Francine and that scary boy child

We got a cat because of Henry. Not exactly, I mean we got a cat because we went to the pet store to replace the deceased gerbils and got sucked in by the charity cats, but Henry has a huge tactile response to soft creatures. He adores stuffed animals, the softer the better, and the thought of a kitty cat was just overwhelmingly wonderful to him. My MIL has a cat and he spends the better part of every Monday playing and touching and running after poor Cami.

So now that we’ve had Francine for nearly six months, I would have thought she would have warmed up to him but she hasn’t. It frankly hurts his feelings, and I don’t know how to explain to a five year old that she doesn’t mean to.  Last night we were reading and she came up to the bed (she likes to come visit during reading time) but when he went (slowly, calmly) to pet her, she ran. Again. His eyes welled up, his voice cracked, he was just so SAD.

So besides getting a new kitten for him to snuggle and name George, is there anything I can do to help their relationship? She’s not fond of catnip.

Celebration Part Eins - Disney!

For Spencer's eighth birthday we have a number of celebrations planned and not yet planned (mostly not yet planned, due to baseball uncertainties) but what I really wanted to do was spend one last weekend at Disney celebrating before our passes went kaput. So honestly, this one was for me.

I picked the kids up at noon (this was fraught not only for my own school-guilt, but because the kids were weird about it. Henry was upset that it meant that he wouldn't get an award for no early pickups and Spencer was upset to miss math. They both got over it quickly though.) and we headed straight out of town. S's teacher sent his math work with him so he worked on that in the car and played with his Pokemon cards since he got them back after being grounded from them for a week.

 

We got to Port Orleans- French Quarter around 1:45p and after we checked in, the kids immediately donned their bathing suits and hit the pool. It was rainy and cloudy and was going to get COLD so I knew it was then or never. I got in the pool too for a bit but it wasn't my bag. The kids really enjoyed it and I was glad I got them out of school early to do so. We were out by 4:30 because of the rain so they would have completely missed out otherwise.

Unfortunately I have very little photos after this because my phone slipped out of my hand and shattered. The regular camera side was okay but the shattering covered the selfie side of the camera so there were no more fun shots of me and the kids unless I specifically asked my husband to take a photo (I told him he needed to take photos but he did not).

 

After cleaning up and sharing a pizza (the kids did, anyhow), we headed over to Magic Kingdom. This was probably my favorite part of the whole weekend. C met us there and we had fast passes but it was also not particularly busy so we got to ride A LOT. The train, Barnstormer, Dumbo, Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Winnie the Pooh (and while in line someone gave us FP they had for being on Haunted Mansion when it broke down so we also did HM by passes), Peter Pan, Small World ...

(source)

We also ate at Tony's Town Square Restaurant, and I have to say I was underwhelmed. I was actually underwhelmed at most of the food this trip which is very odd for me - I love Disney food usually. I got the Pasta Primavera and it was quite salty. The veggies in it were good though. The kids' bodies completely shut down before 9 usually, but we got them on Space Mountain at that time and it revitalized them enough to get out of the park and to the car (and for S, even back to the hotel!) before falling asleep. I made sure to procure my Starbucks MK mug so that I wouldn't forget.

Saturday was COLD. We had breakfast at the hotel because BEIGNETS (they were okay) and headed to Epcot for the day, all parka'd up.

  

It was a good day; we didn't expect to stay all day but we did. We had lunch at Coral Reef (it was gorgeous and I had my best meal of the weekend, trout with canneloni beans and greens) and we rode every ride available, let the kids decorate Duffys and go around to every country and get stamps, and ate dinner in Morocco (Restaurant Marrakesh) which we wouldn't have normally thought to do but it was pretty tasty. I wasn't super hungry so I had a goat cheese appetizer and a bowl of lentil soup. Spencer was struck dumb by the belly dancer and the drummer came over to play his drum for S for his birthday and they sang and gave him some sort of pistachio baclava pastry thing.

Sunday was even colder. COLD. (FYI: I do not want to hear "at least it didn't snow". I know it didn't snow. It was misty and cold and uncomfortable except during nice stretches of sunlight) So we went to Hollywood Studios by way of Cracker Barrel. It was a nice end to the long weekend, we rode all the rides (Spencer and I spent an hour an HOUR an hour in the single rider line of Rockin' Roller Coaster and that was a little less than ideal) but missed all the shows. We let the kids design light sabers that we then didn't let them buy (Henry made a Kylo Ren one, I really wanted to get it for him) and ate at the 50s Prime Time Cafe which was adorable and kitchy but the food was kind of sub-par and premade. We saw the Star Wars Launch Bay which had all kinds of neat things in it but didn't stand in line to meet Chewie or Darth Vader (the kids aren't really into meet and greets).

