What I would do with a kidless day

For some reason I have been thinking about this alot lately. Remembering when I had lots of kidless days and what I did with it. I have to say that I am a huge advocate for "sowing your oats" before you have kids kind of girl. Because, lets face it, once that kidless ship has sailed, its SAILED. And your left holding a rubber ducky :) Anyways..this is what I would do. I broke it down based on seasons b/c of course that would change my agenda..

FALL:
Grab a crap load of freshly baked apple cider donuts from a cider mill and take a long drive up North to enjoy some fall foilage. Listening to MY music (no kids bop)

WINTER:
Curl up with a fabulous book and an endless amount of steaming hot Constant Comment or Republic of Teas Ginger Peach tea. Read my book, fireside, tea in hand, napping intermitently.

SPRING:
Drive up to the Detroit area, this time I would have to plan my route with Biggby's coffee stops so I could have endless amounts of cafe ole's made my way ( which ever flavored coffee sounds tasty that day, with equal proportions of cream and skim milk steamed in) YUM. A. ROO.
Once there I would shop with NO BUDGET for a new spring wardrobe. It would certainly include an amazing pair of Tori Berch flats. On my way home I would detour through Ann Arbor and stock up at Trader Joe's. Again, NO BUDGET!

SUMMER:
Pack a delightful book,my swimsuit from my Spring shopping spree, grab a HUGE coke from SONIC with my fav bally ice and throw in some tater tots from there for good measure:) and head to South Haven for a day of sunning, reading, and ice chewing.

Ahhh..I feel better. If even just to dream a little dream.

A new habit...

I read somewhere that if you do something consistently for 21 days it becomes a habit. I suppose you could intentionally do something not so good for you and see if this is true. I am sure I have unintentionally have done lots of bad things and never even realized it. But, I picked working out for a new, good habit! Over the last 30 days I have worked out almost 25 of them. Its been so much fun. I joined a gym that a lot of people I know go to. Some are new friends, some are aquaintances, some are tried and true known forever friends. ALL have been encouraging. The classes the gym offers are AWESOME. Plus its been really rewarding to be able to complete the classes. Even if I can't always do every move or every minute at high intensity, I can finish and I am seeing improvement with each passing day. I am able to push myself more and more. I am becoming one of those people who doesn't want to miss working out. The kind that feels like something is missing if I miss it. I am loving feeling that combo of sweaty and exhausted at the end of a class and knowing I gave 100%.
Has the scale moved dramatically? NO! But, I feel stronger, look a wee bit trimer and feel proud of myself. I realize its only been 30 days and with my track record it could all fall to the wayside with a sick kid throwing me off my game. But I am trying to stay focused and determined to keep it up. Jeff and I are going to a wedding in Vermont in June. That is my "goal", to look awesome and buy something that I would normally loathe buying..A DRESS! I hate dresses, always have. So looking good in one would be a great reward for all the hardwork it takes to get your butt and your three kids up and dressed and fed and to the gym on any given day.
What I wouldn't give for all those years I wasted as a single gal, or a married gal with no kids, when really..I had all the TIME in the world. Oh well, you know what they say about HINDSIGHT!?
Hoping your New Years Resolutions are going gymingly!:) hee

Chocolate milk that doesn't need to be cooked..

In Matthew speak this means, chocolate milk already made in the container. He has been calling it this forever. It is so cute! But I know that one day I will forget it no matter how cute it is now. I can never imagine forgetting the way Ellie points her chubby little finger and says, "This!" or Caroline in her angriest voice saying, "I not you best friend anymore!" or when we leave any Bible study or church event and I ask her what she learned about she says, "Jesus and God." Every. Single. Time. For the past month when I ask Matthew what he learned in school he says, " I am not telling you till 100 days." Whatever. Matthew also claims he will NEVER live away from us. I guarentee that I won't forget that b/c I plan on throwing that right back in his face when he "hates" us for not letting him do this, that or the other thing when he is 18.
More seriously, Matthew gets really worried that if he acts naughty that we won't "love" him anymore. To which I reassure him time and again that there is nothing he could do to lose our love for him. We do throw in that there are many, many, things he does that make us disapointed in him. And suddenly I can hear my own mother's word coming forth. Caroline worries that "no one wikes me at BSF. They not want to sit with me." And so the early lessons of rejection and how to deal are born.
It seems like forever and a day away that my children will be 18,17 and 14 but yet I know it will seem like its here in a blink of an eye. So, I will write it down so even when I forget, I can read it all here and smile and most likely have a good cry!

Is Marriage hard work?

So I think I have mentioned that I read the blog by Mckmama. There is all sorts of drama surrounding her blog as of late. About various issues. But,the topic today got my attention. In it Jennifer, the author of the blog states that she thinks marriage is really hard work. Now is that so awful? I think not. But,man, did she open the floodgates of criticism. She had over 160 comments about how people didn't think it was work. Granted,I think people are more or less irritated by her than her views on marriage. But it got me wondering what my answer to this question is? I would say in no uncertain terms...ABSOLUTLY! I actually can't believe anyone who has been married for more than thirty days would say otherwise. Does that mean that its not fun, rewarding, awesome? Again, I think not. I have been married for nearly eight years. Its been a great ride thus far. But, with three little ones underfoot and often driving us crazy, it can be hard work not to lose your cool with the one person who knows you best. Gone, for what seems like forever, are the days of just being with each other. There are so many things to do, worries, stress that can bog us down. And Jeff and I don't even have any major stessors like illness or unemployment. WE have been incredibly blessed these past seven and a half years and yet..its hard work.
So, is marriage hard work to you? Damn you people...COMMENT:) Or as Caroline says, I will be weally super mad!" Not really but I would like to know others thoughts on this...