Drumroll please…

So I didn’t say anything last week, but I decided I was ready to join Weight Watchers again.  Tonight was my first weigh in and I’m quite pleased with the 5.6 pound loss!  It’s a little tricky this time because I can’t help but think back on my progress last year, even though the circumstances are completely different.  I haven’t begun thinking about a major exercise regime yet, but hope to get back into that groove before too long. 

As has been my custom, I indulged a bit tonight after weigh-in, but will be back on track tomorrow.  My goal for next week is 4lbs…that will put me only much closer to my first goal.  Here’s hoping!

Hmmm…

 400

The number of times kids laugh each day

15

The daily chuckle count for adults

A simple thought right?  I can’t tell you how many times this has crossed my mind since Monday when I read my October issue.  It’s been a hectic week – good, but hectic.  And even though there were a handful of times when I thought I was losing my mind, I managed to keep it together and sneak in a few giggles with Calder too!

Here’s a look at some belly laughs from last year.  

(Any tips for embedding You Tube videos in WordPress – the obvious “Embed” code didn’t work!).  Got it now – thanks Alissa!  As if that isn’t funny enough, check out a few of these to tickle your funny bone!

Better yet, share some of your favorite funny moments – pictures, video or otherwise!

Theme Thursday ~ Idleness

Scene: Living Room on Tuesday

Fed, burped, and ready to be popped into her seat, Seneca enjoyed an idle moment snuggled in her Boppy in the crook of the couch. 

Calder, on the other hand had all pistons firing as he “Set, Go’d” his way through putting away his toys (well, two of them anyway).  In any case, I was fairly impressed that he a) understood the request and b) followed through. 

I quickly tossed the remaining toys in the bin so we could be on our way to Calder’s appointment.  I’ll argue here that while I wasn’t physically idle, I felt like I was mentally.  There I was…lost in my random thoughts, and silently pleased with myself for getting so much accomplished and actually leaving on time when I glanced over and saw my sweet boy leaning lovingly on the couch, completely fascinated by his sister.  More specifically, by these.   

Watching the two of them for a brief moment fueled yet another reverie as I collected the bags and such to set by the door.  What will they be like next summer?  I wondered.  How about 5 years from now?  In high school? 

I thought back to when he first met his sister in the hospital.  Perhaps being it was a boy thing or a 17-month-old thing, but he was far more interested in this and this, the little ham! 

Then I heard it.  A piercing scream.  I rushed across the room to find my daughter with slobbery feet and a decent-sized tooth (molar, maybe?) dent in the top of her big toe.  Unsure of what actually happened, and looking rather sheepish and scared, Calder was slowly backing away from the screamer (and me).

Thankfully I had the presence of mind to realize it was a case of curiosity gone awry, so I scooped him up (watery eyes and all) and calmly “explained” that we don’t bite and that he gave sister an owie.  Once he was good to go, I picked up a quieter Seneca and we gave kisses and practiced the new “sorry” sign. 

I think at least two of us learned a valuable lesson!  Now head on over to Stacey’s for more Theme Thursday!

Just wondering…

Yummy Snacks

Does anyone else keep a list of possible blogging topics interspersed with grocery items or household chores?  I know, I should probably keep separate lists, but really that would

  1. make too much sense and
  2. require multiple post-its which could result in the loss of any and/or all of them!

I know I’ve writtenabout the “have to’s” and “want to’s” and at the time I was a little overwhelmed and looking back disappointed.  Now, I’m still overwhelmed, but curious.  There are some days, like yesterday when all I do is sit and savor every small moment of my time off and say “Who cares!” when it comes to laundry and dishes and all those other things that have to be done.  Then, I swing to the complete opposite end of the spectrum and go on power-cleaning kicks and insane reorganization and realize that Calder has just pushed his way between me and the cabinet I was trying to clean for a reason – he needs attention to.  And how about hubby?  How often to we have time alone?

So, I’m trying to think of the rest of my time at home as a dress rehearsal for the big show, which takes the stage in December.  I know that once I’m back to work my Parentingmagazines are unlikely to be read in a timely manner.  The books I’d like to read might take a while, and the thousands of writing ideas (for blogging or otherwise) may get only as far as the jotted note in my journal. 

Yet I’d like to try.  I’d like to do my best to eek (is that really how to spell it?) the most out of each day, each hour, each precious minute.  When I read this article it got me thinking.  While I have a penchant for photography, reading, writing, and blogging (with or without the time to actually post, and even less time to comment on others’ blogs – so sorry!), I don’t always manage my time well enough to do each of these things. 

I’m thinking about when I go back to work and how I’ll have even less (sigh) time to write, read, comment, etc.  I’m trying to get into a routine of writing out my posts for the week and publishing them via time stamp.  Does anyone else do something similar?  What are the habits and practices that have worked for you?  Which ones didn’t?  I know many of you have children, full time jobs, and several other involvements – so how do you find the time to do it all? 

On a slightly different note, I find myself stuck in the same “tone” in many of my posts.  I’m still fairly new to this process and I wonder if this will change with time and experience.  Can the writing I do here stretch me as a writer too?  How do the roles of audience and purpose factor into the equation?  I’d love to hear from someone…anyone!