I waited a week, and I am now posting my Deathly Hallows review. If you have not gone yet or you could care less, skip this post. I give you permission to apparate on over to another blog.
A "Page" point for the masses: the only movie to ever follow a book to the "T" is Rosemary's Baby-that was a horror novel about a woman pregnant with the devil's son. Grow up and know that not every little detail can be put into a movie! I know my details just like anyone else. Oliver Wood should have been pulled out of charms in movie one. Hermione's Yule Ball dress was periwinkle blue, not pink like in movie four, and I was in labor when I saw that. I know a little more about the screenwriting process than I did a year ago, and these writers do all they can to be true to a novel and not con-volute the screen. Although we all have our favorite parts WE would have included if WE had written the script, WE need to give the writers some respect.
I went opening night, although sadly as the working mom of three little ones, the midnight show wasn't going to happen. :0( BUT I got to see the movie with a British friend! When she bought our tickets, she told me she had "Sorted it out." If we got there early we wouldn't be too behind in the "queue." We were both wearing our Gryffindor scarves and of course I had on my hand knitted, custome ordered just for me, Weasley sweater. We were there an hour early and the theater was packed, but we still had awesome seats! One of these days I'm going to get her to say "Are you taking the mickey?"
The best part about opening night is that all the crazies are there and you are just as crazy as they are. Several are dressed up. Everyone claps at the right scene, shrieks for the right scene, and cries, yes I said cries, during the right scene. We even tend to do it a little early because we know what is coming next. When Dobby the elf gave his speech, people were sobbing before Bella even lifted her dagger. The audience seemed to be satisfied with where they left the film. Now Voldemort and Harry both have what they need to face each other and we know that.
Now, my personal opinions on the actual film:
People who follow my blog know that as a general rule I despise romantic comedies. But I did begrudgingly watch Notting Hill. I was hating every minute of it until "Spike" walks in the flat and announces, "just going to the kitchen to get some food, then I'm going to tell you a story that will make your balls shrink to the size of raisins." I have never, and I mean never, laughed so hard during anything that was fluff. Rhys Ifans stole that movie from Julia and Hugh. I mean he filched it good.
Eleven years later, his scenes in Deathly Hallows were some of the best and most memorable. I could easily see how Xenophilius Lovegood raised Luna (as a single parent since she was nine, by the way). How badly do girls want to believe the crap their fathers teach them? Not only did he steal the wedding scene before the bad guys showed up, but he was also able to pull off a father's love by selling out the trio because he adored his Luna. Kuddos Rhys! (Screenplay/novel side note-Xeno did not have strabismus in the movie, and as a mother of a child with strabismus, it would not have bothered me if they hadn't written it out).
This movie flowed together much better than some of the others. The Ministry of Magic scenes were incredible and really well done. Those adults had to work hard to imitate the actions of Ron, Harry, and Hermione. We also got a dose of Dolores Umbridge who in some ways is far more evil than Voldemort. Loved it! I also loved the shadow puppet sequence used to tell The Tale of the Three Brothers. I wasn't as excited about the Godric's Hollow scenes. It might have been bad editing, but they did not explain how Harry ended up in his old bedroom and that Grindelwald was related the Bathilda Bagshot-but that may be coming in part II.
My biggest fear was this: could the trio hold the movie on their own for the chunk of limbo in the forest? Since the actors have been at this for ten years now, they most certainly did. I have my doubts that unsupervised teenagers would have only danced in the tent, but whatever. We need some suspended disbelief. And the Snatchers and all of the their sexual innuendos toward Hermione-are we trying to compete with another film series?
One warning-reading something isn't always as scary as watching it on the big screen. Nagini scared me silly this go round and we met her in Goblet of Fire. She gets a lot of air time in this film and I can't wait for Neville to chop her head off. Voldemort could get his own episode of Fatal Attractions on Animal Planet.
The one thing I would have liked to see was Harry and Dudley shake hands. Again, I'm not the writer and who knows what is coming later?
July 15th-please come soon! Maybe I'll wear black like a dementor because I'll be so depressed the whole thing finally is over.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
A Lego challenge
Let me just say that I have grown significantly in the birthday party department. Not much has happened in the cooking and the cleaning areas of my life, but I think I have the birthday party mastered. I would definitely be teased in a Jennifer Weiner novel. Connecticut will do that to you.