 

 

We left at a reasonable time and then got stuck in horrendous traffic and ended up still eating dinner out, but near home at one of our regular haunts. And then we were back home in time for our regularly scheduled programming, and by that I mean sleep. In our own wonderful beds.

Currently…

I got this from Erin who got it from Jennie (who I’ve never read before but will be now) who got it from Katy (again, didn’t read before but now is in my Feedly) and I think Stephany does them too sometimes … but I thought it would be a fun change from my norm of having no idea what to blog about. Although it’s apparently a Tuesday thing and I’m posting on Thursday but whatev. I’m here.

Loving

My coffee. I didn't get a lot of sleep last nightand coffee is neccessary and wonderful.

Reading

I have two books going right now. I started Six of Crows when I wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t get into it, so I then started Kate Atkinson’s Case Histories. Then I went BACK to Six of Crows and I’m enthralled in that story so when I finish I’ll go back to Case Histories. I’m not good at reading simultaneously – it’s only recently I could keep regular books and audiobooks separate, so this is the closest to simultaneous reading as I get.

Watching

I’m no good at watching new things, but I finally caught up to Downton Abbey (except this season; I’m waiting for it to come out on DVD or Amazon Prime) and now I’m rewatching Criminal Minds. I want to watch all the good things everyone else is watching but someday, maybe.

Listening to

I’m rereading via audiobook the Raven Boys books in anticipation for The Raven King (takes a moment to see if it’s available for library preorder yet … sigh, not yet) and it’s a completely different experience. I’ve noticed things I didn’t previously. I’m still not sold on the narrator (his voice takes me out of the story, somehow) but I’m enjoying the process. I'm on Dream Thives right now, which is my least favorite of the books.

Thinking about

Having to be out of town next month, possibly for S’s eighth birthday, is making me sad and anxious even though we’re having several birthday celebrations for him not specifically on his birthday. I find out Friday if it will be that week or a different week. All appendages crossed for a different day!

Anticipating

This weekend is going to be a COLD one but we are spending it at Disney and I’m so excited. I wish it were warmer so we could enjoy the pools but we all have warm jackets and umbrellas (Friday is expected to be rainy) and I’m hoping we can all keep happy faces on. Saturday the high is 54. FIFTY FOUR. It’s Florida, weather. Get a grip. I don’t care if it IS winter, that’s just unacceptable.

Wishing

I had the drive to do more running. I did a solid week and now ... well, I'm going today. I'm unsure otherwise.

Making me happy

Chewelry

Several weeks ago I was at my wits' end about Henry because he all of a sudden couldn't stop chewing on everything. His shirt, his hands, the Disney infinity players and Wii controllers. He wasn't a chewer growing up but all of a sudden, age 5, he was a CHEWER. It was like having puppy in the house - nothing was safe. It didn't seem to be anxiety based but more of a habit that had developed and now could not be broken.

I took my gripes to the twitters and one of my sweet people recommended chewelry. This would not have occurred to me to be for anything other than teething babies, but I went ahead and ordered a piece and lo, it's amazing. He loves it, and he loves that it just looks like a Lego so it's not particularly noticeable that it is what it is. He still chews on things but if I notice, I remind him about his necklace and off he goes to retrieve it from his door knob, where he keeps it most of the time, or his bed cubbie where it sometimes hides when he's sleeping.

Two unchewed thumbs up.

And man, I hope he grows out of this soon.

Meal Plan 1/18-1/21

I only cooked for four days this week, but I did almost all the cooking Monday night. It was an exhausting night but it's nice that I don't have to worry too much for the rest of the week.

Monday: meat and veggie chili this is the second time in two weeks I've made this. It's delicious.

Tuesday: Italian marinated grilled chicken and roasted brussel sprouts (not made yet, but already marinated)

Wednesday: tom kha gai Thai coconut chicken soup I wasn't good at all at following this recipe and put in too much mushrooms. Good thing I love mushrooms - it's delicious. I also brought this for lunch today, since it's already made.

Thursday: Asian meatballs with carrot and zucchini noodles. The meatballs are fantastic. I'm looking forward to the noodles too.

