Running Fool

Hooray it's been over a month and I'm still keeping up with my running regime! Survived Thanksgiving and didn't succumb to the temptations of the holiday (I made Mitch and me a weight watchers apple crumble for our dessert, which is super yummy and not that horrible for you) now if I can make it past the delicious little chocolate bars of Halloween I'm pretty sure I can make my goal of getting into an old favorite pair of pants (comfortably with no muffin top) by Christmas! I didn't set a weight loss goal this time, and it seems to be working better for me as weight has always been a relative number as I can put on muscle fairly easily and I will usually see a clothing size drop and not a change on the scale. I am losing my running buddy, as Tara and me have been being accountable to each other by documenting our runs but hopefully her move back home won't derail her efforts thus far.

I also set a goal to run a 10K run before the big 3-0 next June, but I'm already logging 8K without issue right now so I might want to set my goal a little higher. That's a little scary to me as I have never run further then what I am doing right now in one shot and 10K seems like a very realistic distance for me to achieve. I have been inspired by one of the girls I used to work with a few years ago as last weekend she completed a full marathon of 42K. She is a super star losing well over a 100 pounds in the last year and pushing herself to train for the marathon all summer, I think about her everytime I jump on the treadmill.

Well I do love my evening runs, well in exception to last night when I forgot that my aunt and uncle were coming over to drop off a gift for Hailey and I had to fly off the treadmill, shower and dress in a matter of 2 mins and pretend like I wasn't going to die when we were visiting. It gives me a few mins every second day to just remember that I'm not just a mom there is still a bit of Lisa somewhere in there, well the skinnier version screaming at me to keep going.

L

Election Day

If you are in the city of Edmonton and surrounding areas you should be well aware that there is an election tomorrow. It's been tough for me to follow the campaigns this year as we never have anything besides Tree House on during prime time tv hours and I almost never watch the news anymore. I just finished checking out what is available on the Internet for all the candidates running for both Mayor and our Ward. I think I know who I will be voting for tomorrow, it's not a huge surprise as there isn't really any competition for the incumbent in our area.

I have always been a total geek when it comes to going to vote, I just don't think that you are entitled to bitch about the way things are being run if you didn't have a say on who is driving the ship. It totally blows me away on the voter apathy in our community and our country, I guess if you don't live in a country where you don't have the right to have a say you don't really know the importance of making a choice and standing behind it. The people at my last job really thought I was nuts when I would bring the paper in everyday, leave it out and talk about the up coming elections. Yeah I know it's a little psycho, but hey you are entitled to take time off work to go and vote so I was really bossy about it. I don't think that Mitch was much of a voter before I came on the scene, but I think he's better off for it :) I think that my terrible Grade 12 social studies teacher Mr.Montgomery would be proud, well if he is even alive as the last I had heard he was undergoing some kind of study for morbidly obese people with sleep apnea... oh yeah it was super awesome to watch him sweat like crazy when all he was doing was talking to us during class. Well I guess whatever he said sunk in somewhere and I'm a avid voter.

So I hope that you are seriously thinking about going out of your way and making your voice heard by choosing who you would like to be running this joint. Poles are open from 9-8pm.

L

I am Jacks Broken Heart

I mentioned last post that my friends are moving back home, and this week I actually had to start facing reality :( I really thought that I would be taking this better then I have been over the last few days, as it's not exactly a surprise, but it still sucks no matter what way you look at it. I can't believe that I'm not going to beable to see her twins turn one or a variety of things that I just assumed we would celebrate together, it's crazy that they are going to be gone so fast after accepting the job. I guess I when it's something you really want, and have wanted for a long time you are going to make it happen ASAP. The mature side of me knows all the right things to tell myself when I'm having a total self pity moment, but the 5 year old in me wants to tantrum it out anyway. I have never been dumped but I'm thinking this is what it must feel like. Oh well the way things are going right now I know that I'm going to be a ugly mess when it's actually time to wish them off, so much for not falling apart in public.