My son opened all his presents when we got home. The problem with an evening party is that you can't open all the presents and then say, "OK sweets, let's go get ready for bed." Well, maybe June Clever could, but I couldn't. So by 8:30 I had had enough of Iron Man and dragged my child upstairs kicking and screaming.
He was up at six playing with all the new toys, and I came into the kitchen just in time to see him hold up a Lego kit. When I say "No, you are still in your pajamas, you haven't had breakfast, I need to make your lunch, and then we have to load the car for school, so wait and do that with Daddy tonight," he blinks at me but doesn't say anything.
Two minutes later I hear the tinkle of little Lego blocks falling all over my kitchen floor and he starts spreading them out in an attempt to make a truck just like the one in the picture. The other two are up now and screaming for breakfast and clothes-we need those things for school.
Count to ten Page, breathe Page, you can't have a margarita at six am, Page......I smiled and turned around.
"Honey, I promise I will help you with the Lego kit if you put it all away now and get ready for school." He found a Tupperware container and we made sure every single block was up. Then we put it up very high away from little brothers and got ready for another day driven by a Lego promise.
I mean, they are only blocks. How hard could it be?
I don't remember my own brother having a lot to do with them. I know my nephew adored them. They were created in Denmark. The Little Mermaid and Legos-that is about all I know about the Danish. I need to learn more-I'll get on it.
We came home around four and spread them out on the kitchen table. All Legos are little. But little doesn't always mean little. Some are small, some are tiny, some are teeny, and some are lilliputian. No wonder everyone steps on them. What does a vacuum cleaner suck up more of-Legos or Barbie shoes? That is the question.
After about twenty minutes of my child crying over the picture and his blocks looking more like a wall than a truck, I told him to get the instruction book. If you have never done a Lego kit before, I have to tell you the instruction booklet is designed for idiots like me. First, it is VISUAL. All pictures and very few words-starting with how to sort your Legos into groups that are tiny or lilliputian. THEN you go through your booklet number by number and they show you which block to put where. You don't move to the next page until you are done with the one you are on.
The Lego kits teach SKILLS. We had to slow down and go step by step. We had to follow directions or create more work for ourselves. We didn't move on until we were done with one piece, and if you make a mistake with your blocks sometimes you have to take a lot of other pieces off to correct it.
The only problem with Lego projects is the dishes can easily go undone while you are putting together a hundred microscopic blocks. The two year old was watching us and singing the theme song from "Bob the Builder," but my daughter disappeared into the playroom. I don't know what she did up there but I didn't hear anything crash. AND dear parents of the world out there reading this, I just love it when we do all the grunt work on a project. After an hour of block sticking, our child puts on the decal stickers and the tires, then says "Look at the truck I made!" Yeah, it is about them anyway, right?
The Lego kit is done and there are no spare blocks to be had in the house. Are we ready for another project or a trip to the Lego museum? No, not really.
But now I know how to follow directions.
My son opened all his presents when we got home. The problem with an evening party is that you can't open all the presents and then say, "OK sweets, let's go get ready for bed." Well, maybe June Clever could, but I couldn't. So by 8:30 I had had enough of Iron Man and dragged my child upstairs kicking and screaming.
He was up at six playing with all the new toys, and I came into the kitchen just in time to see him hold up a Lego kit. When I say "No, you are still in your pajamas, you haven't had breakfast, I need to make your lunch, and then we have to load the car for school, so wait and do that with Daddy tonight," he blinks at me but doesn't say anything.
Two minutes later I hear the tinkle of little Lego blocks falling all over my kitchen floor and he starts spreading them out in an attempt to make a truck just like the one in the picture. The other two are up now and screaming for breakfast and clothes-we need those things for school.
Count to ten Page, breathe Page, you can't have a margarita at six am, Page......I smiled and turned around.
"Honey, I promise I will help you with the Lego kit if you put it all away now and get ready for school." He found a Tupperware container and we made sure every single block was up. Then we put it up very high away from little brothers and got ready for another day driven by a Lego promise.
