Slightly Overcaffeinated.

Invisalign: A Modern Answer to Braces

2013-05-21T20:04:00.000-05:00

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Invisalign. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Way back before I was a teenager with cancer, I was a regular teenager doing all the things that regular teenagers do - like getting braces.

I remember very clearly returning to school that day in 7th grade after those shiny, silver, sharp brackets were super-glued to my teeth -- only to have some (very mature) 7th grade boys point and laugh at my newly accessorized appearance. And thus began the era of me being self conscious of my smile.

And as luck would have it... just months after getting my new silver smile I moved to another school. Obviously a mouth full of metal was exactly the thing I wanted to have with me as a new girl in a new school in 8th grade.

Ah. Memories.

My first day of 8th grade at a new school.
Don't be too jealous of my cool outfit.

Me in all my 1988 glory.
BONUS: my earrings match my teeth.

I am really hoping to spare my girls of the experiences I had in those days, which is why I was so glad to be invited to to attend a SITS Mini Bloggy Boot Camp session sponsored by Invisalign a few weeks ago.

Metal braces have gone the way of CRT televisions and car phones, babe. Technology has not only changed the way we take in information and communicate with each other, but it has also changed the way we fix our smiles. Do you remember how you weren't allowed to eat certain foods when you had braces? That is sooo 20th century. Let me share with you why I wish invisible braces were around when I was a teen.

COMFORT

We had a great local orthodontist present us with an overview of Invisalign (find one local to you here), and the first thing that hit home for me is that when you are being fitted for Invisalign, you don't have to do impressions (of your teeth, folks, not of your favorite celebrity). If you've ever had impressions of your teeth made, you know how terrible of an experience it is - the gagging was the worst. Instead, the orthodontist uses a scanner to get an image of your mouth and the position of your teeth. With those images your personal sets of aligners are manufactured.

The aligners are made of smooth plastic that you wear over your teeth and you put in a new set about every two weeks. But because they are removable, you can just take them out to eat so there are no food restrictions and it's easy to take care of your teeth (did anybody actually floss around their metal brackets?). Another bonus: No need for globs of wax to protect your mouth from pointy wires.

CONVENIENCE

When using Invisalign to straighten your teeth, your orthodontic visits are only every four to six weeks, which normally adds up to fewer visits than if you had traditional metal braces. Also the appointments are shorter and you're going to have fewer chances for emergency visits since there are no brackets or wires to break.

COST

I was surprised to learn that the cost of Invisalign was on par with the cost of metal braces. In addition to the orthodontist that talked to us, two parents of teen patients of his who use Invisalign were there for us to talk to. They especially felt it was important for us to know how comparable the cost was because they had also been surprised to find out they were affordable.

CONFIDENCE

Along with the parents were the actual teens themselves -- and they were adorable. Both of them were about the age I was when I got my metal mouth, but with just a few comments from them I could tell their experience with Invisalign Teen was nothing like the experience I had with metal braces.

First, the teenage boy is in band and plays the trumpet. I don't play an instrument, but I imagine that would be very uncomfortable to do with metal brackets on your teeth. He plays his trumpet while his aligners are in and said the only time they give him trouble was when he switches to a new aligner. He said after a day or so he's able to adjust to it and play as usual.

Second was the teenage girl. Of course I'm going identify more closely with her experience, but she was SO enthusiastic about Invisalign Teen. She was so happy to have the smooth, clear aligners and felt so bad for her friends who didn't. She was just the cutest. And I assure you - nobody would have described me with that word at that age. And according to this info graphic, that confidence will more than likely stick with these kids:

The parents also felt it was very important to get the opinion of an orthodontist that was a preferred Invisalign provider, as at least one of them had been told by a dentist (who was not a preferred provider) that their child was not a candidate for Invisalign.

My husband and I both had braces, so there is a good chance our girls will need them, too. From what Dr. Halford told us, I would not have been able to use Invisalign right away because I had a tooth that had to be pulled down. He said in cases like mine he would use metal braces for a very short period of time -- just long enough to get the tooth to come down to where the rest of the teeth are -- and then he would switch to Invisalign. That was enough to convince me to get a consultation when my girls are old enough (my 7 year old doesn't even have front teeth right now...).

I actually had impressions of my bottom teeth made when Invisalign first came out and I haven't ruled it out yet. My metal braces were only on the top and now my bottom teeth have shifted to the point they are messing with my top teeth. Not cool, teeth. Not cool.

