Sunday, July 30, 2006

People Actually Wanted our Junk

Family yard sale completed and quite successful for everyone but me. I only made $11.00 because I can not will not part with my stuff. My husband did well and made around $145.00 after he paid for his share of the ad. Jamie and Tasha made over $150.00 after ad, Kendra made about $30 after ad, Aunt Denise made $27 (she did not have to pay for the ad b/c she did the dougnut run) and Grandma Sue made $11.00. Not bad. If poor Kendra had not been pregnant she probably would have made many $$$$ on the yard sale as Lucas has all kinds of STUFF. But poor Kendra just does not have the energy to do a whole lot. Who can blame being her since she is 8 months pregnant during a heat wave. Which brings you to my first yard sale story. Lucas has a free standing mixer (every woman's desire) and had not used it ever! So Kendra (who is not all that fond of cooking) decides to sell it. She tells me about it and I said I WANT IT I WANT IT! She says okay but you will have to hide it when Lucas comes over because I am sure he does not want to sell it (she was selling it anyway because he has a serious "LOTS OF STUFF" problem). Well she drops off her stuff at Jamie's house the night before the yard sale. Lucas is helping her unload the stuff and he sees the mixer. He tells her "I am not getting rid of my mixer" She tells him, "But you have NEVER used it". That made no difference to him and in all fairness though he gave up his other treasures without complaint! Kendra assumes since she has told him that it would stay in the yard sale that that was the end of the conversation. However, the next morning when she arrives back to Jamie's to put her stuff out there is NO mixer. She looks high and low but no mixer amid the junk that is our yard sale. She calls and Lucas laughs and pleads innocent. I yelled out so he could hear me over the phone that he "STOLE MY MIXER". He had the nerve to say that if I wanted to borrow it I could. I told him I was not borrowing my own mixer. It is now Sunday and he still has my mixer and I guess when I want it I will have to borrow it...humph.
TWO OLD LADIES COME TO NEAR BLOWS OVER A BOX! Yes, in all the years I have had yard sales and been a yard saler I have NEVER seen a yard sale altercation. My husband was selling a wooden box with some odds and ends hunting stuff. He had it marked for $5.00 which was a real bargin. One of the ladies asked if he would $3.00 for it. My husband says "Hmmm I don't think so" The lady said for him to think about it and let her know if he will. In the meantime another lady (both of them being in their mid sixties) comes up to my husband and says "I'll give you $4.00". He accepts her offer and she carries her box up to the cash out table and sits it next to me and tells me she is going to look around for a little while. Next thing you know I have both of the woman standing in line in front of me. The one that had offered $4.00 for the box was first in line. She put her her purchases on the table and I start adding up and she reminds me to add in the box so I pick up the box and put it with her stuff. The lady behind her (who had offered $3) sees her pick up the box and says" Hey that is mine" The lady said "No it's not I brought it up her" The other lady says, "That man sold it to me" as she pointed to my husband. I am starting to feel very uncomfortable. So I call for my husband. He comes over and the ladies are both talking at the same time and telling him that he sold them the box. My husband tells the one lady that she had offered him $3.00 and had told him to think out it and in the meantime the other lady offered him $4.00 so he took it her offer. The $3.00 told him she WOULD have given him $4.00 if he gave her chance. He told her that since she told him to think about it and walked away that he assumed she was not interested in going up so he sold it to the highest offer. The lady was NOT pleased. By this time I am feeling beyond uncomfortable and blurt out, "Maybe we should be like Solomn and cut the box in half. Who loves the box more" They both stare at me. I look down and mutter I am staying out of this. My husband says, "Well she did offer $4.00" so the lady that offered $4.00 took the box. She looks back at the $3.00 lady says, "I am sorry", my husband says he is sorry, I tell her I am sorry. She looked icely at us and said, "No you're not" The lady says look if it is gonna be a big deal I will let you have the box. The lady says "This is not a big deal" The other lady says, "Well if there is going to be an argument..." The $3.00 lady says, "There is no argument". Which I can most assuredly say THERE WAS AN ARGUMENT.
The rest of the yard sale was uneventfull. I skipped out at noon to attend birthday party. They had a yummy cake and a some awesomely good pasta salad (which I am going to have to get the receipe for). The birthday girl turned one and was quite happy with all the birthday attention! She is a smiley smiley girl! After the birthday party back to the yard sale for final shutdown. We marked stuff down to 1/2 price at the very end but still did not sell much. Nobody bought the wedding dress... The one person that looked at it was told by me that my daughter (and I pointed to her) had never actually worn it. Then my daughter says Mom I look kinda pregnant (she is 8 months along) and that sounds kinda of wrong...so then I had to tell the man that, "Oh she did get married just not in that dress" He laughs and says it would not fit his girlfriend anyway because she is very SKINNY. I told him, "Yeah we don't have that problem in our family" and then he says, "You are full bodied woman" (I am sitting there, Tasha (who is in fact skinny), Kendra (who is 8 months pregnant) and my Mom). When he leaves Tasha says we should have hit him...I am just hoping he meant something else and the way it came out was just poor english speaking skills since he was Hispanic.
Final Thought: Yard sales are hard work! Multi families are the worst because you have to track different people's sale.

