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Anothermadhousewife
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Name: Erika
Location: Athens, Georgia, United States
Birthday: 8/26/1974
Gender: Female
Interests: To read something without being interrupted
Expertise: Procrastination and other forms of indulgence
Occupation: Education/training
Industry: Other
Message: message me
Member Since:
7/15/2004
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| When I looked at the clock, and it said, "4:28," I determined that I wouldn't make it to that 4:30 Zumba class. It's true the Y is only a mile from my house, but I had not yet searched for the proper attire. This could be considered punking out on excercise, or it could be considered being responsible to stay home and do the administrative stuff that didn't get done on Monday (or Tuesday). Yes, I realize blogging is not paying bills, but I'm getting to it! Perhaps most accurate would be the assessment that not getting to the Zumba class is a reflection of the lack of clean laundry in the house. Maybe I need a bigger rotation of work out clothes.
Yesterday I did make it to the Y. I was on the elliptical for 15 or 20 minutes, waiting for a 4 o'clock yoga class to begin. I would have skipped the yoga class and jogged on the treadmill, while watching Lifetime shows in closed caption, but there are only 2 treadmills. They were both occupied. Anyway, I've always thought it would be fun to do yoga. I did some dance and tumbling as a kid, so I'm fairly flexible. It looks relaxing. Oh. My. Word. To say that it's harder than it looks would be an egregious understatement. I kept laughing (quietly to myself -- yoga is a quiet sort of endeavor), when the instructor would say, "Take 5 deep, cleansing breaths," while I was in a position in which I could not actually breathe. Imagine a deep runner's stretch, one foot in front of the other. O.K. that's good. I'm cool. Then imagine putting the fingertips of one of your hands somewhere on the ground, while the other is reaching up toward the ceiling. Yes, good --wobble, wobble-- got it. Now imagine trying to do this same move, while your whole body is shaky from over an hour of different muscle wrenching poses. I drew the line near the end of the class when we were once again in the aforementioned position, and she said, "Now lift your back leg off the ground and point it at the back wall." Seriously?? I'll just stay here shaking in my runner's-stretched-arm-trying-to-breathe-pose --Thanks. Most surprising were my sore shoulders and wrists, in a basic "downward dog," position. This was a position we kept returning to, throughout the class. Returning to it would imply that it was a sort of "at rest" position, but it actually got harder and harder (and harder) as the class went on. It's almost like a stretched out push-up position, with your head down and your bottom up in the air. Much easier than holding a push-up position (which has gotten way harder in the last couple of decades, by the way). . .until you've been doing it for an HOUR. Then. . .not so easy.
Overall, I was encouraged by the fact that I could do most of the moves (I know, "positions"), but I felt a distinct lack of muscle strength by the strain of trying to hold the positions. . .which actually makes me want to do it more. There's only one way to get stronger.  | | |
| Spring break instructions to a 13 yr old: "Hey, since it's past lunch time, you need to go eat a breakfast." ;)
Today is a lounge around and enjoy the last day of stay-cation kind of day. Tomorrow AM Luke has a baseball game, and then we will head to Atlanta at some point in the afternoon. Luke has been my lounge buddy for the last couple days, since Julia and Nat are in Atlanta visiting Nana. He's currently hovering over me, waiting for his turn on the computer, but he has just figured out the concept of multiplication. Exciting! Instead of trying out little numbers, he keeps trying to count up numbers like 8X14 on his fingers. So far he is undaunted by his incorrect answers. He keeps saying things like, "I was so close!" . . .And, "I'm pretty good at this." :)
Last night we all went to Yoforia downtown for frozen yogurt. Don't tell the little girls. We just had Luke and 3 teenagers (one friend). Luke's enjoyable line for the night was, "When it's melted, it's kind of like a swamp. . . where you dig for candy."
The cat keeps leaving dismembered chipmunks and squirrels for us. Again, don't tell Natalie. She thought she had saved a chipmunk the other night, when she brought Storm into the house. . .so he would stop batting a chipmunk around on the driveway. My hunch was that the "rescued" chipmunk would be snagged at a later time. I regret that I am correct. . .especially when he showed up decapitated on my front porch. =/
I think the duel purposes of relaxing and getting some work done around the house have been served. I am thrilled that we still have a full weekend before returning to school-life. Then there are only 7 weeks until summer! I am DETERMINED to limit screen time and do some reading and other constructive things with the kiddos this summer.
