The Raft

The Bu is in the shop right now.  It probably needs tires, it definitely needs an oil change and sometimes the Bu doesn't like to start so they'll have to look at that, too.  Something funny - my oil change sticker said "X Miles or October 2009".  Funny, right?  And I just hit X miles last month, January.  I don't go very far.

Last night's Yoga class worked my lower back and abs in a way that was both painful and amazing.
As I sit here, I am straight up tall, still feeling the burn and absolutely, without a doubt, craving more yoga.  I must have looked at the class schedule for the club a half dozen times this morning.  Nope.  Still no Yoga in my day.  I need to buy the Wii Fit Plus.  It's only $20 and it would fill this craving for me.  Plus, both kids love Yoga so I wouldn't need them out of the way to do it, they can do it with me.  And I happen to have $15 in Toys R Us dollars...  so we'll see how this works it's little self out.

Speaking of cravings.  I have been craving a trip to the mall with the kids.  Back in the old days, I could put the kids in the car any time I wanted and go wherever I wanted.  In these busy, activity-filled days I have to schedule a leisurely trip to the mall weeks ahead of time.  And right now, I am looking at a day over February break.  I'll have Q&K and K hates the mall but I can barter a day with one of his friends' moms and get there without him.
The "Germ Tank", the Carousel, Barnes & Noble...  maybe a little Yankee Candle while I'm there! 
I unabashedly love the mall.
In fact, the other day Abby was snuggling me and she said "yummmmm, you smell like the mall, mommy."  That was a high compliment, as I am raising a mallrat in case you hadn't noticed.  I believe what she was smelling was my deliciously sexy new perfume, "Heavenly" from Victoria's Secret but I thanked her with no further explanation.  

So, I mentioned my January-end Weigh-in.  I did lose weight in January.
I officially started this diet on Monday, January 4th.  Today, Tuesday February 2nd I am down 8 pounds.
That is a very healthy loss of approximately 2 pounds per week.  And I should be proud of that. 
I have changed my habits, replaced some I didn't want to change altogether with healthier choices.  I have been exercising, taking my vitamins, drinking my water.  All in all, I am very pleased with how I feel.

I am disappointed that I missed my 10 pound goal by only 2 pounds. 
I can blame it on Abby's birthday parties at which I ate "not good" food.
I can blame the fact that Wyatt was sick and I couldn't have left him in the daycare center at the club.
But mostly it is just a gradual change in my lifestyle and if I had lost 20 pounds in my first month, that probably would not have been healthy.  I probably would have been setting myself up for failure.  And now, as I sit at 8 pounds lighter, I feel energized and revved up for more.  Like, this 8 was a warm up and now the fun begins!
So, my realistic goal for February is 10 pounds.  I would like to lose 10 more pounds this month for a total of 18.

I promise to go to Zumba, which I absolutely love, at least once a week.  I promise to work Group Groove into my routine for at least once a week.  And I promise to continue to do Yoga at least twice a week.  In between I will walk & run on the treadmill and go through the Circuit.
I enjoy all of these activities and it feels really good.  I also enjoy routine (sometimes to a fault) and working these into my patterns makes it all the more of an accomplishment for me.
I never thought I would have time to exercise.  It was always my biggest excuse.
And now I can't imagine not exercising.  Almost as much as I can't imagine ever smoking again.

I talk about moving a lot.  I want a bigger house; a better house.  Then, when I consider what I want (a new, spacious, 4 bedroom Colonial with a wrap-around porch and an in-ground pool) I realize that we are not in a position to buy that (or build that) in the town we live in.
So, I decided that I could live anywhere.  As long as I have the house I want, I don't care where we live.  Other towns are a lot less expensive to buy in and even more have much lower taxes.
So, I would leave this town and the life we have built for ourselves and our children here.  All for the big house.
Wrong.
When did my mind set change like that?
I love our town.  I want to raise my kids here.  I care about the town government and school system.  I'm proud of them, I'm involved in them.
I know the moms that are involved.  They know me.  We know eachother's kids.
That matters.
I want Wyatt to go to Abby's school.  I want Abby to go to kindergarten with her friends.
I want a bigger house; a better house.
But I won't get it this year.  I will enjoy and appreciate my perfect, beautiful, warm and love filled home, right where it is.