Oops off for my run...bloggin lost track of time...I am going to be late late late!

Back from the run...did walk, run for about 7 miles. Not gonna worry about walking and running because I am going to assume that just the fact that I am out there working is going to make a big improvement in my winter time. So no more complaining about the heat. I am just going to do what I can do and this winter if my time is not better THEN I will be upset.

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Food, Fairs, Birthdays and Hotness

Happy One Day Before their Birthdays to Grandma Casey and Tasha!
I am cooking Tasha her birthday dinner tonight which I hope she will enjoy!
Chicken and Noodles
Mashed Potatoes
GreenBeans
Broccoli/Carrots
Deviled Eggs
Apple Pie.

The Y is closed and I am having Y withdrawl. Monday morning a few of the diehard Y members met in the parking lot and we did a little bootcamp class. About 1 1/2 mile run..which I started out so strong and then just petered out...probably because I was still recovering from my totally crappy Sunday, my ears were plugged, my eyes were burning, could not stop coughing...sounds like an allergy things...anyway after that Mike attempted to lead us in a follow the leader run...however 3 of his 4 followers quit running and started walking , yes I was one of them, so he reevaluated and we did sprints. Which I did most we11! We then did a obstacle course run (5 times) which included run a small set of steps, run down a hill, go across the monkey bars and then do some chin ups (or try), run up the hill and start over with the steps...etc.... A good workout and thanks to Mike for leading us and to Jill for suggesting that we all get together to do this. Tuesday I was suppose to run which turned into a 1 1/2 mile run and a 1 1/2 mile walk. My left knee was bothering me...not that it hurt so much as just felt "used up" and kinds of creaky so that is why I started walking. Today was 6 1/2 mile bike ride, which I enjoyed tremendously! I would have rode longer but ran out of time. I did notice that my heart rate never gets up except if I hit some hills so probably need to pick a route with more hills. Tomorrow may be a 3 mile run if my knee feels good, Then Friday meeting back up at the Y and then Saturday morning going to try for three miles. Next week is the Jubiliee Run on Saturday so I am going to only do 3 miles on Tuesday and 3 on Thursday and then the run on Sunday and if I feel like it another 3-4 on Sunday...then it is back on track and have to get those long runs back in because the Pumpkin Push is right around the corner.

Food went better last weekend then it has in the past but still need to get much more control. Friday night I did awesome though! (Did I mention that my weekends start on Friday after I get off work?) I even did good at the fair when I went last night (for me that is, because fair food brings out the gluttonous side of Kim). I had a ribeye sandwhich and yes I ate the grease soaked bun!! Ymmmmy. Also had a milkshake and a small back of popcorn (no butter though). I finished off my evening with a salad so I could get my vegatables. I was so going to get an elephant ear but the line was LONG. I decided it was not worth a 30 minute wait to get something I should not be eating in the first place...and I passed on the foot dog corn dog ( I do so love corndogs) because it cost $5.00. I can't believe it but Frugal Kim actually beat out Gluttenous Kim! Kim at the fair is very much like Templeton at the fair (Charlotte's Web). If you don't remember the scene where he is at the fair I encourage you to watch Charlotte's Webb and picture my head on Templeton's body!!!!

Time to go suffer and eat my cauliflower...it is very hard to enjoy raw vegatable when you know there are noodles, mashed potatoes and pie awaiting me at home. I suffer...oh how I suffer and all this suffering and I DON'T EVEN LOOK HOT I JUST LOOK AVERAGE.....surely as hard as I work I should look like Jessica Simpson...perhaps I really do I am just seeing a distorted image in my mirror at home??? Hmmm I will go home tonight and ask my darling if he thinks I am as hot as Jessica Simpson? Do you think he will say yes??? Hmmmm I am thinking if he does not want baked chicken every night for the next six months he better say, "Oh baby you are much hotter then Jessica Simpson" Sigh....its a good thing I like chicken......sigh