I mean, they are only blocks. How hard could it be?
I don't remember my own brother having a lot to do with them. I know my nephew adored them. They were created in Denmark. The Little Mermaid and Legos-that is about all I know about the Danish. I need to learn more-I'll get on it.
We came home around four and spread them out on the kitchen table. All Legos are little. But little doesn't always mean little. Some are small, some are tiny, some are teeny, and some are lilliputian. No wonder everyone steps on them. What does a vacuum cleaner suck up more of-Legos or Barbie shoes? That is the question.
After about twenty minutes of my child crying over the picture and his blocks looking more like a wall than a truck, I told him to get the instruction book. If you have never done a Lego kit before, I have to tell you the instruction booklet is designed for idiots like me. First, it is VISUAL. All pictures and very few words-starting with how to sort your Legos into groups that are tiny or lilliputian. THEN you go through your booklet number by number and they show you which block to put where. You don't move to the next page until you are done with the one you are on.
The Lego kits teach SKILLS. We had to slow down and go step by step. We had to follow directions or create more work for ourselves. We didn't move on until we were done with one piece, and if you make a mistake with your blocks sometimes you have to take a lot of other pieces off to correct it.
The only problem with Lego projects is the dishes can easily go undone while you are putting together a hundred microscopic blocks. The two year old was watching us and singing the theme song from "Bob the Builder," but my daughter disappeared into the playroom. I don't know what she did up there but I didn't hear anything crash. AND dear parents of the world out there reading this, I just love it when we do all the grunt work on a project. After an hour of block sticking, our child puts on the decal stickers and the tires, then says "Look at the truck I made!" Yeah, it is about them anyway, right?
The Lego kit is done and there are no spare blocks to be had in the house. Are we ready for another project or a trip to the Lego museum? No, not really.
But now I know how to follow directions.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
A shark, a jaguar, and a cobra walk into a bar....
I have a really hard time keeping all three of them quiet in the car.
End of post see you next week.
Ha!
I am capable of tuning them out, but I get in these moods where they should learn not to act like total savages just in case one day they meet someone famous. It could happen....
Yes, we listen to CDs, books on tape, and when traveling long distances, we bust out the DVD player. I know how to google and read the blogs of more competent mothers.
BUT- I wanted to know what would happen if no technology was available to me-call me a sadist. I thought about I spy, and then I trashed that idea because of a joke I heard in middle school about two dogs. I also thought about keeping a list of all the different trucks and cars we could find, but I would have to keep track and I was trying to drive. Hmmmm-what to do?
Eureka! I remembered the 20 questions game. The "answerer" comes up with something and you have twenty yes/no questions to deduce what it is. My kids got into the game and ask really good questions when I am the answerer. The glitch is when it is their turn to come up with something, they are a little on the predictable side.
A good ten minutes is spent going over who gets to go first. This drives me crazy. Does it really matter who gets to go first? Apparently it does. Once we have killed time with that, we start the game and the answer is always an animal-that is the way we play it.
My daughter is in Disney Channel mode. So we know before she says, "I'm thinking of an animal..." that it is a platypus, and his name is Perry. Now God bless Disney for all they do, but my daughter thinks a platypus is green and lives in the tri-state area. So when her incredibly technical by the book little brother tells her, "no, the duck billed platypus is brown and is native to Australia, just like the Wiggles." All freaking hell breaks loose.
Then it is her brother's turn. He picks one of three animals every time.
1) Sometimes, it's a cobra...
K: I'm thinking of an animal.
Me: Is it a reptile? (I know it is a reptile.)
K: Yes.
F: Does it have a shell?
K: No
Me: (thinking, do I drag this out or yell out the answer?) Is it cold blooded?
K: Yes!
Me: Is it ______________________?(Someone's name and it isn't nice so I won't repeat it here.)
K: (confused) Mom, she isn't reptile. (that he knows of)
F: Does it have sharp teeth?
K: No
Me: Does it live in India?
K: Yes!
Me: A cobra?
K: YESSSSSS! Mom you are so smart!
2) Sometimes he picks a shark....
K: I'm thinking of animal and it lives in the OCEAN!
