proof of residency apparently the only thing that works is bank statements. What a hassle! I do everything paperless!), getting married while in MI looks like a slim chance…but in PA, well…whole different story. I have an ID & speak English, so we’re good to go, haha. So, again, before realizing the 1st was the anniversary, we started planning that. This could be interesting for the girl who always wanted some sort of creepy factor in her wedding…even if it is just a no-fuss courthouse deal for the moment (actual ceremony we’re doing on a cruise!!). I just thought that was interesting, right?
Also, tiny loves: Sixlets, World Market, dog slobber, great hair days, awesome parents, Dr Pepper overdoses, fresh fruit, anything turquoise, my friend Joey’s 31 Day Challenge he’s issued (he’s going Jillian Michaels on my ass, I feel it coming already & we don’t start until August 1st! Geez, just considering the P90X should be enough! haha), Penelope’s first swimsuit & attempt at swimming (her daddy was a lifeguard & we both love water, so she’s gonna know what’s up as early as possible!), nice long & delicious naps…oh yes. <3
