It's beginning......

to look a lot like Christmas! Our entire street got in on the action the past two days and I can't wait for everyone to have their decorations up in the rest of our neighborhood so we can walk with our hot chocolate while pulling the wagon!!!! This will be the first year Daddy will get to do this with us!!!

If only it were cold...... We are still in tank tops and shorts around here most days...........................

Giving Thanks~

I have so many wonderful things to be thankful for. I could spend hours writing them... I will make it brief.

I am thankful for 7 men and women who work so very hard 4 nights a week to ensure that Tommy comes home safe to his family.

I am thankful for 3 healthy and happy children. Three children that make me laugh daily, right after I threaten to put them up for adoption. Three children that are my heart and soul.

I am thankful for the little things that mean the most. The sweet little notes I find taped to my tank top that Brinkley wanted to surprise me with. The late night snuggles from the Pudgie man.. which turn into campouts on Daddy's side of the bed. The second, third or even the fourth hug that I have to give to Jaxi so he can sleep at night. The littlest of big things... I am thankful for that long tight hug I get everyday before Tommy goes to work.

I am thankful for family. It isn't a huge family... and sometimes we fight, but we love each other and that is all that matters in the end.

I am thankful for life. No matter how hard it seems it can get, I am thankful to be here. I am thankful for the fact that rainy days make me cry from pain... at least I can feel it.

I am thankful for little voices that say, "oh is on" and "what the?" in tones that make you snap your neck and laugh so hard you might just wet your pants.

I am thankful for this crazy thing we call our family!

300

Despite being utterly exhausted, we decided to try our hand at one "quick" game of Wii bowling tonight. Little Miss Perfect bowled like a pro!!!

Way to go Binky!!!!

Fun Run?

A few months ago a challenge was put out to everyone at our gym. It was more of a, "quest for takers," for a charity fund raising event. I happily signed up a five person co-ed team not even thinking about what the heck we had gotten ourselves into. It was for charity.... The Foundation for Burns and Trauma Inc. and that was all that mattered to me.

I am trying to teach our kids about helping others and giving to those who readily deserve help in this world... even when you don't know them. It is not working so well but I am not going to give up.

So at a not-so-happy early morning hour of 4:45, my alarm rang out and I immediately wanted to throw it out a window. All I could think was.... we are wasting a childless Saturday morning on this.... WHY???? But off we went.

The 4 mile obstacle course was filled with pea size gravel, sand, mud, balance beams, hay bale jumping, over under beams, 6 foot walls to scale, a gravel filled pit with a tarp over it you had to crawl under, and the infamous mud pit we had to crawl through...oh yeah, not to mention the left over horse presents we needed to avoid since we were on a ranch!

We were shocked at how serious this event is taken. Teams dress up..errr.. in some cases, dress in nearly nothing at all. (And it was freezing when they soaked you with the water) Everyone simply goes out and burns quite a few calories for little ones that need help. What more could you ask for than adults hurling themselves happily through the mud and smiling all the way!

Thanks to my amazing team for dealing with the extremely injured, non-runner of a girl who, admittedly, held you all back!

As the great Rafiki says....

It Is Time!!!

Busy Days..

The past few days have been beyond busy for us. Things finally caught up with me about Wednesday and I started feeling sick... or at least I thought I was getting sick. I believe it is something else... much worse, but I can't confirm it yet. Either way, it has knocked me outta my normal loop for the past 4 days now. Tommy has noticed it and started to get worried. I have been seriously exhausted and that is just not me.


He secretly scheduled an in home massage for me. Or at least he tried to be secretive. Brinkley had to be at her friends church at 10 a.m. this morning to attend her baptism, we had a party to go to tonight and I had a million other things I thought I needed to get done today in between those two scheduled parties... but thankfully, Tommy put the brakes on me. He point blank told me that I had to be home right after I got Binky to the church and that was that. NO ARGUING. Fry's and everywhere else would wait. At 10:30 this morning, I got a much needed swedish massage. It was heavenly. I was a serious mess. For as much as I thought I had been taking care of myself, I have not and how sick I got after the massage was proof that sometimes you get burned when you light the candle at both ends!