Saturday, July 22, 2006

IT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER

I can't believe it but my time was 33 seconds slower then in the burning heat I endured for the Zoo Run! 34:55. Why? I directly attribute that time to my workout for the week
Monday: Spinning and 1 1/2 mile jog
Tuesday: 6 mile walk/Jog and Lifting
Wednesday: 45 minutes elitical going from resistance 8-12 in 10 minute segments
Thursday: SUCCESSFUL 5 miles in 88% humidity and Lifting
Friday: 1 Hour Spinning class/ and Power Hour which had us doing light jogging then pairing up to sprint and then assorted other boot camp tortures (including many many squats and many many lunges)
Saturday: 5k
I was so MAD at myself! My first mile time was pretty good 11:02 at 1 mile, 22:03 at 2nd mile and from there I slowed down and walked/jogged/sprinted....However when I came in the chute I came in ON FIRE! I could not even slow down!
I was talking to my son and he said I should have not done so many miles on Thursday and should have rested on Friday. I think at the very least I should have just done the spinning class and then went home. When I got up Saturday morning my legs were sore (not a bad sore just a "boy I really used my legs sore" the "take an aspirin and get up and move around sore". ) The next 5k is scheduled for August 5, that week I will do my long run on Tuesday, Wednesday do swimming and Thursday do just 2-3 miles and then Friday just do ONE class...probably spinning. Then hopefully I will have a better time on the 5k. Just my luck I will probably have a great get ready week and then it will be like 100 degrees the day of the race. I know that sounds like alot of excuses for my not improving my time but I really feel that is the case and not just that I did not push hard. BONUS: I found another lady about my age, my size and my speed and got her name and number and hope to hook up with her to do some training! I have been looking for someone along time and I hope this pans out!

Grandchildren: I stopped by to say hey to my dear sweet children today. We drove by my son's house because we were on our way to a garage sale and what should we see but the most adorable baby in her saucer looking out the window. My daughter says, "Mom that was Carissa in the window we gotta stop" So I put the car in reverse and popped into say hello! My daughter in law is looking FABULOUS. She has lost all her baby weight and then some. I don't know how she did it so fast! Tyson was all geared up because his Grandma Debbie was picking him up to take him to a festival. He came out to see me and gave me a big hug! He is such a good boy and I love him dearly. Today I bought him a little suprise, nothing big, just a little something I think a boy would like. I HAVE to make time soon to keep him overnight!!!! Baby Carissa was a happy smiling baby and she reached out with BOTH arms to me and stretched toward me so I would pick her up! She claps and can sorta of wave Bye Bye. Her mother was holding her and she nestles her face into her mother's shoulder and it looks so sweet it makes you want to cry! Oh and soon soon Baby Adam will be here! I can't wait to see my baby grandson!
Okay I am off to the bowling alley. I am not sure I will bowl as my body is quite sore but maybe I will just go up and hang out with some family.

Upcoming: Birthdays July 27: Tasha and Grandma Casey
Family Yard Sale: July 29
26 Wedding Anniversary and 5k: August 5

Thursday, July 20, 2006

I LOVE THE CALORIE COUNT AND MENTAL HURDLE

I have decided I need to get serious and try to get another 25 pounds off. This is not for shallow cosmetic reasons but rather shallow I want to run faster reasons. I found www.calorie-count.com and it is AWESOME. You put in all your information and then you can start logging in your food (great database of foods)and it calculates calories etc... you can also put in your activity and it gives a general idea of calories burned. As of lunch I am operating on a calorie deficit....go Kim go. Check it out it is AWESOME.

Exercise: Yeah Baby almost 5 miles (a little less then 1 hour)and no walking....in 77 degrees with 88% humity. After checking the tempeture the original plan was to do the treadmill but I need to learn to overcome my fear of the heat and jump that mental hurdle. So outside it was! I told myself no walking unless I broke something (and it would have to be a lower extremity item...arms, fingers etc...keep running) or a diabetic coma and no CRYING on the route. One of the guys at the Y was talking about increasing your discomfort level and boy did I do that! I went right over the top because I COULD NOT BREATHE! I told myself to suck it up and I could breathe when I got back to the Y. I then did a little lifting after my run. I had many thought of stopping during my run but told myself I need to quit being a baby and toughen up...like my son said, I got to get out of my comfort level. (though I might add he gave this piece of advice from the SIDELINES UNDER A SHADED TREE!) However, he is 100% right! I am going to do a 5k this Saturday with another girl from the Y and my goal is for 33 minutes. It is going to be cooler but still warm so we will see......

Good day for Kim so far!

****BABY ADAM UPDATE**** Kendra just returned from her ultra sound (had another one based on the growing girth of Momma!) He is still expected to arrive the last week of August. However, as of today he weighs almost 7 pounds. We should have an over 8lb Baby Adam. Baby Adam is gonna play FOOTBALL!

Sunday, July 16, 2006

I'M SO EXCITED AND I JUST CAN'T HIDE IT!