It's very encouraging to see the money for Anna's mission trip rolling in. We're getting very close to the goal and still have some big fundraisers coming up. Local Athens folk, come on over to Redeemer Pres. downtown on Saturday, April 21st for "Sabado Gigante." We'll have a big, combined yard sale w/ bouncy houses for the kids.
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| Happy 2012! And look, it's still January. ;)
Today has turned out to be a quiet start to our long weekend. . .so far. Anna Grace is on a winter retreat. Caleb is playing a game and chatting with a friend via some audio device he recently discovered on his DS. Poor Julia is starting off the weekend sick. She actually hasn't gotten out of the bed, except to use the bathroom this AM (while holding a throw up receptacle close by). Natalie and Luke are watching a movie.
And now, excuse me while I go curl up on the couch to read for a few minutes. | | |
| This started out as notes for a future blog about my weekend. As I look at it, I see that it is WAY TOO MUCH for a blog. I think the bullet points will give you the idea. The intermittent wheel spinning and book reading in the midst of all the crazy actually makes a little sense as I step back and look at it. Since school started, the weekends are generally all about vegetation and recovery from the week. But this was mostly just more crazy. ;) I wish I could say I was excited to go back to school in the AM. I need another 4 day weekend. . .this time with no people in the house except me. . .or on a deserted island would also work. 
Benson (5yrs) home with us on Friday
Skylar (1yr) for the afternoon/evening
Anna to friend's house @ 5
Don't ask me what anyone ate. I don't remember.
Spinning my wheels on Sat. morning
Reading "Stepping Heavenward" for much of the AM
The sink/disposal still not draining properly.
Pick Anna up from friend's house
Neighbor friend for the evening --One asks, how is it that I've had 7 kids for most of the weekend? This house is really small.
Saturday Dinner of hamburgers, fries, salad-- patting self on back. Too bad I can't really wash the dishes.
Panicked email on Sat night to nursery team members.
Church on Sun.
Team leader of nursery for the week-- It actually went beautifully.
Hallelujah for left-overs after church. I forgot that if you actually cook a big meal, you have left-overs. Note to self: Cook more.
WOW park on Sunday night with 3 littles plus Benson
Corn dogs and mac-n-cheese for dinner. Don't judge. ;)
Monday "off" from school
Prince of Egypt movie
Finished the book
Lots of laundry
Cleaned up and vacuumed my bedroom so Julia and I could work on the dreaded animal project in a clean space.
Sink now beyond management --no sink. Plumber coming on Tues.
3rd grade animal PROJECT!
PROJECT some more
PROJECT some more
Hope no one else has homework, b/c this project is never going to end.
Dead hamster discovered. Nat despondent. :(
ROLL of toilet paper discovered in toilet, as we're trying to leave for pet store [NO not for a new hamster. We need more pics for the animal project!]
Pet store, where I was sorely tempted by Mini "Rex" (?) bunnies. WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!?
McDonald's for dinner and ice cream -- Benson home.
Melt down in the girls' room by Mom over how they take no responsibility for their room. AT ALL. EVERY DAY they trash it, and poor Caleb has to live in there too! But still I have to apologize in the AM for my psycho-mom delivery. I think I used up all my kid nice-ness, while Benson was here.
Peaceful evening--eventhough it consisted of regular email, checking work email, facebook,
laundry and
Still haven't looked at lesson plans for tomorrow
Pushing midnight
But I had a little caffeine with dinner, so we'll see what I can do.
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| . . .it probably means I need to write a short blog. I will say there is encouragement in the fact that when I'm reading good writing, I want to write for myself -- Not to write like Elizabeth Prentiss, but to convey the small joys and challenges of our daily crazy.
When I picked the kids up today at the bus stop, Luke pronounced, "Today is a GOOD day!" This means that he had stayed on green light (for behavior) and would be allowed to watch an episode (or so) of Power Rangers. And it was, indeed, a good day at pick up. Caleb shared that he had gotten the best grade in his class on the science exam, and Anna was beside herself with high-school-type weekend plans, newly acquired. The exuberance wore off on Julia and Natalie, especially when we drove through Sonic for happy hour slushes. This is also when Luke got the foot long hot dog of Facebook status fame. My justification for junk food from Sonic on a week day afternoon -- COUPONS that are about to expire. ;) | | |
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