Thank you for being the best husband around doll! I feel so much better now! The next few days off should be the icing on the cake now!!!

Poor Pudgie...

This afternoon I thought I was having a conversation with Pudgie from the kitchen sink. I kept asking him if he was ok with his "big" cup of soup and could not figure out why he would not answer me.....unbeknownst to me, the whole time, this is what he was doing..... Poor sweets is not feeling so hot today.

882 BURPEE'S ANYONE?

Espee Park

What is a burpee you ask? Well, from a standing position you quickly squat down, put your hands flat on the gound preparing for a push up, kick your feet behind you, do a push up, pull your feet back under your shoulders and then jump up clapping your hands over your head. (A lot of football players call them up/downs) Some may laugh and think, "Hey, not so bad." If you are that person..... find me, I will take you in to train with me for a 10 minute workout and you will never ever say that again.

Why 882? That was the number our 3 trainers earned this past month, during a rowing competition at our gym. They did them all. Our gym threw an amazing family picnic for us so the trainers could do the burpee challenge for all to see. The kids got to play all day on a jumpee they rented for us, all the swings and toys and fields to just run on!! It was a perfect afternoon of food, families, fun and fitness!

I don't know of many workout facilities that do this. We know 99% of the people that walk through the door. Our kids play together and some of us go out together, work together, shop together, go to church together and more. It is just an amazing place.

The challenges keep coming for us and it is fun to see everyone grabbing hold of pull up bars, doing a burpee challenge or (slight cringe) the big hydrostatic weigh in at the end of this month to determine our body fat.... We just love it all. Thanks to CF for an amazingly fun day... it just added to the fun of our farmers workout this morning!

$99.29

That's what got me this.............................

This is what it ended up being.. and I am not done yet...
28 - boxes of Cocoa Puffs cereal
13 - boxes of Trix cereal
13 - boxes of fruity Cheerios
2 - boxes of Kix cereal
6 - boxes of Super Pretzels
10 - tubes of Colgate toothpaste
5 - Colgate toothbrushes
23 - 3 liter bottles of Arrowhead water
12 - 4 packs of Activia yogurt
8 - boxes of Hefty ziplock bags
17 - boxes of Stauffers mac~n~cheese
3 - rolls of Viva paper towels
12 - pouches of Betty Crocker potatoes
2 - pouches of Betty Crocker cookies
1 - Pam cooking spray
13 - boxes of Toaster Strudel
6 - tubes of Quaker oatmeal
6 - bottles of Dial antibacterial hand soap
14 - bottles of Right Guard deodorant
3 - bags of Fritos
1 - bag of Cheetos
12 - cans of Carnation evaporated milk
2 - 6 pack snack packs of Doritos
2 - 6 pack snack packs of Cheetos
214 items in all. An average of .4693 cents for each item!!!

Can't complain about that at all! Although, Tommy might because I took him and Pudgie with me on one of my trips. I think he understands why I feed my 3 year old Dibs Ice Cream the entire time I have him with me... and.... we only ride in the race car carts.. not the ones with the little cars on the floor!!!

Fall Festival 2008

Thank you for letting me steal this picture off your blog Pam!!!!

It's Official..

HELL froze over today... as my husband stood in our, very short, 5 minute line, to vote. Yes, I said it. Tommy voted. Tommy is not a voter. He has his opinions but doesn't bother to vote. That is, until today.

I don't know if he saw that there were so many things at stake with this election, or it was quite possibly the fact that Jax is enamoured with poitics right now. Whatever the case, Jax was pleased as punch to hear that Mom and Dad voted, together, with Pudgie in tow.

I don't like the fact that I have had to explain so many things, at such extreme lengths, to my 8 year old son. Fortunately, Tommy and I are very open about the reality of things in this society so he was not shocked about the gay marriage issues or the fact that people no longer like our Sheriff.