I just got my Zoo Run Run time and it was 34:23! My last 5k in December was 33.43 so I was less then 1 minute over my December run....AWESOME because it was baking hot...in the mid 80's with humidity of over 65%.... the run did not start till 8:20 am. (I despise mid morning runs)I hate the heat...I suffer in the heat...I am slow...I am sluggish ...I truely felt like I was moving in slow motion.....and I was less then a minute under my best winter time despite the adverse conditions....As usually I began the run by whining and complaining about the humitity and the burning hot sun. During the zoo run I drank gatorade. I have never ever drank gatorade but thought I needed it because of the heat. All the gatorade did was give me immense stomach cramps.. and so what did I do at the next hydration station....yes, I am stupid I picked more gatorade....stomach continued to cramp up! I thought I was going to hurl throughout the entire race. However I refrained because I did not want the people behind me( yes there WERE PEOPLE behind me...and not just the walkers...other runners/joggers as well) to have to step over my hurlage. During the whole run I had this lady in a pink hat in front of me. I would catch her then she would pull ahead...we did that the entire time till the last stretch and then I OVERTOOK HER! Yeah Kim!!! I picked my person (like I have been told to do) and pursued and overtook her...granted it took the entire race but in the end I was first thru the chute. I even gave a big push...might not have looked that way but it felt that way, to try to get in before the clock turned another second. My son said I had a horrible look on my face....that my dear boy is the look of pain and concentration! Ultimately my results from this run mean that my winter time should be much improved! I ROCK! I will keep up with the speed work...I will keep up with the tempo runs...I will keep up with the long runs...I can feel my 9.5 minute mile....it is slow close...it is just some training and a few lost pounds away. I think this all may be paying off...all the stiffness..all the cramping....all the exhaustion. I AM GOING TO OBTAIN my goal...perhaps this December..unless of course we get a heat wave in December.
FYI: I rode my bike up to the 5k run and rode my bike home afterwards...GO KIM GO!
FYI: The man in the wheelchair (from the Hog Jog) was there and he PASSED me again. I told him "Hey I was at the Hog Jog and you passed me then and now you are passing me again???" He laughed. Later I told him at the next race I was throwing some cinder blocks on his chair.
FYI: I will no longer be choosing gatorade at the hydration stations....

Baby Shower: We had Kendra's Baby shower on Saturday. She got so many lovely gifts. This baby is one lucky boy to have so many people looking forward to his arrival. He will be most cherished...especially by his Grandma Kim. Attendees were: Me, My Co-Grandma Martha, G-Ma C (a/k/a Slug), Grandma Sue, Aunt Tasha, Aunt Hee Hee, Amanda, Amber, Aunt Carol, Aunt Betty, Aunt Tina, Jenny and Sherry.

Tyson: All healed from his bike wreck...just a little pink skin on his face...other then that he is good as new! His teeth do not seem to be damaged. He is back on his bike and as rowdy as ever! No more zig zagging Ty!!!

Carrisa: Sits up all by herself! It is so cute though because when she does fall over she sort of looks like a beetle on it's back. She tips then her feet are up in the air. She is also being introduced to the wonderful world of vegatables and seems to like all the yellows...but is less then thrilled with the greens.

Sunday: My children/grandchildren/my mother, came over to my house for a belated birthday dinner. They gave me some beautiful family photos and my son James included a poem he had written. I will be posting that shortly and I will scan the pictures of my children/grandchildren. What wonderful children I have been blessed with and when I say my children I mean Kendra, Lucase, James, Tasha, Brad and Natalie.

Workout: This morning: Spinning class and about 1 1/2 mile jog.

Tomorrow: Hopefully at least 5-5 1/2 mile run and lifting

Wednesday: Swimming

Thursday: 6 sets of 1/2 mile walk/1/2 mile run for a total of 3 miles

Friday: Spinning and Power Hour

Saturday: Perhaps another 5k

Sunday: Rest

EGO LEVEL: 1,000000000% I am in danger of my head exploding!

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Tough Guy



Per Ty's permission here are the pictures. I went to see him last night and little boys heal fast. He looks much different from the pictures. Evidently his mishap did not scar him mentally because he was ripping up and down the sidewalk on his bike last night. **Note the swelling of the face**** His teeth are firming back up in the socket! All I can says is "Ouch!"

Monday, July 10, 2006

ROUND ONE GOES TO THE BIKE

While Grandma was off enjoying herself poor Ty got into a battle with his bike. The bike won this time. I am so proud of this kid because he has already gotten on his bike again! He has several loose adult teeth, the entire side of his face has MAJOR road rash, one sprained pinkie and a skinned up knee. What a boy...way to suck up the pain Ty! Ty if you want your pictures posted on the blog let me know...they were pretty awesomely gross! I will come see you this week and bring you a "Hope you heal fast" present! I love you Tyson! Well time for this girl to go to sleep and try to regain her lost hours of sleep....I have a Zoo run run this weekend and it gonna be the hottest day of the year...thank goodness it is only a 5k because I am a major baby about the heat! So lots of rest and lots of water this week and NO MORE DESSERTS!