F: Nemo!
K: No Frances, think of a dangerous ANIMAL!
Me: Is it in Nemo?
K: YES!
Me: Does it have teeth?
K: YES!
F: Does it bite?
K: YES!
Me and Frances: A shark?
K: YES-how did you guess?
3) If it isn't a shark or a cobra, it's a jaguar...
K: I'm thinking of an animal
Frances: Does it live in the jungle?
K: Yes!
Me: Does it have fur?
K: Yes!
F: Does it belong to Diego?
K: Yes!
Me: Does it have spots?
K: Yes!
Frances and Page: A jaguar!!!!
K: You two are amazing! How do you know so much?
Me: Oh you know, living with Daddy, intelligence rubs off.
K: Wow Mom.
I know, wow.....
Maybe I should dig around for the DVD player, but this is just too much fun.
End of post see you next week.
Ha!
I am capable of tuning them out, but I get in these moods where they should learn not to act like total savages just in case one day they meet someone famous. It could happen....
Yes, we listen to CDs, books on tape, and when traveling long distances, we bust out the DVD player. I know how to google and read the blogs of more competent mothers.
BUT- I wanted to know what would happen if no technology was available to me-call me a sadist. I thought about I spy, and then I trashed that idea because of a joke I heard in middle school about two dogs. I also thought about keeping a list of all the different trucks and cars we could find, but I would have to keep track and I was trying to drive. Hmmmm-what to do?
Eureka! I remembered the 20 questions game. The "answerer" comes up with something and you have twenty yes/no questions to deduce what it is. My kids got into the game and ask really good questions when I am the answerer. The glitch is when it is their turn to come up with something, they are a little on the predictable side.
A good ten minutes is spent going over who gets to go first. This drives me crazy. Does it really matter who gets to go first? Apparently it does. Once we have killed time with that, we start the game and the answer is always an animal-that is the way we play it.
My daughter is in Disney Channel mode. So we know before she says, "I'm thinking of an animal..." that it is a platypus, and his name is Perry. Now God bless Disney for all they do, but my daughter thinks a platypus is green and lives in the tri-state area. So when her incredibly technical by the book little brother tells her, "no, the duck billed platypus is brown and is native to Australia, just like the Wiggles." All freaking hell breaks loose.
Then it is her brother's turn. He picks one of three animals every time.
1) Sometimes, it's a cobra...
K: I'm thinking of an animal.
Me: Is it a reptile? (I know it is a reptile.)
K: Yes.
F: Does it have a shell?
K: No
Me: (thinking, do I drag this out or yell out the answer?) Is it cold blooded?
K: Yes!
Me: Is it ______________________?(Someone's name and it isn't nice so I won't repeat it here.)
K: (confused) Mom, she isn't reptile. (that he knows of)
F: Does it have sharp teeth?
K: No
Me: Does it live in India?
K: Yes!
Me: A cobra?
K: YESSSSSS! Mom you are so smart!
2) Sometimes he picks a shark....
K: I'm thinking of animal and it lives in the OCEAN!
F: Nemo!
K: No Frances, think of a dangerous ANIMAL!
Me: Is it in Nemo?
K: YES!
Me: Does it have teeth?
K: YES!
F: Does it bite?
K: YES!
Me and Frances: A shark?
K: YES-how did you guess?
3) If it isn't a shark or a cobra, it's a jaguar...
K: I'm thinking of an animal
Frances: Does it live in the jungle?
K: Yes!
Me: Does it have fur?
K: Yes!
F: Does it belong to Diego?
K: Yes!
Me: Does it have spots?
K: Yes!
Frances and Page: A jaguar!!!!
K: You two are amazing! How do you know so much?
Me: Oh you know, living with Daddy, intelligence rubs off.
K: Wow Mom.
I know, wow.....
Maybe I should dig around for the DVD player, but this is just too much fun.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Happy Halloween!
I had every intention and my husband's permission to write a tribute to Glee and Rocky Horror and the time I got dumped by a conservative Republican after going to a midnight show. It was going to be so funny I was hoping someone would drop their laptop. But my children have hijacked me again, like they tend to do....it started with a transformer who calls himself Bumblebee. Before I begin, why is a big bad robot thingy called Bumblebee and not Stag Beetle or even Cockroach? Yellow Jacket or even Hornet gives me a bolder image. I'm so lazy sometimes I can't even google the big important questions.