Steve and I were allowed to go and see our grandfather on Tuesday, and the visit was both nice and awkward. Nice that we got to see grandpa, and awkward that Steve got the 9th degree of questions because they really don't know jack about him. It was nice not to have them grilling me for a change and I could just sit back and talk with grandpa, and just listen to his stories and comparisons of Hailey to his sister (Grandpa thinks Hailey has red hair, hey the man is 92 and not really all here anymore I'm not the one that's going to correct him!). I felt a little bad for Steve as the first thing out of my grandfather's mouth about his car was "you got the color that your grandmother hated". It's hard not to laugh, but come on, doesn't everyone want a bright yellow sports car?? I told them that I wasn't going to stay past 6:30 since the princess needs her beauty sleep and I wanted to get her home before 7, totally left Steve to the vultures. He said that he got the speech that I normally get about not visiting enough, and it was nice that someone else got it for a change, but I really wish that they would realize that crap like that keeps us all away. Ah well I'm good for another 6 weeks or so and will have to do this dance all over again.

I lit my candle today for all the babes whos stay here was shorter then hoped for, I hope everyone else did the same.

L

Happy Turkey Day!

I have mentioned before that I am very grateful for my life and I really like Thanksgiving because it makes others realize what they do have and show an appreciation for it instead of the regular complaining. I thought I would just reiterate what I am grateful for as today is the day for giving thanks.

I am very grateful for my family and friends, I am very fortunate to have such wonderful people in my life that not only make the day to day easier but make it fun as we go! I am very grateful that my mom got back from her trip safely with my grandma and that there was no earthquakes or illnesses this time! I am so so so grateful that my daughter is healthy, happy and such a joy to be around. I'm very happy that the parenthood experience isn't disappointing and that I'm loving every moment of it. I am very grateful of my loving husband, and I can't express how much I love him. There is just so so so much to be appreciative of, I could be here all day!

This weekend was bitter sweet though, as one of by very best and dearest friends celebrated her 30th b-day. I got the news that I have been dreading. They will be moving back home to Vancouver and before the end of the year. I'm very happy that they will get to be near their families, I know that's all she has wanted since she moved her 2 years ago. I'm just struggling to be 100% supportive as my heart breaks a little thinking about what my life will be like without her a call and a car trip away. I love her kids as much as my own so it will defiantly leave a big gaping hole in my life with them back home where they belong. I knew it was just a matter of time, but now my time is very limited and I'm just going to have to use it the best way I can.

So enjoy your turkey, love your leftovers and be grateful for what you have and forget the rest.

L

Denied

So all the worry about going to visit my Grandpa was over nothing, as per usual we were denied our visit over to the house. I should be more angry then I am, but this is the game that is always played when we want to go over there. I used to just do drop by visits, you would think in a house that had 3 retired people that it wouldn't be a problem. But when 4 out of the 4 adults that are living there are quite sick you it would be pretty rare to pick a day that none of them have some kind of appoinment, and I get that, that's why I always call now before I go. But the thing is I did call, on Sunday, before 6 o'clock when everone is in bed as per the rules. I knew deep down that it wasn't going to go well for Steven and I when I only spoke to the freeloader that is staying at the house. He said that it would be fine to stop by "anytime they are always home" which is a bunch of BS and I knew it, I just should have phoned back like my gut told me to. I was super angry after I talked to my dad's g-friend's son on Sunday too as I didn't think it was approprate that he was talking to me like I was his good buddy. No I didn't get "pissed" the night before, No I don't plan on getting "pissed" tonight and what we did all weekend is none of your dam business. Why don't you get off your lazy 40+ year old ass and get a job and get out of my grandfathers house... Besides I think he confused me with my half sis Lana because what he was saying to me didn't make a whole lot of sense, what a total dumb ass.