Back from Michigan

Well I am back from my long weekend in Michigan.

Friday:My sister (Denise/Aunt HeHe) headed out Friday morning after I completed my spinning and power hour classes. We rented a really nice car. It was a NEW CAR and quite nice with all sorts of bells and whistles. ! Off we go....and the eating begins. Despite having had a bowl of oatmeal with fresh blueberries, I consumed a biscuit and some sausage gravy before we were even out of town. Who would have thought that a gas station would sell killer biscuits and gravy! Ymmmm. About an hour down the road, Denise says what kinda of snacks did you bring. I tell her, pretzels, blueberries and cherries and diet sodas. She did not look impressed...she asked if that was it and looked for sad when I said yes. She sighs but perks up at the first sight of a yard sale. Lo and behold we found several yards sales on way out of town on State Road 26. So of course we have to stop. Picked up a few baby toys here and there and heart healthy cookbook (which no one in my family will want me to use). Once we made it thru Rossville we were good to go till we got close to Fort Wayne and then....OUTLET STORES! Stopped did some shopping, found a great place to eat lunch (Clay's Family Rest.) To sum it up quickly due to the many many outlet stores on the way to Michigan it tooks us 12 hours to make a 5 hour trip to Milford Michigan. My Aunt called and said "Aren't you guys here yet" We had to tell her ...welllllllllllll there are ALOT of outlet stores. We made it into town....hotel not all that great for the money but adequate. Checked in and then went to Aunt Connie's house and played a really fun card game called Ziggity. Stayed there till about 11:00 pm then headed out to find something to eat. Warning NOTHING is open in Milford after 9:00 even on the weekends. We finally found a Big Boy Restaraunt on the highway. The food not good, service not good but they had a yummy Oreo Mud Pie! Late late when we got home and I had a 6 mile slated for the next morning. I was not to sure about running in the area as we were right on a highway, so I had earlier (before going to Aunt Connie's) checked out the gym across the road in the strip mall. They sold one day passes and it was a ONE room gym with treadmills so close to each other my sweat would have probably dripped all over the other person.

Saturday: Got up at 6:00 a.m. Ug late night and my body was protesting the early time and the thought of running. Mentally scolded myself and got my lazy butt out of bed. Decisions decisions decision...risk my life running MI-59 or bore myself to death by doing six miles on the treadmill. Decided I would risk life and limb over the boring treadmill. Lucky Kim...MI-59 had a semi sidewalk running along the side of the highway....that was it...no six miles of treadmill for this girl. I thought it would be a tortourous run but it was awesome. I only had to walk 2 five minute segments. I think it might have been that I was in a new place because it certainly wasn't because I had enough rest, water or good foods. Now mind you I don't break any speed records but I was steady. People were staring....haven't you people ever seen a little fat woman run along the highway???? After that I was so HOT that I VOLUNTARIALY SWAM! However before swimming the pool had to be cleaned because the drunks had gone into the pool the night before and threw all the chairs, chaise lounges, table umbrellas, rugs, small tables and beer cans into the pool. When I first walked in I could see the chairs in the pool but then it sort of looked like a reflection so I walked over to the pool...nope pool filled with lawn furniture. Told the front desk...they were NOT happy....so they got the pool clean ( I helped) and then I could swim. After that went back to the room to get my sister and we went to the continental breakfast where I proceeded to eat my weight in biscuits and honey. Then it was off to some YARD SALES...yes we went to another state to yard sale! I got some awesome baby toys! During the yard sale my eyes began to burn and fog up because I had not used my goggles when swimming. Was it the chlorine or did all the drunks pee in the pool and I had Urine burned eyes? Who knows? I keep telling my self it was probably just the chlorine but I am still slightly sickened by the thought that I may have been swimming in a cocktail of chlorine, budwieser and urine. Anyway we stopped to get me some drops for my eyes because by this time I was darn near blind and upon my SISTER'S SUGGESTION I got some Clear Eyes AC which I enthustically dropped into my eyes,...and HOLY MOLY it burned like crazy. I thought my retinas were being burnt right out of my eye sockets...I am moaning, tears were streaming down my face...I had my eyes clenched shut because when I opened them it felt like flames were shooting out of my eyes (sort of like the guy in Xmen)...Denise is laughing. She says, "Oh yeah that stuff burns really bad when you put it in" After I recovered my sight it was time to head to Aunt Connies, for fun and food. My cousin Daniel was there. I have not seen him since he was a very small boy. I also saw my cousins Gayle and Darla. I also got to meet Gayle's son David and of course I had already met her husband and Darla's husand and Darla's two itty bitty girls. We also were introduced to Dan's girlfriend, Julie. We played a great game of scrabble which I lost (not my fault I got 1 and 2 point letters the entire game....okay maybe some poor playing on my part). We had to keep track of the words we made because then we used the words to play a sentence game...which again I lost...sigh...then we played another sentence game and I LOST again. Aunt Connie's kids whipped us bad on games. They are very intelligent people I think they got all the elite genes and we got the "factory second genes". Oh well we might not be smart but we are sneaky and crafty...(surely that has to be of some value), however, it won't get us a Porsche (well maybe those skills would help us steal a porsche). After our family day, which was filled with laughter, Denise, Aunt Connie, Uncle Dan and myself headed to a town where they were having a fair. Woooo HOOOOOO we got to play BINGO!!!! Foreigner was playing, but the tickets were $35.00 and I was not paying $35.00 to see aging rock stars...unless of course it was someone like hmmmmm John Mellencamp or Jon Bon Jovi. Okay back to the hotel where Kim falls into bed.