Did you have a mouth full of metal like me? What was the worst part? Have you ever considered Invisalign for yourself or your child? I'd love to read some tales of misery from your teen years...

Thanks to Invisalign and the SITS Girls for making this post possible.

Feeling Helpless? Here are some ways to help tornado victims.

2013-05-21T12:39:00.003-05:00

My family and I moved to the outskirts of Tornado Alley when I was in 3rd grade. Prior to that year I didn't even know what a tornado was, except for what I'd seen in The Wizard of Oz.

As I progressed through elementary school and on through high school, I noticed a fear that came over a lot of my school mates anytime the weather turned questionable. In fact, there were times that parents would take their children out of school just because there was a threat of severe weather in the area. You see, before I moved there, the town was hit by a tornado that was so strong it took out the bridge into the town. People died. In fact when I first visited the area with my family, they had to use a ferry to get across the lake or drive all the way around it to get to in or out of town.

This happened nearly 30 years ago and people who lived there at the time remember it like it was yesterday. And though Greers Ferry, Arkansas has not been abused by the weather as badly as Moore, Oklahoma, the town has had a couple more, also serious, tornadoes since then.

These traumatic events will forever be a part of those affected. My heart hurts for those in Moore and I want to help. If you want to find a way to help, too, here are some resources for you to shine your light into the lives of those who are dealing with so much darkness now:

Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief

They state that funds will go directly to helping those affected. On their site they have instructions for donations of a few, very specific items. The preference and suggestion at this time, however, is for monetary donations. Links and mailing addresses are listed on the site.

The United Way of Central Oklahoma

Again they are requesting monetary donations above all else. There are several options for payments on their site. All funds will be directed to relief efforts.

DonorsChoose.org

Donor's Choose has a special online fund directed at the schools and teachers of Moore. This fund will help them restock their classrooms and help their students recover.

Some of my other Texas Blogger friends are also posting ways to help our neighbors to the north. Help if you can.

As always but especially now when this tragedy is still fresh on our hearts, be wary of anyone asking for money in a seemingly "unofficial" way. Unfortunately some folks use these events to prey on generous folks.

Wordless Wednesday 5.8.13

2013-05-08T14:14:00.000-05:00

{If you want to read more about how she joined us, click here.}

When "Me Time" Isn't Really "Me" Time

2013-05-01T14:23:00.001-05:00

Choose wisely, my friends, or that time you are counting towards yourself is not going to count for anything.

Recently I've explored the idea of "me time" -- both my struggle with it and my friend Shannon's conquering of it. Exploring this subject has taught me a lot. Mostly that I'm doing it wrong.

But before I tell you how I can't even get time to myself right, I'm going to state something else: taking time for yourself IS selfish. It absolutely is. I mean, it's in the description. Whether you call it that or not is your choice, but if you don't consider it selfish you are doing yourself and other mothers a disservice. Because the thing is, it's OK to be selfish.

PUT YOURSELF FIRST (every now and then)

Do you hear that moms? BE SELFISH. Do it now.

By taking a stand and making a choice to do something for yourself instead of for others, you are claiming time for yourself instead of giving it away. You are choosing time for yourself. You are being selfish. And YOU must do that -- nobody is going to it for you (or there would be another name for it). We have to be OK with being "selfish" instead of trying to call it something else.

Here is why it's OK: we don't do it all the time. Now if ALL the decisions we made in our lives had us putting ourselves first, that's not going to work. But if we tell our children and our spouses, "Yes, I am choosing me over you for the next two hours" we just have to remember to add "we will all be happier because of that choice."

You see, I have an issue with mothers having to act like they aren't important and by sidestepping the word selfish I feel like we aren't owning our choice of time for ourselves. Our society already trivializes anything outside of childrearing and cooking and cleaning that we do. Let's not buy into that.

WHAT TO DO WITH THAT TIME

This is the kicker: Do you know which activities recharge you? Not what is supposed to recharge you because it works for someone else, but what really works for you.

It's not the same for everyone and this is where I was failing. For example, we always make sure I get to go to my neighborhood Bunco every month and I think everyone (in my house) thinks that counts for "me time", but guess what? It does not recharge, relax, or renew me in any way, shape, or form. Sure it's nice to see my friends that I don't always get to see, but it drains me. It's a lot of people and a lot of talking. I am depleted at the end of the night, not recharged.