These meals will also be my lunches, and I scrambled some eggs into the leftover shallot, sweet potato and mushrooms from the leftover veggies for two breakfasts. As I already had my breakfast today, I can tell you it was delicious even though it was cheeseless. Cheese still would have been better.

In 18 days I have only been 100% at no alcohol and no cheese. How's that, the only two I really felt like I really want have been the two things it's been easiest to stay completely away from.

Boring.

Friday after I finished my lame Friday Five I thought, I should do a day in the life post of THIS day! It can be my Day OFF in the life! So I blogged throughout the day about what I was doing and holy heck, I’m boring. Basically all I did all day was clean my room, run and fold laundry, took myself to a movie, shopped for socks for Spencer and watched Downton Abbey. It was a very very long post to realize that.

It rained. A lot.

So that’s what I did. I made breakfast for C and I, watched tv extensively, cleaned and did laundry. I saw Star Wars in the refurbished theater that now offers those large Barcaloungers for seating. I bought S socks and khaki pants for school. Thus endeth my day off.

I do have a question about this coming Friday, which is another day off. We’re taking the kids to Disney for the weekend to celebrate Spencer’s birthday before our passes run out. I want to pick the kids up early from school but S is concerned about missing science and math. Not because he thinks he’ll miss anything, but because he loves those subjects. Do I pick them up after school? Do I go ahead and take them a little early? I think I’ve decided to take them a little early but I feel guilty because we do not take the kids out of school for any reason, and last semester we took them out for our trip to DC (which was extremely educational). Disney doesn’t count for that reason. It’s only two hours of school and I don’t even schedule doctor visits during school days. (Update: twitter was overwhelmingly supportive and I have decided to go forward, however in true me fashion I’ll let the teachers know ahead of time in case they want to send school worksheets home with us.)

Anyhow, I’m having all kinds of bellyaching thinking about this weekend. I’m pretty certain I will not be following my food plan while we’re there and while I’ve made this decision, I don’t want to undo my hard work either. I think I’m going to make meal by meal decisions and drink lots of water.

One day my writing will be more interesting but I’m just going to hit publish on this anyhow.

Friday Five

I’m OFF today! (does a little happy dance!) Of course, there was a work thing that had to be scheduled today and couldn’t be scheduled for a different day so I’ve got my phone about me in case. Blargh. It’s always the way, right?

-  So on my list of things to do is that I want to get all my expected house chores that I want done, DONE. In the morning, before I have a change to sit down and do nothing. I want to run laundry, clean my bedroom and bathroom and reorganize my shoes. And clean the kitchen. This honestly shouldn’t take long but it will be nice to have it done before the weekend.

- Then I also have on my list to go to a movie, but I’m still deciding what that should be. I want to see Star Wars but C wants to see it again too (he already saw it with the boys. Would it be fair to wait? Will I get screwed? Or should I see Joy or The Big Short or The Danish Girl or any other of the movies I hadn’t heard of until the Golden Globes. I wish there was a good romantic comedy out. I love them and C doesn’t, and it’s the perfect thing for me to watch on my own.

-   It was a bad week for deaths in entertainment. And really, a bad last 30 days.

-   Two weeks into Whole 30 and I’ve lost 7.8 pounds. It hasn’t been completely clean but I’m working at it. Last night I honest to God cheated in a hurried hormonal mess. I felt terrible about it but I'm going to keep going.

- I missed the last season of Downton Abbey and I haven't watched this one yet, so I started rewatching the first four seasons over the last week. I stayed up late last night to finish the fourth and now I'm starting on new content for me. I'm not good with new content - I watch so little actual television (even though actually I'd like to watch! I just lose time somehow!) and I'm afraid of it, somehow. I don't know how to explain. I don't want to get hooked and miss something. I don't want to get too tied to the characters. I ... oh I don't know. I'm enjoying it though.

A good little martyr

My feelings about food have gone up and down this week and I’m pretty sure it’s hormonal. I’ve stayed 96% true to the Whole30 diet, except I did lick the spoon after giving my kids the last of my favorite ice cream so it wouldn’t tempt me and last night I ate three m&ms. You aren’t going to tell on me, right?

I’ve worked out when I could and when I wasn’t feeling down too down, but I also allowed myself sometimes just to feel down and not do anything that needed me out of my chicken lounge pants. All my meals have been compliant, all my snacks, and I’ve fed all the good carbs to my kids.