Sunday: Woke up thinking I should run...laid in bed decided noooooo I will just lay here....it was almost 2:00 before I had gotten to sleep and it was now 6:30 a.m. Finally decided that I could swim a little. Did some laps...wearing my goggles this time. By the time I got back and showered Denise was getting up. I am a bad travel companion and told her I was not waiting for her to shower I was going to go have coffee...which turned into having coffee and mulitple donuts. Checked out of the hotel and stopped by Aunt Connie's to tell her goodby....read her paper and EUREKA! There was an IKEA ad. If there is an IKEA one must go...so we went and spent like 2 1/2 hours in IKEA. Would have spent more time but we went with Aunt Connie and Uncle Dan and they are not professional shoppers like Denise and I so we went easy on them. After that it was off for a Mexican lunch with Aunt Connie and Uncle Dan. Bid them farewell and we were on the road for home. Just a few pit stops on the way home. Denise and I were punchy from lack of sleep and kept laughing about things that my not have actually been funny...well no now that I think back they were actually funny! Denise do you remember: Pets for Melissa, a certain song on the radio, paint scrapers, being late to birthday parties, and chain saws? Thanks for the fun and all the laughter...there is NOTHING like a sister!

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Hard to Top the Thief but Things I Found Funny

1) Brad saying (while we are blowing off our fireworks), "Next year we should post a sign out front that says CAUTION IDIOTS AT PLAY." This gets PHRASE OF THE DAY!
2) Seeing the firework committee dive for safety as their firework flipped sideways. FYI this year's firework committee :Jerry, Brad, James, Lucas, Roger (head firework lighter), and newest member for 2006...Amber.
3) Watching Tyson as he looked longingly upon the Firework Committee. He so wants to be on the committee and can't be till at LEAST age 12! At age 12 you still only have a limited responsiblity level. He stands on the very edge of the safety zone and just looks so excited. He is our firework committee apprentice. He gets to take the fireworks to the fire works table and hand some fireworks to a committee member.
4) Seeing the excited faces as I hand out glow sticks bracelets.....the excited faces were from the grownups.
5) Seeing and HEARING Abby (age 3) tearing into the house sreaming, "Ahhhhhh its too loud....I need cotton for my ears"
6) Carissa's face when the non noisy just sparkly firework went off...she just looked sort of mesmerized. Had that Snake Charmer kinda look on her face.
7) Tyson saying and sounding very disappointed that, "No one caught on fire this year" He was referring to last year when a little spark started to smolder on Roger's pants.
8) Mom saying something about someone thinking she is crazy because????? I did not get that part but then Tasha says "No thats not why we think your crazy".
9) Hearing Jamie tell his Grandma "Sorry I took you out" during the poker game. I told him there is no apologizing to Grandmas at the poker table. Also new poker rule established: no kissing at the poker table unless you are going to kiss all the poker players.
And finally NUMBER 10 and my VERY VERY FAVORITE
10) Jamie a/k/a Big Daddy lobbing a handful of fireworks at Aunt Denise's feet in my kitchen....she freaks, screams and kicks them away (see prior entry with regard to legs as weapons). They were not lit! Hahhaha I laughed my rear off. She is bad bad bad about self preservation as she kicked the fireworks away from her but toward other people. I have to say I am VERY IMPRESSED with her reaction time...those fireworks had not even stopped and she had them kicked away!

So many other funny things that it would take hours to right them down...those were just some of my favorites from this year.
Touching my heart: Hearing Abby saying, "kimmie I need a kiss before I go home" and getting a big big bug hug from Tyson when he left.