What recharges me is the opposite of socializing: Having a couple hours to myself -- really just myself -- to read, write, or shop with no obligations whatsoever. I need that time inside my head. I am a textbook introvert so this is what works for me. (Yes, I can make myself be an extrovert, but that is post for another time.)

Writing about this issue made me examine the way I was spending my time away from my family, and with that I've come to see I need to be more deliberate in the way I choose my activities. There is not any extra time in our days -- it is always a trade off. By identifying what does and doesn't work for me, I hope to make the most of that time. (So forgive me if I don't make it to Bunco next month.)

I'd like to know: what has your biggest challenge been in creating that special space for yourself in your life? Were you doing it wrong, like I was? Do you share my difficulty of giving yourself permission to be selfish?

Your input on this topic has been invaluable -- the comments you've left here on my site and on my Facebook page have really kept the conversation going. Thank you! ;)

Wordless Wednesday 4.24.13

2013-04-24T20:38:00.000-05:00

Working for the weekend.

My Interview with Shot@Life Champion Polly Palumbo

2013-04-23T23:00:00.000-05:00

Have you guys heard about Shot@Life?

It's a campaign by the United Nations Foundation with a pretty simple premise. Here is how they define themselves:

"A movement to protect children worldwide by providing life-saving vaccines where they are most needed."

This year at Blissdom I was able to talk with representatives of the campaign in depth to learn more about their efforts. Keeping children healthy is something close to my heart, so when I had the opportunity to participate I took it.

Shot@Life is celebrating their first birthday during World Immunization Week (April 24-30) and to help highlight their birthday, I had the chance to interview one of their Champions, Polly Palumbo.

When Polly first became aware of the Shot@Life campaign almost two years ago, they didn't even have a name yet. At their first Shot@Life Summit a little more than a year ago, there were 50 Champions. Today they have more than 400 Champions and nearly 200,000 supporters.

Here is my conversation with Polly:

Why did you become involved with Shot@Life?

Polly Palumbo, Ph.D.

I write about kids now. There's so much parenting advice and news out there and often it seems confusing or conflicting. One expert says kids need to drink more milk, another says kids drink too much. It's easy to get irritated or conclude the experts don't know anything. In fact, in my professional life I write about child research and I often tell people what the experts don't know for sure or what it isn't quite right about their advice or the latest study. But there is one thing we know for sure and that's the value of childhood vaccines in the developing world.

We know providing access to vaccines is the best, most cost-effective measures to improve, possibly even save the lives of kids. We have had the luxury of forgetting the value of vaccines since we've become so great at preventing childhood diseases here in the US, but most parents still understand the value of vaccines.

What events have you participated in this past year to promote Shot@Life’s message and/or to raise money for Shot@Life?

What I love most about Shot@Life, other than the cause, is that it's truly about people doing what moves them to help kids.

I've written a lot at Momma Data and hosted a few events on my blog like a Fact a Day about vaccines, childhood diseases or anything else related to Shot@Life. I've co-hosted Twitter parties. We did a big Twitter party for the launch and I organized a pop quiz kind of contest. I like writing about data and research and I love debunking the myths -- the mysteries and inaccuracies about children's health -- so that's how I've often approached the mission.

Over the last year I've also attended a variety of events, including fundraisers thrown by other champions, their creativity and devotion (and organization!) is amazing to behold. I've enjoyed going out and meeting people and speaking about Shot@Life at different organizations, like schools and women's clubs, and on occasion advocated in the media.

My kids hosted a fundraiser at their school and talked about the cause while raising a bit of money. They made green friendship bracelets and cupcakes. They're planning some lemonade stands for the summer. I'm hosting a virtual tag sale later this spring and a family fundraiser where I hope to get everybody moving and grooving.

Has there been an experience you’ve had with Shot@Life that has been particularly meaningful to you?

Wow. It's hard to choose just one. Certainly going to Capitol Hill to share the Shot@Life story and meet with staff members in the offices of Senators and members of Congress was a memorable day. I was surprised by the reaction of the staffers - one young woman nearly broke down in tears when my friend Jennifer Burden, who runs the World Moms Blog, showed her photos of families she'd met in Nigeria during a vaccination clinic. The message we got from many people working in these offices was that they wish more people would show up, especially in their district offices, to tell them about their passions and causes.