Hopefully, the fact that I am letting that little boy sit by the television, drinking in every single bit of information, will be worth it. Jax knows exactly how Mom and Dad voted on every issue and which person we liked for different reasons. Hopefully he will not take losses on propositions or the president personally.

Whatever happens tonight, he knows he is watching history in the making and is proud that his parents were part of it.

CHOOOO CHiiiiiiiii !!!!!!!

With Pudgie's love of Choo Chi's at an all time high these days.... the annual FOP picnic at Scottsdale's Railroad Park was a must do this year. It was well worth the night off work for Tommy and the excitement in Pudgie's eyes when he saw all three trains was priceless!

I love that when Pudgie started to panic at the thought of riding through the tunnel, he immediately clutched Jax's shorts and then held dearly to his hand. Jax never batted an eye. He just held his hand and hugged him assuring him he would be fine. I love their bond. Jax adores this little boy like no one else on this earth matters! Pudige will go to Jax before he runs to Tommy or me. I love that about them. They are closer than most brothers at this age and with this much of an age gap. What more could I ever ask for as their Mom?

Another awesome Sunday together!!!!

Exhaustion

So I am sitting here... exhausted wondering why I get so many stupid emails. Seriously lame, time wasting, junk mail filling garbage... and then I decided to look at some of this stuff.

Now, when I say I am exhausted.... I went to bed at roughly, 3:30 a.m., after our awesome block party last night... because of course, I had to do nothing after, but was still not able to fall asleep. (It really had to do with the fact that Binky and her friends were sleeping on the trampoline next door and I seriously slept with one eye open and both ears perked, and all three guns loaded.... just in case....) Then Darth Vader baby woke his silly dupee up at 5:15 a.m., just in time for our garbage man to make way too many trips around our block........ Stupid me told Tommy.. heck yeah we are going to the gym.... we have big plans tomorrow so we absolutely can't miss today's muscle crippling workout..... sheesh IDIOT me!

So anyways... I am supposed to be taking a nap. I was ordered to go upstairs and lay down. I took that as the, "you really look like crap honey, but I love you so go lay down" little hint from Tommy. AAAAHHH Married life.. what are you gonna do?

So here is what I learned today.. all from my email, oh and two political phone messages....

I can lose 20 lbs by Christmas because it was seen on Rachel Ray, but it is best if I do it with my free sample of crystal light before I call and get a lower interest rate on a 2009 car but wooooohh nelly... call to get the lowest rate on car insurance through, who else? yep, The Lowest Car Insurance Rate Co. (Who in their right mind would really call them?... ok onward) Now, after calling them, I should call about the beach front property starting at $15,000 and if I buy there, I better call Dish direct and get cable for $19.99 a month for life with a $50.oo mail in rebate, which I can then insure my life with, you guessed it, Life Insurance Direct Co. The guaranteed lowest rates if you die in a vat of bat bait on a Tuesday near Switzerland when the snow melts at a 73.8 degree angle from the north star... get my drift? Then I figured I could contact all my high school buddies at a lower Classmates.com rate if I upgrade to the gold membership, only after I contact Oprah to get her secret to looking thinner by 50lbs in two weeks... (Who do these people think they are kidding?) Then, I can simplify my life by buying a Hooveround which comes with a vacuum attachment/Roomba for easy housecleaning. (Does that one even make any sense?) After I am done Hoovering around my house, watching my roomba make it sparkle and shine, I can find the love of my life after I turn 50, but first, I will become a Stock Trader... because now it is being made easier by the e-mail courses at the newest online degree site, which, by the way, offers corrections, paralegal, law enforcement, business, banking, cooking and veterinarian certificates .. you guessed it.. online from the security and privacy of your own home. Yahoo.. I guess I could become a stock-trading, animal saving, banker who bakes bread for criminals. Whew, I am really tired now... maybe I should check out the latest and greatest energy drink..Acaci berry juice that comes with a money back guarantee..wait, first I need to finish the newest Human Resources course offered so I can break through the glass ceiling which will then put me straight into.. yep, you guessed it, my free pilot lessons for small aircraft and helicopters.........