And to Jail He Went Jiggity Jig

Good Company, Good Food, Good Fireworks, Theft...we had it all! Theft??? Hmmm I bet you might be a tad curious as to that. My neice had driven over and come into the house carrying her 2 year old nephew since she was only going to be in the house long enough to lay him on the couch she left her purse in the car. When she came out their was a young man in her car. He could have been between the age 17-21. But I think probably closer to the younger end. He sees her comes out and backs out of the car and bends over his bike which was laying right next to the car. She starts yelling and he starts yelling back at her (why he did not take off at this point I don't know). He calls her many names which I won't blog and says she is only accusing him because he is black. Of course his being IN Amanda's car had nothing whatsoever to do with her accusing him of stealing! He keeps yelling at her (and keeps up the name calling) and says "Man, I was just fixing the chain on my bike." My husband hears Amanda yelling and runs outside and goes over to the car. The young man at this point tries to ride off. My husbands says, "Dude you are not going anywhere" He then proceeds to tell yell and scream at my husband telling him, "You don't know who you are dealing with". Meanwhile Amanda is gathering the contents of her purse together, which were strewn over her car seat. While she is taking inventory I told the guy if you didn't take anything empty your pockets. He glares at me and pats his pockets and says I don't have anything. I told him don't just pat your pockets down empty them. Meanwhile Amanda has determined that all her money and cards were still there. The guy's aggressiveness and agitation increases and my husband takes a closer step. I then get worried because I don't want my husband to get into an altercation so I step between them. Probably not so smart on my part, but I come from a long line of hillbilly women and sometimes we think we are badder then what we probably are. Meanwhile inside the ranch, G-Ma C is calling 911 and giving a totally accurate description to the police (including earring in ear...how observant is she? I think she should be a dispatcher) My husband finally tells the guy (since he did not actually get anything) to get going and to not come around here anymore. The guy rides off (on the bike that supposedly had a chain problem) just in time for our LPD to turn the corner and go in "pursuit mode" They catch him and lo and behold he has an outstanding warrant for him. So jiggity jig off to jail he goes. No fireworks for him!
Here are my thoughts on this event:

Race: Our family does not care if you are white, black or purple. We don't like it when people get in our car and try to steal our poker money.

Why He Picked the Wrong House/Car
A. We have a woman that can spend 24/7 on the telephone. She can dial 911 faster then people can says 911. She is also cranky and has been just looking to call the cops on someone.

B. A neighborhood full of elderly people and he picked that car that was right in front of the house that was hosting a party of redneck, hillybilly, PMSing (for the women), mentally deranged men and women (and that is the nice side of the family).

C. We are armed. My men they love their weapons...guns, knives, and bows. The woman in our family can improvise weapons...a bat, a shovel, a broom...we will pick up anything within our reach and strike with it, and if we can't find something most of us will kick as we have legs as strong as donkey legs (on account of all the shopping we do)....as for myself I can swing a mean meat hammer and I got legs that could probably kick that guy clean into next week (thanks to the leg press, squats, and calf raises).

D. He was only going to get $7.00 in cash.

So all in all a poor choice of victim made by this young man! He was probably safer with the police as our family as a "mob mentality" (not as in "The Mob" find youself with cement shoes but "mob" as you get one of us worked up we all get worked up!)

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Mike's Tour of Duty

Sung as Cadence: "Here we go running down the road, Big Mike telling us how fast to go, Kim drop down and give me 10 then get up and run again"
Julie our power instructor was MIA so Mike stepped up to bat. I have likely mentioned Mike over the past year. He was the one that helped me thru my first 5K (and so gratefully for that because I would have quit if not for him). I enter the gym he advises that he saw me "running" on Sunday. He asked out far I went I said 3 then a break then 4. He asked if I had taken the spinning class that morning. I affirmed that I had. He asked if I could run a little more. I say sure I can do a little more. Well a marathon runners idea of a little more and my idea of a little more or about 2 1/2 miles difference. I was thinking more like 1/2 mile. He was thinking a 5k. So off we went on what he called, "Mike's Tour of Duty". Walk a little, jog a little, run a little, then drop and do 10 pushups. We did that thru the 5k and increasing the pushups at each stop till we got to 20 pushups on our home lap. The humity was like 100%. My clothes and hair were stuck to me like glue. When I went in the Y, one of the woman said, "Hey your suppose to shower after class not during". I was dripping sweat everywhere I walked. Mike's parting words to us were, "There now you got some cushioning to eat on the 4th". He is a good instuctor and makes you push. My foot does not hurt today. I thought it might after 2 days of running. Just a little tender and my knee is talking to me. Not to bad. Today, however, it is all about the bike. I am getting ready to head out the door. I am going to ride for about an hour and 15 minutes. If I was a good girl I would then run also but I am not feeling like being a good girl today. The family will be coming over this evening for a cookout. I have my portion of food done, Jello cake, Tex Mex and Baked Beans in addition I am furnishing the hotdogs, brats and buns. I was so proud of myself because I did that all last night. I also started packing my suitcase in anticipation of my trip to Michigan this weekend. Go Kim Go way to not procratinate!
Phrase of Day" Are you going to run with the monkeys?"
***Made in reference to the upcoming Zoo Run****

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Athena----Goddess of Chub?