I tried to be organized this Halloween season and hit the Halloween store October 1st. My daughter picked out a fairy and my son the yellow transformer. All was well with the world and I could pat myself on the back that I had the task down, even if I wasn't super mom with creative homemade costumes-skip over to Crying Daddy for that, his wife is a dynamo (has to be to live with that man....).
What I forgot was that Halloween is one day, October 31st. Halloween costumes are made to be worn one day, October 31st. My child wanted to be Bumblebee Cockroach from October 1st-October 29th. On the 29th I realized he was running around the playroom with the thing falling apart and the mask was cracked everywhere. Grrrrrr
At first I told him to dig around in the dress up box until he found something suitable. But he hit me hard below the belt. He played the one card that my three biological children and every student I have ever taught since 1998 knows they can play.
"Mom-I would love nothing more than to be a Harry Potter with you."
The Halloween Express store is not the place you want to be on October 30th.
It was packed and it reminded me of a Christmas tree lot full of Charlie Brown pine needles and there wasn't a blanky in the world that was going to cut it. We found a clerk who pointed us in the Harry Potter direction, but only the accessories were left: Scarves, wands, and glasses. No robes.
Fortunately for Kenneth, he didn't have some semi-knowledge Harry Potter Mama. His mama went into labor with him during Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and finished the movie. Before he even shed one tear, I told him he could be "Summer Holiday Harry" and wear one of his father's ratty sweaters so it looked like he had a Dudley hand me down on. This idea was wonderful for my child who while trick or treating today told any adult that would listen, "I'm wearing this sweater because the Dursleys are jerks." Thanks baby. You made me proud.
I suppose everyone thinks it was easy to just grab glasses, scarves, and a wand and get out of there. But no, nothing is ever easy, even when the baby is in the car with Daddy. Kenneth looked at the wands and said,
"I'm supposed to try each one right? One is supposed to match me, right?" I had to explain that they were toys for Halloween. He looked shocked but went with it.
Then at check out, the guy looked like he was working to support his habit if you know what I mean, but Kenneth has to bust out with "Now, you are sure this has a phoenix feather inside, correct?" I am floored by his knowledge but can't help but realize people are looking at me like I'm a loony toon.
He took it out of the box after we left the store and took it to eat lunch. This is when I scared myself a little with my Harry Potter knowledge. Kenneth was flicking his wand and asking me questions.
"Hey Mom! How do I open the door?"
"Alohomora!"
"Mom, how do I put the light out?"
"Nox"
"It's too loud-how do we get it quiet?"
"Quietus."
Then it was time to eat and put the wand away-but not before the couples at the other tables had had a good laugh!
I hope that wherever you are you had a wonderful Halloween. Nothing is more meaningful than sharing something you love with someone you love-be it a sports team, a hobby, or even the love of a book series!
And to all the Lily Mamas, the Molly Mamas, and even the Petunias and their Diddys- may your Patronus be strong and your dementors be few!
I tried to be organized this Halloween season and hit the Halloween store October 1st. My daughter picked out a fairy and my son the yellow transformer. All was well with the world and I could pat myself on the back that I had the task down, even if I wasn't super mom with creative homemade costumes-skip over to Crying Daddy for that, his wife is a dynamo (has to be to live with that man....).
What I forgot was that Halloween is one day, October 31st. Halloween costumes are made to be worn one day, October 31st. My child wanted to be Bumblebee Cockroach from October 1st-October 29th. On the 29th I realized he was running around the playroom with the thing falling apart and the mask was cracked everywhere. Grrrrrr
At first I told him to dig around in the dress up box until he found something suitable. But he hit me hard below the belt. He played the one card that my three biological children and every student I have ever taught since 1998 knows they can play.
"Mom-I would love nothing more than to be a Harry Potter with you."
The Halloween Express store is not the place you want to be on October 30th.