My dad's g-friend was such a cow when I phoned over there too, which only makes it worse. She likes to be a barrier between me and my family, I don't know if it makes her feel good that she has the ultimate say in whether we can go visit or not but she always plays this game. I'm even surprised that she picked up the phone the first time I called, that's another of my favorite games she plays, listen to the message before she calls me back. Might just be a coincidence you say? well she almost always calls me back within minutes of listening to the message or forgets that I called earlier and says that she was there the whole time (she isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer). Whatever we can't come over, Steven was a little pissed but he ultimatley doesn't care either. The sad thing is we will get the guilt trip laid on us when we finally are allowed over about not visiting more often... Ack why bother, the thing is I love my grandfather so much that I will endure this for as long as it takes.

We will see if it happens next week, I will keep you posted.

L

You can't choose your family...

Things get real messy when you have a "modern" family like we do. Between Mitch and me Hailey technically has 6 grandparents, 2 of which I'm having a hard time calling "grandpa and grandma". Which brings me to the point of this post. My dad and his g-friend want very much to be involved in Hailey's life, I could care less if they are or not, and I'm trying my best to just keep neutral for Hailey's sake. I believe that being a Grandparent is a reward for doing a good job raising your own kids, and you get to enjoy them in a way that you couldn't enjoy your own kids. If you did a bang up job your kids should not only feel comfortable bring them over to their house but leaving them in their care. My dad falls massively short in the good parenting department and fails to make the grade when it comes to any form of nurturing. Not only is he a terrible influence in my opinion, but doesn't really have anything to offer besides a good example of how not to live your life. I'm sure Hailey knows that "life is a bitch, and then you die" already... and if she hasn't picked up that little gem in the few visits we have made it's going to hit home soon. So ditch the losers right? Well I wish that I could, unfortunately my grandfather lives with my dad and in order for me to go and visit I have to go through them. *sigh* The poor guy would be better off in a home, but being the owner of the house he is determined to live in the house "as long as he still has his mind", a point that could be argued either way right now... So the question remains, do I carry on letting them call themselves "grandparents" as they technically are and let Hailey just grow up calling them that, or do I do the asshole move of correcting them now. I guess it's gone on too long now, but I seriously get an ulcer when I hear them refer to themselves as such. I know that the visits to their house will be done when my grandpa is out of the house so does it really matter? Either way it's tricky... I don't want Hailey to carry my baggage, it's my past that keeps me from wanting them to have a relationship, not anything they have done or not done to her. Maybe I'm scared that she will develop a relationship with my dad and he will hurt her the same way he hurt me and I'm just being all momma bear about it. Choices we make as parents sometimes are hard, guess we will have to endure a good dose of ulcers tomorrow as me and Stevie boy are going to head over there to show off his new car. Love being the peacemaker and making it happen, for my Grandpa who misses his grandsons' I will do it... It's sure to be a craptastic time.

L

Photo Shoot!

Sorry it's been a few days since my last blog, but we have been busy with play dates, photo shoots, and general day to day for the last few days, thus the life of a busy family.

I helped my best friend out on a photo shoot on Friday! It was a lot of fun for me to learn how to use my camera in her basement/studio set up. I think that she did a fantastic job too, I can't wait to see the finished product. We had discussed going into business together one day on our girls weekend and with the way we worked together I think it's a definite possibility. We had a play date today where she let me take some shots of Hailey in her Halloween costume (which has been expertly hidden in the closet since I brought it home due to the fact that Hailey would wear it all day everyday if she could). I didn't get "the" shot of her, getting a one year old to sit still for the camera is like herding cats, next to impossible, but I got some really good ones that I'm happy with. Last year she was a cute lamb and I didn't really get any really good pictures of her first Halloween so I'm already way ahead of last year. If I figure out how to post a picture I will attach one from today, I know I'm getting all fancy like with my postings :) I'm actually hosting the mom group Halloween party this year, so that should be really fun seeing all the kids in their costumes and seeing how much they have all changed. It's been awhile since we all have gotten together since most of the mommies have gone back to work.

Anyways I'm missing the end of Hoarders my favorite Monday night guilty pleasure,

L