I threw away a breadstick!

Okay, please don't judge me, but the fact is that every Monday I take my kids out for lunch. Yes, our budget is tight, but there a few things that I have built into our lives to help me maintain my sanity. One of those things is Monday lunch-out day.

So, today Becca and Isak wanted to go to the spaghetti house, better known to the rest of the world as Fazoli's. Every time they ask to go to the spaghetti house I groan. Some of you know that I have issues with going out for spaghetti. When I go out to eat, I like to enjoy things that I can't easily make at home. Pasta is such an easy thing to make at home, that going out for it just doens't seem like much of a treat. Additionally, I can't get out of the place without eating two meals worth of points (Weight Watchers) due to the incredibly yummy, buttery, salty breadsticks!

Fortunately today was a YMCA workout day for me, because on those days I earn 10 activity points. 10 points is enough to counteract 3 of those yoummy, buttery, salty artery cloggers! And, as we sat down to eat, I was quite happy with the idea of eating only two of them so that I could save some points for some gooey chocolate carmel candy left for us by the Easter bunny.

We each ate our one breadstick that was given to us with our meals, and I went to get more. I had decided to ask for three, one more for each of us. That was it. No more.

The nice lady at the Fazoli's told me that she would go get them for me. She soon returned with a wrapper filled with SIX of the most soft, butter drenched breadsticks I have ever been served at Fazoli's. Again, I groaned. There was no way I was going to eat only one more! I mean, it is very rare to be served such perfect breadsticks!

Well, to keep this story from getting too long, let me just say that I ate two more breadsticks, Becca ate two more breadsticks, and Isak ate one. Those of you who are really good at math and reading comprehension already realize that there was one breadstick left. Part of me just wanted to eat it. I wasn't hungry. In fact, I was very much not hungry. But I just didn't like the idea of throwing something so perfectly tastey away! I found myself wishing that there was some way that I could preserve its tastiness and mail it to my mom (There are no Fazoli's in Washington and my mom is a big fan!), but Fazoli's breadsticks are really only good for about 10 minutes after they are taken from the oven. Ulitmately I realized that I was either going to have to eat it or throw it away.

Well, from the title of this post you already know the outcome. What you don't know is that this is a HUGE milestone for me! And if I could do it once, I know I can do it again. Now, the question is, can I keep myself away from the gooey chocolate treats piled up on the kitchen counter? I'll let you know.

Surgery

In February Becca had her tonsils and adnoids removed and tubes put in both ears. She was very sweet and grown up while we waited for them to take her back for the procedure, but afterward she very much needed mommy and daddy to calm her down and take care of her.

Initially she did very well and even ate chicken nuggets the day of the surgery! A few days after is when the soreness and discomfort started. It lasted for a week or two and now she is fine. I have been so happy to have my sweet and happy girl back.

The biggest change that we have noticed in her so far is that she doesn't snore anymore. She sleeps so peacefully! Now if I could just find a way to stop Jeremy's snoring!

Becca's Amazing Day

Becca turned 5 on Monday. Here are some of the highlights of her amazing day.

• A whole day with daddy (the school was closed for MLK day, and Jeremy, who had planned on studying/working for a few hours, was easily convinced by Becca to stay home on her special day).


• Lunch and gifts at Grandma and Grandpa Matis' house with Aunt Cori, and cousins Ryan, Kimberly and Katelyn.

• A makeover at Club Libby Lu with cousin Emma

• Dinner at Applebee's finished off with a Barbie birthday cake

• A shopping spree at Build-a-Bear and the Disney Store (her gift from Aunt Jill)

Thanks to everyone who made Becca's day so wonderful! It really was an exciting day! Becca is such an exuberant little girl and she LOVES everything! She is so easy to please and it is so fun to do things for her.

The best part of my day was when we got home at night. It was past the kids normal bedtime and they were exhausted - both had fallen asleep in the car on the drive home. We decided to forego scriptures and prayer and just put them in bed. As I was putting Becca in bed she started crying and said "We haven't even said prayer or anything!"

I had her say a prayer and, without prompting from me, she thanked Heavenly Father that she could have such a special birthday. She fell asleep with a big grin on her face. Wow! I love that little girl!

Day Two of Operation Half-Marathon Number Three - Successful

Yesterday I officially started training for the Indy 500 Festival Mini Marathon 2008.