It was packed and it reminded me of a Christmas tree lot full of Charlie Brown pine needles and there wasn't a blanky in the world that was going to cut it. We found a clerk who pointed us in the Harry Potter direction, but only the accessories were left: Scarves, wands, and glasses. No robes.
Fortunately for Kenneth, he didn't have some semi-knowledge Harry Potter Mama. His mama went into labor with him during Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and finished the movie. Before he even shed one tear, I told him he could be "Summer Holiday Harry" and wear one of his father's ratty sweaters so it looked like he had a Dudley hand me down on. This idea was wonderful for my child who while trick or treating today told any adult that would listen, "I'm wearing this sweater because the Dursleys are jerks." Thanks baby. You made me proud.
I suppose everyone thinks it was easy to just grab glasses, scarves, and a wand and get out of there. But no, nothing is ever easy, even when the baby is in the car with Daddy. Kenneth looked at the wands and said,
"I'm supposed to try each one right? One is supposed to match me, right?" I had to explain that they were toys for Halloween. He looked shocked but went with it.
Then at check out, the guy looked like he was working to support his habit if you know what I mean, but Kenneth has to bust out with "Now, you are sure this has a phoenix feather inside, correct?" I am floored by his knowledge but can't help but realize people are looking at me like I'm a loony toon.
He took it out of the box after we left the store and took it to eat lunch. This is when I scared myself a little with my Harry Potter knowledge. Kenneth was flicking his wand and asking me questions.
"Hey Mom! How do I open the door?"
"Alohomora!"
"Mom, how do I put the light out?"
"Nox"
"It's too loud-how do we get it quiet?"
"Quietus."
Then it was time to eat and put the wand away-but not before the couples at the other tables had had a good laugh!
And to all the Lily Mamas, the Molly Mamas, and even the Petunias and their Diddys- may your Patronus be strong and your dementors be few!
Friday, October 22, 2010
That mom...
I had planned to run a half marathon eight years ago. I was twenty eight, teaching Spanish at a middle school, and running with a science teacher. Then I got pregnant..... seven years later I live in another state with three children-two on the spectrum. Not to mention I had moved twice in a year and didn't sell the house, blah blah blah life is hard. Anyway, since Mother's Day, I made serious changes. Why? Because I was "that mom."
I didn't want to be "that mom." The one with two children with I.E.P.s driving the principal crazy. The one who is never on time, never sends anything in, and is severely overweight. What did I love before I had kids? Running- I needed to start running again. How do you find the time to do something when you are not only a mom, but a work outside the home mom? The answer is you lose something else. I lost sleep. I woke up early instead of sleeping when the kids sleep. I still do or I take the two year old in a baby jogger around lunch time. Sometimes I blog less so I can run more. But something had to give-I wanted it to be my weight. I have found if I don't run first thing it won't happen because the rest of life goes on during the day. I also need to leave the house. If I do the treadmill thing the children find me and we all remember the Oprah episode on the dangers of treadmills and babies. I have enough with strabismus, kidney reflux, and autism. I don't really need to add plastic surgery to my repertoire.
Here is how it has been since May:
1. Peer pressure can be a good thing. You need to work with other moms your age. You are not twenty two and you don't weigh 90 pounds. Find moms that have the same goals you do. Facebook is wonderful for good peer pressure. Every time someone you went to high school or college with "just finished a three mile run," you are motivated to get out and do it too. Stay away from the Barbies you went to school with. Stay away from the Barbies you know now. Let them peer pressure each other.
2. Find another mom to run with. She is just as motivated as you are to get some time alone and her old body BACK. You also have plenty to talk about on a long run. You don't want to run with someone who is going to talk about investment banking and blink at you when you ask about a funky rash you found on your middle child.
3. Sign up for a race. I remembered my original half marathon goal and decided on the October race in Hartford. I wanted to prove to myself that you can go back again and that dreams and goals can come true, just not necessarily when you thought that they would. Six months gave me plenty of time. If you have never run ever, shoot for a 5K.
4. Go slow. Don't worry about speed at this point. If something starts to hurt slow down.
5. Make a play list for when you run alone, and fill it with the cheesiest, ridiculously top 40 music you can think of. Now is not the time for Bjork. Now is the time to Walk on Sunshine with Katrina and the Waves.
