Hello from Boston

It's really really cold here. No really.

I don't think the heater is working in my hotel room tonight.

After the dinner I ate tonight I must hit the treadmill in the morning.

I forgot a pony tail holder but a gentleman at a store at the airport gave me a rubber band.

Philadelphia practicially has an entire mall in their airport.

Had a cute conversation with Anna tonight where she told me all about some new addition math homework that she learned today. She was really excited. She referred to subtraction as "take away" which I thought was cute.

That is all. Good night.

Hello from Virginia

My view from Chicago to Norfolk.

I'm here for some meetings for work tomorrow. Preparing to travel is always a little hectic. Lots of errands yesterday (Christmas exchanges, groceries, new shoes for the kids) and then this morning I was a laundry machine. I am thankful for good flying weather today. I was even brave and ate lunch before I flew. Ever since I got sick on an airplane 5 years ago I've been cautious to eat anything before flying. That lesson was well learned. twice.

Ate at a delicous seafood restaurant tonight at the tip of a co-worker who used to live here - Catch 31. Yum.

Got to watch Eat, Pray, Love on my iphone during all the wait time that happens during traveling. When you don't have kids it's a lot of time to just sit, think, do nothing, watch a movie. It's kind of weird to not have someone nagging you constantly and only letting you sit for 2 minute increments.

Ran on the treadmill last Thursday for my first run in over a week. I made it about 3.3 miles. Ran Saturday with the group on snow-packed roads. Made it 6 miles. Yesterday I bought some brand new running shoes to begin training in and break in before my upcoming races. I brought the new shoes with me and it just might be what I need right now to spark a slight motivation in getting on a treadmill.

Looking at a very busy week that began with traveling today. Working a full week and then some. Plus our annual work holiday party (that we have in January) this week too. I will definitely need a drink on Friday.

January

These were making me really happy last week.

The snow outside - not so much. Anna had three snow days last week and it is all still on the ground because it is so cold. This has had an impact on my running schedule. I hit the treadmill for 45 minutes last Sunday and 30 minutes last Monday. I haven't run since. It's been a week.

My eating went really well the first week and then just pretty good last week. There were several lunch meetings where I was forced to eat out and not be able to bring food from home. I had a salad each time, which I think is about as good as you can do when eating out.

Then this weekend I really fell off the wagon. I had mexican on Friday night and a philly cheesesteak sandwich on Saturday night. So I HAVE to run. Soon.

Downloading some new iTunes music. Making a new playlist for running. Maybe that will help?

Then and Now

Around December 1st

Now

Conversations with the kids

When I picked up the kids today Carter announced

"I'm NOT going to be a baseball player when I grow up anymore."

Ok, what do you want to be?

"I just want to be a regular Carter that works."

Ok.

Anna chimes in "I want to be a baker!"

Ok.

"Because you get to taste test the icing!"

A good reason.

Later at dinner when I was telling Kevin all of this she added

"And it smells better than other jobs."

Very true. A good enough reason for me.

They are so hysterical.

Science City at Union Station - Kansas City

This past weekend I had a "mommy day" with the kids. First we went to Kaleidescope at Hallmark, then we ate at Crayola Cafe at Crown Center. Then Anna really wanted to go to Science City at Union Station. We had never been to Science City before. I thought it was geared towards older kids to understand science.

I was really shocked. There were all kinds of hands-on activities and "rooms" for the kids to play. Like a train table.

And a classroom

 And rolling balls

And indoor miniature golf 

And an entire airplane inside 

And a tree house

And a sky bike (no, that's not Anna) 

And a floor maze

They loved it. It was so cool. So cool, that I decided to put my day's ticket costs towards a membership. If we go two more times in a year it will pay for itself. That also let them ride the train for free then. And we also did the Dinosaurs Unearthed exhibit one more time (it leaves this month).

After they got off of this train ride Anna told me that that kid behind Carter was being mean to him. "I had to say 'Stop being mean to my brother'" she told me. "That's the first time I ever had to say that."

I told her I was so proud of her for saying that. And that if someone was doing that to a friend or another kid she should do the same thing. I hear all these stories in the news about bullying and how it is one piece of life that parents need to be better at teaching their kids how to handle.

Eating Healthy

Well, simply put, my pants don't fit. I realized this a week ago when I had a really bad Monday. It was at that moment I made the decision. No more Starbucks. No more sweets. Limited carbs and red meat. More exercising. And after a week I can say I've stuck to it (minus my New Year's Eve dinner date with my hubby).

My meal plan for dinners is on the right. Lots of seafood. Steamed veggies for sides or brown rice.

Monday's plan:
Breakfast is light yogurt (100 calories) with 1/4 cup granola (120 calories)
coffee with cream (~50 calories)
= 270 calories

Lunch is a salad
Butter lettuce (who counts lettuce? but I think it's 10 calories)
Handful sharp cheddar cheese (110 calories)
1/4 cup cucumber (8 calories)
4 cherry tomatoes (~15 calories?)
croutons (60 calories)
1/2 cup roatisserie chicken (~150 calories?)
light asiago parmesan balsamic vinegrate (80 calories)
= 433

snack #1
baby carrots (25 calories) + 2 tbs ranch (160 calories)
= 185 calories

snack #2
sliced apples (80 calories) + caramel light dipping sauce cup (100 calories)
= 180 calories

Dinner will be the poached salmon with tzatzaki sauce
(~ 600 calories with the sauce I think)

Total = 1668

Monday is a day off for exercise for me. But on Sunday I ran 8 miles. It was 15 degrees. I told you I was committed.

I'll let you know how it goes and if I cave for any chocolate.

Happy New Year

Every year I make a "to do this year" list and post it in the right column of the blog.

Here was 2010's list

- Paint the kids bathroom - DONE!
- Journey on a family vacation to Disney World - DONE!
- Frame and hang pictures of the kids and family
- Organize the master closet - DONE!
- Have a huge garage sale - DONE!
- Clean up the guest bedroom (which translates to get rid of the old unnecessary furniture and organize my extraneous scrapbook stuff) - DONE!
- Have more date nights with my hubby - Definitely did better this year! Even ended the year on a date night!
- Get Anna to where she can ride her bike on her own (for more than 1 block) while I walk and push Carter in the stroller
- Be financially responsible, meaning pay off my credit cards, make a budget, stick to it, save for vacation and christmas presents, the kids' college, be more "we" oriented with our finances
- Open and use the laminator my in-laws gave me two Christmas' ago
- Wash and put away the foam letters that have been in the laundry room for cleaning for forever - DONE! Sold in garage sale

A few were leftover and will carry into 2011.

So here is the new To Do in 2011 List:
- Scrap December Daily
- Visit my brother in San Antonio and go to Sea World
- Celebrate being married 10 years with a trip to Hawaii
- Paint the guest bedroom
- Finish unfinished home projects including
  - Hang the double curtain rod and valance in Anna's room
  - Touch up paint in the kids bathroom
  - Install the missing glides for one of the baskets in the new closet
  - Hang shelves and framed pictures in Carter's room
- Run three half marathons
- Run 1,000 miles this year

Still thinking if there is anything else I should plan to tackle. May add a few things.