I gotta nap... I have a lot to do this week! I am gonna be one smart, skinny, air-craft flying, bread baking, friendly, new car driving, voting for the right things, money making, house cleaning, machine.

~HALLOWEEN ATTACK ON MACK~

OUR FIRST ANNUAL MACK HALLOWEEN BLOCK PARTY WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!!!

SO MUCH SO.....

WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED PLANNING OUR CHRISTMAS ONE!!!

Now Just for clarification:

I was Princess Leia

Tommy was Darth Sidious

Jax was Darth Maul

Binky was Padame (thus making her my mom)

&

Pudgie was Darth Vader (making him, my dad)

and wouldn't you know it..

Not one single picture of all of us together as a family!!

Different is..

It hit me when he was working out on Sunday. I, along with about 5 other women were watching the group working out. Then the comments about him started. One woman said, "Wow, he looks REALLY good." I just smiled. There was too long of an emphasis on really for me to try to say anything. Another said, "Oh yeah, I can see his strength in his chest muscles when he is doing pull ups, or just walking by me." I watched as she ran her fingers across her own chest for emphasis. Yeah, true, I thought.

I watched and jumped rope and watched some more. His face was sweating and flushed and he was lifting a ton of weight. All I could think of was, "Oh how I love that man."

The women were talking about Tommy. We were talking about the changes people are making to their bodies and lives since they have started working out. Somewhere along mid-conversation, I stopped talking and listening all together and just watched him.

It was almost like slow motion at times. He would finish his deadlifts and turn to walk for a second and then almost as if he knew I was watching him, he would look up at me and smile. A few times I checked to make sure he was feeling ok since he was really sick on Friday night and into Saturday, but for the most part, I just watched.

I don't just watch enough. There is always something going on. A kid to help, food to be made, stuff, stuff and more stuff.

Standing there watching him, all I could do was smile. I had those butterflies in my stomach just knowing when he was done, he was going to walk right over to me and kiss me. Most likely he would hug me, via a grab and tug me close by the butt-cheeks move, and then he would laugh into my neck. We always do this. Somehow today was different.

And different was GOOD!

Christmas Redo's

We had a neighborhood garage sale this weekend. Let me rephrase that, because there is no,"I" in we. I didn't participate. I was beat and lazy. Yep, lazy.. but I did shop. I helped get stuff ready too. Well, not that much, but I helped my neighbor get her stuff out and then I bought some delicious little candle holders from her for a buck.

Well, delicious might be far fetched. They were gold. Old, dirty gold in color. They had wires with crystals hanging off them... Not me at all. But I had an idea with a little vision of what these babies could be. It also helped I had purple and white and gold crystals in scrumptious little shapes. Now I can put one more little check on my Christmas gift-to-get list. Yahoo... $1.80 total, for both, and a little patience. I love them.. and am still convincing myself not to keep them! Is it me or are they not just simply perfect for a woman, with a hot bath, scrumptious bubbles everywhere and a good book waiting for her? I can already see it in my mind!!! I hope she loves them!!!

Whoever she might be!!!

And so it begins..

Our little smooshie-kins wanted to try running club again this year. That is, until they actually had to run. I told them that if they were going to do it again this year... they would not be allowed to quit and to help them run farther and faster, Mommy and Daddy will run with them. Crossfitting is coming in handy dandy I tell ya!



Day two and, so far, so good.

The Road Less Traveled

Most of our weekly schedules revolve around our gym time. We wake to our daily workout. We go to sleep dreaming, anticipating or dreading the next morning. What works for us, many don't understand. Even more criticize it on a regular basis.

