nearly spring now - oy vey!

Where to start after such a long silence?  Thank you for all the comments to encourage me back.

I have enjoyed these few months of not giving in to the pressure to blog regularly, or even sporadically.  This has certainly been the longest stretch of inactivity since I started blogging in June 2006.  Actually, Paul started my blog.  He did one post and told me I should take over.  Take it over, I did!  I really do love the creative outlet it provides, as well as knowing that my efforts are appreciated by those who want to keep up with our little family.  As my old blog said, "little moments make life big".  So what was it that put a damper on my desire or ability to document those little moments?  Now the task of catching up seems so daunting.  It may have had a little something to do with this creature ...



He's a busy one!  And he adores me.  I'm so thankful for his admiration.  He wants my undivided attention.  ALL THE TIME!  Keeping a smile on that sweet little face is easier when I have both hands free and am not sitting in my computer chair.  He's pretty clear on that expectation.  Literally, if I sit down on this here chair ... (photo taken just moments ago, thanks to "Photo Booth" on my new imac. :) ...



... he goes all crazy like.  So, with this busy little boy and the other two crazies ... I don't have time in the day to sit an lollygag on my computer.  I'm able to handle emails and facebook checks, but anything that requires the formation of more than 3 sentences has proven to be a struggle. (Proof that my writing skills are rusty - I just typed "stuggle".  Nice.)

Next best time for catching up online is in the evenings.  Several of these have been taken up with my new little business venture.  This continues to flourish.  I'm pleased to say I've been the top seller in my "unit" of 100 other consultants for the last two months.  Not bad for starting only four months ago! So if I'm not out, actually doing a presentation, I often spend my evenings processing orders and answering customer emails. I really enjoy this "job", and that the whole family can have a part.  Next time I have an order arrive, I'll try to take a picture of my little helpers, and the big supervisor.

My weight loss competition is in the final 5 weeks.  Although not on par with the weekly weight loss goal I had set, I'm pleased with my progress.  I've lost 5.4 pounds in 9 weeks.  Since I'm the type of person who will wait till the last minute to do something that has a deadline, I'm feeling the crunch. What I really need to be feeling is the crunchies - as in, sit-ups!  I've continued with the Couch to 5K running program, although stalled out a bit when on holidays over Spring Break.  I just barely completed a 20 minute run with no breaks near the third week of February (I think).  The following week I was supposed to do one day of 3 smaller intervals with 2 walk breaks, one day of 2 x 10 minute runs with one walk break, then one day with one 25 minute run.  I've alternated between the 3-runs and the 2-runs for about two weeks.  This week I plan to do two days of 2 x 10 minute runs with one 3 minute walk break and finish with the 25 minute run on Sunday.  The running alone isn't enough exercise to reach the goals I've set, especially considering I haven't been entirely careful with my food choices.  Overall, I know that I am off to a good start.  I know I won't actually win the competition (there are some real go-getters in the group), but I have appreciated the accountability it has provided to get me more active on a regular basis.  I intend to maintain my running 2-3 times per week.  Max's school participates in a smaller version of the Run for Water.  I heard about friends who did it last year and couldn't fathom participating.  I'll be at the school event and then join the community event a few days later.  Yikes, I just noticed that I could register for it right this very minute!  I'm confident that I'll be able to run that distance if I follow the training schedule.  If I'm to reach my goal of 20 pounds lost by April 27th, I'm going to have to dust off the 30 Day Shred dvd that I had been doing at the start.  I stopped doing it because I found it tricky to do push-ups with a 20 pound child trying to catch a ride on my head.

And so.  Yes, I really have missed writing and sharing with you here, and I really hope I can find a groove and routine that will free up some more time to do that.  We plan to cancel our cable subscription this spring, after all our favourite shows end for the season.  The time spent is the clearest reason for it, and the money saved will be a nice bonus too.  When we realized the money we spend on tv over a year would almost be enough to pay for a week of family camp ... that kind of sealed the deal.  We'll be saving our pennies (and selling a lot of spices!) for this little machine.  It would allow us to choose and pay for only what we want to watch, when we want to watch it!  We're looking forward to breaking the habit of having the tv on "just because", and taking better control of quantity and content ... for all of us.  I've hinted at it once or twice to Max, and he's not yet convinced.  I suspect he'll come around pretty quick when the hazelnuts start to drop and he can sell them to all our unsuspecting visitors and neighbours.

I almost forgot!  Here's the link to the photos I posted to Facebook tonight. Just December for now.

Enjoy!