My dinner last night:

My kids’ dinner last night:

Don’t get me wrong, my Italian wedding soup was fantastic (I loosely followed this recipe) and I brought it for lunch today too. However, look at all of that beautiful fake cheese and macaroni.

(I’m also right this very minute sitting 10 feet from a giant bag of bagels that my manager brought in and 40 feet from three bins of various candies at the office assistant’s desk. The fact that I’m not stuffing my face with all of it is a genuine miracle.)

Free time.

So I went to ask off for a day next week and realized I’m maxed on vacation, so on top of the one day next week, I’m also taking this Friday off and an entire week in February.  All of these days off are by myself. Does that seem excessive? I have no plans, although there are a lot of things I feel like I should do. I don’t know if it’s a woman v man thing or just a me v my husband thing, but if C was to have the day off to himself, he would play video games all day. This is not an exaggeration, and it’s not a judgment of him either – I don’t mind that he plays video games (except when I walk in and have to ask him if he’s in battle or how long until I can get more than grunted answers from him).

It’s more a judgment of me. When I’m off, I feel like I should be cleaning the house, doing laundry, cleaning out the garage, scrubbing showers. Why do I do these things to myself?

So anyhow. I’m trying to decide what to do with myself for these days off. I might go see a movie by myself (would you see Joy? The Big Short?) or spend some of our Macy’s credit on a new wallet. Go for a very long walk and not worry about time (if it warms up). Buy cat food (darn it, adding in errands again).

On the first day of my week-long vacation it is Spencer’s birthday, and while he’s going to be going to school I think I might take him McDonald’s and have lunch with him (I’ve never done this before and it feels daunting somehow) but the rest of the week is completely free. Should I volunteer at the school? Get a massage? Make a chiro appointment/dentist appointment/dermatology appointment?

I’m not good at downtime or free time or time for me. Someone come spend time with me not doing errands. Please.

Friday five

The name Friday Five isn't new or groundbreaking or even mine - I've seen it all over the internets (I should probably google who to give credit to even though I don't read them right?) but I've struggled to find a Friday groove ever since I stopped doing seven things or whatever that was way back when (and I'm still a little sad about Chelsea not doing her Ten on Tuesday lists, TBH) so FIVE. I can do five, right?

1. Today is the seventh day of my January plan. I ... have lost 5 lbs. I have logged 14.5 miles run and walked, worked out five times separate from runs and walks, drank holy cow ounces of water (approx 80-100 ounces a day). I have not cheated on no dairy/no alcohol/no sugar/no grains. Not once. I also haven't had any beans and the only soy I had was a scoop of miso in my sauteed veggies one dinner. I had one hard moment (of three hours) one day where I really really wanted some damn m&ms, but I got through it. I'm currently blogging from an airport where I'm eating a steak salad (sadly with no cheese) and drinking Pellegrino and this life is not half bad. I can do this. FIVE POUNDS, GUYS.
2. There was a kid that just wheeled by me on those wheelie shoes and holy hell, I hate those things.
3. We are allowing our Disney passes to expire and I'm kind of sad about this. I'm having second thoughts. I know it's the right thing to do, we have other expenses we need to think about and other parks we can go to when we get the itch for theme parks but Disney has been such a big part of our lives for three years and I'll be really sad to let it go. Watch me buy every bit of theme park memorabilia between now and then. I do need a Magic Kingdom Starbucks mug. That much I know. We're trying to plan a last Disney resort weekend and H's pass expires 2/1 and the rest of us expire 3/9, so between the expiration dates I'm hoping for a day date or two with C and one day of the Flower and Garden Festival with S because it's his favorite. Sigh. 
4. You know what drinking 100 ounces of water in a day (plus 40 ounces of Pellegrino) gets you? A lot of trips to the bathroom. I hit the bathroom before I started my meal and I'm already dancing. So much pee. You're welcome for that.
5. I read Bridge to Terebithia on the flight up this afternoon. I never got around to reading it when I was young and I knew it was sad but still I cried. I cried. I am always crying on planes, it seems.

Okay, I found it. Friday Five. 

Crock Pot ... and other things

You know you're going to be blown away by a post entitled "Crock Pot", right? Maybe I should add "and other things." There, that's better. Now I need to put other things in this post too.

Anywhosit-whatsit, my mom got me this crock pot warmer thing for Christmas and I was all, hmm, will I use this thing? Seems kind of gitschy. But it turns out YES.