Lately I have been harboring my own ill-will towards the gym in general. I finally told my trainer, Jason, about it this morning. I basically told him that I am simply, "Existing," during our workouts. Seriously. I'm not bragging because I am simply sick to my stomach sick with myself, but I'm never at the proverbial bottom of the barrel in numbers or times or weight. I've just been, "FINE," with 3rd or 4th or whatever. Didn't matter. That is SOOOOO not me.

Limitations aside, I have just been going through the motions. Yesterday's workout was 100 barbell thrusters for time. The women's weight was 65 lbs. I chose to scale my weight to 55 lbs for no other reason except the plain simple fact that, "I COULD." I chose the #5 for my rep count and once we started, after 5, I would put the bar down, rest and do 5 more. For no other reason except that, "I COULD." I told Jason that there was only one time that I was even somewhat out of breath and never really broke a sweat. And plain and simple... my 16 minutes was crap. I should have done the 65lbs and I should have put up a sub-13 minute number... then puked. I chose the easy way out. The SIMPLE ROAD.... Problem was, no one questioned it. Not that anyone should have. I chose to take the easy way out. I chose to scale when I should have gone with the prescribed way.

Jason pulled me into his office on the spot. Hit the mouse on his computer and Viola`, produced the perfect article for me. It was as if it had been written because I was in the "suckdom" section of workout success.

Managing your way to Mediocrity

suddenly kicked me in the rear and I, "got," it.

As I opened the door to walk into my workout success of the day all I heard was, "Nice talkin with you." Jason never said a word while I read. Never said a word before he opened the article. Never criticized me for being honest about knowing I am strong but not pushing hard enough to get stronger.

Somehow, it all translated into daily life for me. I know I have just been existing. Not in bad ways. In fact, today, Trish and Meeka joined me and Pudgie for driveway time most of the morning and into the afternoon. We talked at length about, "just existing." It startled me to hear that when some of her friends had made that comment, they filed for divorce soon after or ran off without their families. I am existing in other ways. Not gonna run off without the kids... oh wait, is that an option?

I told her that for a long time I have come home from here or there..bam... the television became Pudgie's babysitter, the house had to be cleaned, this that or whatever just seemed to consume me and the important things were on the back burner. Priorities were somewhat jumbled. It has been going on for about a month and a half. And it stopped yesterday!

I vowed that everyday, Pudgie and I would go outside and play before nap time (weather willing) and have fun with friends and , "DO" stuff. He is only little for another second anyway. I will have to do the dishes and the laundry and the boring stuff that we mom's exist for. That is ok. Because after all was said and done...

I rocked my workout this morning. I blew most everyone away, most boys included, and I felt good about the fact that it is normal to just exist some days...most people don't mind mediocrity but when you take the road less traveled...

You tend to learn to be the leader and discover how amazing you really are!!

Mediocrity isn't for me... I chose a new road today!

One Word.. Just can't do it

1. Where is your cell phone? purse????
2. Where is your significant other? Sleeping
3. Your hair? Short, blonde and dripping wet from the gym
4. Your mother? Cool and Feisty
5. Your father? Awesome and Fun and always willing to help
6. Your favorite thing? LOVE, smooshie kisses and Passion
7. What was your dream last night? HOT
8. Your dream/goal? A day without pain
9. The room you're in? Loft
10. Your hobby? CrossFitting
11. Your fear? Failure
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? HERE
13. Where were you last night? Cleaning out my garage
14. What you're not? Skiddish
16. One of your wish list items? MMMMMMM.. can't tell
17. Where you grew up? Arizona
18. The last thing you did? Cleaned out my pantry
19. What are you wearing ? Shorts, socks, t-shirt and 4 sports bras (we ran at the gym today)
20. Your TV? BIG
21. Your pets? Pain in my A#$!
22. Your computer? Another pain in my A#$!
23. Your favorite room? My huge spa-like Master Bedroom
24. Your mood? Irritated
25. Missing someone? Always
26. Your car? A big black newly pampered Ford Excursion
27. Something you're not wearing? My wedding ring (We did pull-ups during our workout )
28. Favorite store? The dollar store
29. Your summer? Hotter than HELL
30. Love someone? ABSOLUTELY
31. Your favorite color? hmmmm THAT IS TOUGH
32. When is the last time you laughed? At the gym this morning
33. Last time you cried? Pretty much everyday
34. Who will resend this? Not sure. I get emails instead of comments. Maybe Cindy in Nebraska will finally leave me a comment!!!