Yesterday and today I have thought a lot about my progress over the past year. A year ago I officially started training for the Indy 500 Festival Mini Marathon 2007. I had been walking somewhat regularly since the summer of 2006, but in January I tried to kick it into gear. Many times in the past I had said that I was going to participate in the Mini, but this time I was actually registered and I was more determined than ever before to actually do it!

I didn't follow the training program extremely well. I typcically walked 2 miles a few times a week and as the Mini approached did longer walks on the weekends. I figured that anything I did was an improvement and I was happy with that.

When the day of the Mini arrived my goal was to simply cross the finish line, although I must admit that I was skeptical. I had been averaging 16 minute miles, but the furthest I had walked at one time was 8 miles. I really wasn't sure that I could maintain an 18 minute mile for 13.1 miles. I was horrified at the thought that I might not finish the race! Here is a photo of me, pre-race, on May 5, 2007:

Well, I finished. It was one of the most difficult things I have done in my life, but I did it, and the feeling of accomplishment was amazing! I cried as I approached the finish line, partially because I was miserable, but mostly because I had accomplished something that for so long I had wanted to do, but hadn't had the determination and discipline to do it. I was very emotional.

At that point I resolved to participate in more half-marathons, if nothing else to keep me motiviated to exercise. Jeremy and I registered for the Indianapolis Half-Marathon, held on October 20, 2007. Over the months between the Mini and the Indy Marathon I lost 25 pounds and continued to exercise regularly. I was excited because I expected the 13.1 miles to be much easier considering that I was in better shape, I was a little lighter, and the weather was much more tolerable in October than in May. Here is my pre-race photo from the Indy Half-Marathon:

During the Indianapolis Half I started strong, even jogged a bit, but by mile 10 I was running out of energy. It was discouraging when they started following behind us cleaning up cones and signs - apparently we were bringing up the rear. We did eventually make it to the end and I even drummed up enough energy to run across the finish line! And, we didn't bring up the rear - there were two more walkers behind us! I kept telling myself that I hadn't walked any slower than in the Mini, but that the other participants were just faster than in the Mini! Sadly, we learned that we had actually added over a minute to our mile average.

In spite of my disappointment in my lack of improvement, I was thrilled to have completed my second half-marathon and was even more determined to improve. Since October I have continued to exercise regularly (with a brief hiatus over the holidays). Last week as I looked at the training schedules available online I decided that I am ready for a walk/run schedule and to fully commit to run at least part of the Mini in May.

The training starts with a walk/run 3 times a week for 36 minutes each time (3 minutes of walking followed by 1 minute of running repeated 9 times) and cross-training twice a week. This morning I did my first walk/run. I wasn't sure that I would be able to complete it as suggested. I thought that I might complete the first few cycles and then have to walk out the remaining time. As I practically sailed through the walk/run, even extending it a few minutes, I was amazed as I thought back to last year at this time and the change in my ability. All of the effort is worth it, and I can't wait for May!

Just FYI, my ultimate goal is to run my first marathon in January 2012 in the Disney Marathon at Disney World. Anyone want to plan to join me?

Merry Christmas

As blogging has become the rage, I have often considered starting a blog of my very own. I couldn't imagine, however, that there would be many people interested in reading about what happens in our "little corner" of the world. I have come to the conclusion that, while there may not be many of you who will read this blog, those of you who will are worth the effort.

So, one of the Christmas presents that I am offering to those who are interested in what happens in my small part of the world is this newly created blog.

Over the next few weeks I will make a solid effort to share some photos and memories from the past year. Many of you have expressed your frutration with me for not sharing my photos with you. I hope that this will help me do a better job. I also desperately want to get some of my thoughts and recollections from this year put down in some way that is more permanant than my memory so that I don't forget them before I have a chance to scrapbook and journal them.

As it is very late and I haven't downloaded today's photos from the camera yet, I have posted some pictures from a few days ago. Two Sunday's ago, December 16th, our church was cancelled due to weather, so we had some quality family time at home. I had purchased a gingerbread house kit and the kids had been begging Jeremy and I to put it together with them. This was one of the many projects that we did that day to keep us all from getting cabin fever.

One thing to notice in the pictures - Isak is wearing a Pull-Up. Don't get excited. It didn't last long. I was so hoping to get him potty trained over the holidays. He has not even a little bit of interest in it.

Things that I'm sure you will notice even though I wish you wouldn't - I am wearing pajamas in the photos and my hair had not even been combed yet! Oh well.