I was doing some research the other day and came upon some information. Men that run who are over 200 pounds are referred to as Clysdales... while female runners over 150 pounds are referred to as Athenas. Hmmmm, now I don't believe in Mythology but Athena in Greek Mythology is the Goddess of Wisdom and Military Victory. Now while I don't think it would be all that flattering to be known as a Clysdale, the term "Athena" aint all that bad. I think it might have a better ring to it then Kim the Warrior Princess. Some races even have catagory for "Athena" and "Clysdale" so that the larger runner can better judge him/her self against their peers. I think that is an awesome idea! Face it a woman of 170 pounds is not going to be able to move as fast as a 120 pound woman. You throw a 50 pound backpack on that 120 pound woman and she is going to substantial slow down. Now I don't really care if I ever weigh 120 pounds but I would at least like to be a 150 pounds. My legs, ankles, and feet would like that as a well. I have no aspirations to be "fast" runner but I would love to be a "steady paced" runner. You know the middle of the pack group.
Iwas advising my husband of my desire to be a "middle of the packer" and how hard I was going to work and what a struggle it was going to be when he said, in a desire to be supportive"Now remember Kim you are a grandmother and you are going into your golden years so maybe you should take it a little easy" (at least this is more or less what he said, interpretation might be slightly skewed due to PMS) I then, in my altered PMS mode, heard the words bulky and building up muscle mass. I stared at him and said, "So you think I am fat" He looked slightly, no make that completely, horrified (and scared) that that is the way I interpreted what he just said. Poor man says, "Noo Noooo Nooo you look great. You have done an amazing job. How many other people can say the lost over 100 pounds". So at this point I decided, based on my PMS symptoms, that I should stop the converstation there. While I might have quit discussing it, my mind was going 100 miles per minute. Yes, I eat too much on the weekend, yes I need to lose 20 pounds, yes I am a grandmother, NO I AM NOT in my golden years. Iam 43 soon to be 44.
So addressing the issues:
Being A Grandmother. I love being a grandmother. However, that does not mean I lose my coolness ranking upon the birth of grandchildren. I will run a 10k and I WILL run a Mini! Matter of fact I plan on doing that when I am a GREAT GRANDMOTHER. I want my grandchildren to see that their grandmother is not just the traditional cookie baking grandmother but she can bake cookies and be an "Athena". I hope at least one of my grandchildren will be at the finish line this May for the Mini! After it is over we can sit down and eat Grandma's home baked cookies while I tell them how sore Grandma's Glutes and Quads are.

DIET: So goodby pizza on Fridays, goodby mulitple desserts on the weekend, goodby eat whatever you want on the weekend and hello to menus and one dessert per weekend and lots of veggies and lots of fruit. I have advised my husband that he will see red meat no more then two days a week. He looked quite sad when I told him that. He says, "Why do I have to suffer" and I told him because I don't believe in suffering alone. When I suffer I want everyone to know it and suffer with me.

This morning I ran about 3 miles to my son's house, was going to get a drink out of his hose, his hose was not working, decided I was really thirsty and would wake him up. I rang his doorbell, I banged on his door. He did not answer so I had to go bang on his bedroom window to wake him up. He comes to the door, "Man what do you want" I respond, "Let me in I am thirsty" He lets me in, I get my drink. He asked if I ran all the way there I said I did with about 5 minute of walking. He says, "Good job". I hang around around 15 minutes to cool down because I was HOT HOT HOT. By the way Tasha, you are an excellent housekeeper...that house was spotless and it smelled GOOD. Off I go jogging with a little bit of walking (not a whole lot) to finish up with almost 7 miles. I incorporated one big big hill which I had to walk run up and one big big set of stairs on another big hill. The stairs go up a hill to a school. Oh and I do so love the downhill miles. I can breath and I never ever have to stop....This Athena LOVES DOWN HILL.
I think I could have made it farther if I had eaten a bananna before I started this morning but I was running on a totally empty stomach and it is hard work for an Athena to run that far.

UPDATES for the Month of July:
Fourth of July Picnic: Commences at 4:00 pm on Tuesday.
July 7-9: Me and Aunt Denise going on a much needed R&R trip
Baby Shower: July 15, 2006, at 4:00
July 15, 2006: 5k Zoo Run
July 22, 2006 5k Run for Alana
July 29, 2006 Broncho Run
Birthdays: Tasha and Grandma Casey on July 27!

My husband has now looked over my shoulder and said, "Who the heck is Athena". I tell him I am Athena and that he should no longer refer to me as Kim but Athena. He rolls his eyes and says I am not Athena I am a dork.

Signed
Athena -Running Woman of Chub (That will now be my official title and I expect my family to refer to me as such)