I will tag Amber and Trish and Kelly and anyone who may peek at my blog I don't know..... so leave me a comment if you are a lurker like me!!!

Daddy Knows Best

Something is just following me around since we returned home from our vacation to California. I have been keeping watch over my shoulder. It is hiding and waiting and keeping still so I can not actually see it. I can sense its presence though.

The Sunday night we finally made it back home, we discovered that our downstairs air conditioner was not working. Not one to manage without air conditioning... we basically spent the evening with the fans on high and dropped the upstairs a/c lower than normal. Luckily, the temperatures outside were abnormally chilly. Needless to say, the $300.00 I had managed to not spend at Disneyland went directly to my a/c unit. One thought kept steady in my mind... It could have been much worse.

Now, after last night, I am regretting doing laundry at Tom's moms house. Our last night there, I used her amazingly beautiful LG cherry red washer and dryer. They were wonderful. I was amazed at how quiet they were. Tommy and I even joked about needing them because of the fact that Pudgies room backs up to the laundry room and my units are somewhat loud. I even researched these babies when we got home. There was never an intention of actually getting them. At least not right now.

When we sold our old house... my very first house, our washer and dryer went with the house. We decided to buy the cheapest washer and dryer known to man when moved into our rental house. I think that we paid something like $480.00 for both of them. Simple, plain white.. no fancy buttons or bells and whistles.. just cheap, easy and working. That is, until last night.

I went to put the wet laundry in the dryer. Shut the door and bam.... nothing. I heard it turn on. The motor was running but the tub was not turning. My heart sank. I knew what this meant. Tom ran for the computer. I sheepishly admitted I had already researched them and Best Buy was the place to get the new LG's.

This morning I surveyed my neighbors. I even had to ask if I could dry some of our whites at her house as she was showing me her washer and dryer. My house was a complete disaster with jean shorts for school all over my loft. I was nearing tears when I joked with Ruth that I was calling my mom and asking for an early Christmas present. I wasn't really going to do that... I just had to tell her about my BAD luck and figure out what to do with all my wet clothes.

After 5 minutes on the phone with mom... literally laughing at the BAD KARMA that is my shadow lately... I hung up and we made the decision to scrap the gym to go out and spend some $3200 on the LG washer and dryer. Then my phone rang and my dad quickly said..... "It is your belt. The belt on your dryer is broke. Trust me."

Tommy grimmaced when I told him this. His exact words were..."I wanted new S&#T!" That was when we started taking apart the dryer to even find where a belt might be. Unfortunately I did not have the manual for the dryer...only the washer. AGAIN.... Karma.

With my dad already enroute to our house via "Art's Part's," in Phoenix... I reluctantly headed to Costco to feed everyone and salvage some of the day by grocery shopping.

After all was said and done... Daddy was right. The belt broke and it took all three of us to put everything back together right and make it work. Thankfully, Daddy had the amazing parts store right down the street, that stocks everything! Thankfully, Tommy was patient enough to listen to me to get the belt into the pulley system right and thankfully....IT ALL WORKED OUT!

The cost of a new LG steam washer and dryer $3200.00
The cost of a new Whirlpool Elite dryer belt $18.09
The cost of 2 Costco pizza's to feed the boys $21.45
Total amount saved by listening to Daddy $3160.46
The hours spent completing the entire prject as a family...

PRICELESS!

Thank you Daddy!

Thank you Tommy for being willing to go out and buy me such wonderful new toys on a whim, without one single complaint... but trusting us enough to fix the old toy that still has some kick left in her!!!

I love you both!!!