6. Race day-peer pressure again but with the group of people going at your speed, not the people way ahead of you. I recommend a race because you have something to work towards and you have tons of people cheering as you go. You don't have anyone cheering while you change diapers. No one cheers for the gluten free snacks you attempted to make and have the kids eat. Did anyone cheer when you checked out of the grocery store with everything you needed and all three children still in their seats? What about the day you taught all your classes and then made it to OT, Speech, and then gymnastics? Applause? NO? Really? All right then-run on.
The best thing about it is the stuff that used to drive you crazy isn't such a big deal when you run. You not only lose weight but you can handle whatever is going to happen during the day. And you KNOW something is going to happen.
I hope this doesn't mean I am getting used to my Connecticut surroundings. What am I going to do next? Trade my coffee for chai tea? Don't hold your breath, but then again, I did run a half marathon.
I didn't want to be "that mom." The one with two children with I.E.P.s driving the principal crazy. The one who is never on time, never sends anything in, and is severely overweight. What did I love before I had kids? Running- I needed to start running again. How do you find the time to do something when you are not only a mom, but a work outside the home mom? The answer is you lose something else. I lost sleep. I woke up early instead of sleeping when the kids sleep. I still do or I take the two year old in a baby jogger around lunch time. Sometimes I blog less so I can run more. But something had to give-I wanted it to be my weight. I have found if I don't run first thing it won't happen because the rest of life goes on during the day. I also need to leave the house. If I do the treadmill thing the children find me and we all remember the Oprah episode on the dangers of treadmills and babies. I have enough with strabismus, kidney reflux, and autism. I don't really need to add plastic surgery to my repertoire.
Here is how it has been since May:
1. Peer pressure can be a good thing. You need to work with other moms your age. You are not twenty two and you don't weigh 90 pounds. Find moms that have the same goals you do. Facebook is wonderful for good peer pressure. Every time someone you went to high school or college with "just finished a three mile run," you are motivated to get out and do it too. Stay away from the Barbies you went to school with. Stay away from the Barbies you know now. Let them peer pressure each other.
2. Find another mom to run with. She is just as motivated as you are to get some time alone and her old body BACK. You also have plenty to talk about on a long run. You don't want to run with someone who is going to talk about investment banking and blink at you when you ask about a funky rash you found on your middle child.
3. Sign up for a race. I remembered my original half marathon goal and decided on the October race in Hartford. I wanted to prove to myself that you can go back again and that dreams and goals can come true, just not necessarily when you thought that they would. Six months gave me plenty of time. If you have never run ever, shoot for a 5K.
4. Go slow. Don't worry about speed at this point. If something starts to hurt slow down.
5. Make a play list for when you run alone, and fill it with the cheesiest, ridiculously top 40 music you can think of. Now is not the time for Bjork. Now is the time to Walk on Sunshine with Katrina and the Waves.
6. Race day-peer pressure again but with the group of people going at your speed, not the people way ahead of you. I recommend a race because you have something to work towards and you have tons of people cheering as you go. You don't have anyone cheering while you change diapers. No one cheers for the gluten free snacks you attempted to make and have the kids eat. Did anyone cheer when you checked out of the grocery store with everything you needed and all three children still in their seats? What about the day you taught all your classes and then made it to OT, Speech, and then gymnastics? Applause? NO? Really? All right then-run on.
The best thing about it is the stuff that used to drive you crazy isn't such a big deal when you run. You not only lose weight but you can handle whatever is going to happen during the day. And you KNOW something is going to happen.
I hope this doesn't mean I am getting used to my Connecticut surroundings. What am I going to do next? Trade my coffee for chai tea? Don't hold your breath, but then again, I did run a half marathon.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Breast Cancer Awareness Month!
I wrote this for another site. Enjoy! I'm working on my half marathon reflection and will post it soon.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
My race
I can't believe that this Saturday I will run 13.1 miles. It is all I can think about. This started in 8th grade when the gym coach told us we had to run a mile and if we stopped we got a zero. I was the first girl to come in and I threw up after I crossed the finish line. I promise I will be back-I have lots and lots of rough draft posts. But right now, I am focused on this little goal.
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