It has this separate bowl thing that has a top and you can store that in the refrigerator with your leftovers (both times I used it for soup, but I think anything should work, I'll report back after I've used it with other things) and then when you need them, you drop the bowl into the crock pot warmer and plug it in. It's amazingly fast and tastes like you warmed it on the stove instead of the microwave. Two thumbs up.

Let's see, what else do I love?

These bluetooth headphones. I got them for Christmas and they are fantastic. The battery lasts forever and you can use them in a pinch to talk on the phone if you're in the middle of a walk when your mother calls to talk about your sister's pregnancy and bloodwork results.

This Karl Marx money bank. I just found it amusing, ordered it on a whim (because I needed a money bank anyhow) and yes, it makes me smile everytime I look at it and drop a few coins in. Good ol' Karl holding onto my money for me, for the betterment of society. Or some crap like that.

Books read: December 2015

I ended the year having read 145 books. Not too shabby, especially considering my slow start. So many good books this year. I made a Goodreads goal of 140 for 2016 just so I have a goal, but I don't worry too much about my reading goals these days. I'm reading. Here's what I read in December:

December

reread:

new: 

131. The Nature of the Beast - Louise Penny 

132. See Jane Run - Hannah Jayne

133. After You - Jojo Moyes

134. Cruel Beauty - Rosamund Hodge

135. Second Life - SJ Watson (this one was abandoned halfway through - I just couldn't.)

136. Gilded Ashes - Rosamund Hodge

137. The Husband's Secret - Liane Moriarty

138. The Perilous Sea - Sherry Thomas

139. The Immortal Heights - Sherry Thomas

Walk on Earth a Stranger - Rae Carson (finished from an earlier month so no number)

140. The Beautiful and the Cursed - Page Morgan

141. Career of Evil - Robert Galbraith

Fitness 2016

So this is something that is a little embarrassing to post this way, but apparently here is the only way to keep myself accountable (without snapping at my husband when he “helps”)

Here are my fitness resolutions, by way of backstory.

I have always been the “big girl” among my friends. I don’t eat too terribly and I don’t sit on my butt that much, so I just assumed that was my size. I hated it, but that’s what it was. Then in 2011 I made promises to myself that I would “get in shape”. I overhauled our diets and ran regularly and lost 42lbs. I fit in a size small. SMALL. In some (admittedly vanity) sizing, I fit a size FOUR pants. I hadn’t been that small since I was in seventh grade. And I didn’t look sick! I was healthy! I wasn’t not eating. I was healthy and I felt amazing.

But then 2012 I stopped running for some reason, and I didn’t get back into it. I ran once or twice every couple months but couldn’t make it a habit. I added white flour into our diets because Henry is the pickiest eater that ever picked.

Here it is 2016 and I’ve gained half the weight back. Granted, it could be worse. I have tried to take care of myself, but also, not. I’ve equated “self-care” with “cookies at bedtime”. I’ve gone from “life’s too short not to have a glass of wine” to “pass the bottle and also, where’s the gin?”

So while I’m not posting my starting weight here, X is my starting weight.

Here are my starting pictures (sigh).

(as an aside, I had Spencer take these pictures. “Mom, why am I taking pictures of you almost naked?” Let’s hope he doesn’t repeat that at school.)

For the month of January, I’m doing something along the lines of Whole30 (no I didn’t read the book, I found the website condescending and I didn’t want to see any more of their words on what they personally would “let” me eat.) No dairy, no grains, no sugar, no alcohol. The jury is still out on beans/peanut butter/soy, but I’m not actively eating it at this time. I’m not counting calories, but I’ve found I can only eat so much meat and I get bored. I think I need to be bored with food for awhile. I love food. I need to do more with the “food as fuel” and less “food as an experience” for a bit. Not for always, but for a bit.

I’m also doing 30 days of running. SOME sort of running. I’ve been starting out slow – Saturday was 1.6miles and a lot of it was walking, Sunday was 1.9 miles and even more of it was walking. But there’s intention there. I will get there. And a workout a day separate from running – I’ve got a 30-day crunches and push-up calendar and on the rest days I will do yoga.

And water. I am no good at water, so it’s on my list too. 64 ounces. I can do that, right?

My year goals are mostly related to running – six 5ks, two 10ks, 1 half. This will keep me running.

After January, I will reassess the food situation and possibly add in some grains and some cheese. Life is too short to go without cheese. But for 30 days, I can do it. 2016. Let's do this.