Another very powerful moment came thanks to a gathering of a couple hundred women in their seventies and eighties. Nearly every single one had been touched in some way by polio or measles. Nearly every hand was raised when I asked if they or someone close had experienced these diseases. What's more, they wanted to share their stories, tell about their own battles or their brother's or best friend's, etc. They didn't want anyone else to suffer. These weren't diseases happening on the other side of the world. They were in their homes. Their memories of the suffering and the pain were still very clear and they were eager to help. That afternoon was a remarkable reminder of how illness don't impact a single victim but entire families and communities for many decades.

How has your involvement with Shot@Life affected you as a mother?

Great question. It's easy to see how being a mom gets someone involved advocating for kids, but it's not as obvious how advocating changes you as a parent.

Personally I find helping kids who really need help, whose lives might not only be improved but saved, a balm in some sense. So many decisions or choices about my kids seem important in the moment but in comparison to the kids dying from measles or pneumonia, my worries about my kids are so minor. Knowing people struggle with these illnesses puts my own parenting concerns into perspective. It basically makes me sit back and reflect on the real risks in my children's lives. It brings to mind that expression about not sweating the small stuff.

Shot@Life often turns up in my conversations with my kids. We talk about why kids aren't getting vaccinated, what it must be like to not be able to go to the doctor, the diseases themselves, the near end of polio, the fact that their grandfather had polio. My kindergartener understood when I first told him about it and just couldn't figure out why kids weren't getting help. He couldn't get over why if the vaccines cost less than he had stuffed in his piggy bank they weren't getting them. So he and his sisters keep me motivated. They want answers for why kids are still sick. They don't want to just sit around so, yes, Shot@Life has come to our dinner table, schools, neighborhood, and other parts of our lives because my kids urged me to do something. They wanted to do something.

What is the most important thing you want people to know when you talk to them about Shot@Life?

Anyone can help. It doesn't take a gigantic gesture. Just sign up at the Shot@Life website. Follow us on Twitter. Like us on Facebook. This is a grass-roots movement made of mothers, fathers, grandparents, teachers, nurses, doctors, accountants, college students, pharmacists, photographers, journalists, bloggers, artists, at least one cartographer, Republicans, Democrats, Independents - in other words, a diverse bunch of people with a common desire to see healthier kids.

There's a place here for everyone and we use our own unique talents or resources, whatever they might be, to help kids. Whether it's writing a blog post, hosting a Twitter party, talking to the local paper, throwing a fabulous cocktail party or showing up at our Congressperson's office.

We are having this conversation to celebrate Shot@Life’s first birthday - do you have any favorite birthday traditions?

My family doesn't have a lot birthday traditions in part I'd like to think because we have the luxury of having so many that no one birthday seems a huge deal. We do take a picture around the same kitchen table every year, the heart of our home. Keeping up with scrap books or photo albums has never been my strong point so when my oldest child turned ten I created a large mixed media self-portrait of her, a kind of 3-D scrapbook on canvas. I did the same for my second child and can't wait to do it for my youngest in a few years, though he's bargaining to have it sooner.

What do you hope the future holds for Shot@Life?

In addition to healthier kids everywhere? Hhhmmm…a Ben and Jerry's Shot@Life flavor would be yummy.

Visit the Shot@Life website to find out how you can lend your voice to this movement.

My New Favorite Gadget {New Trent Giveaway}

2013-04-22T10:18:00.000-05:00

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by New Trent.

You guys, when I discover something really cool I want to share it, OK? And I recently discovered a cool tech gadget that I had no idea I needed - but OH! How I need it...

I recently had the opportunity to talk with the folks at New Trent about trying out some products from time to time and letting them know what I think about them. And for this particular product, they thought I might like to give you the chance to have one, too. (Giveaway info is at the end of this post.)

So you know how your phone always runs out of battery at the least appropriate time? What if you had an external battery you could take with you in your bag, purse, whatevs, so you could charge your phone (or tablet!) any time, anywhere?

See? This is a very good idea.

The New Trent Easypak NT70T External Battery Pack and Charger is my new favorite gadget. Here's part of the why: For my jewelry business, my iPhone is my business phone and it's so the best thing ever to be able to make and take those calls wherever in my house I need to regardless of whether I am charging my phone or not. The other cool thing about this gadget is I can use it for my iPad, which means it will be my new best friend on plane rides with the kiddos. It works for a lot of different of phones and tablets, so just click on the (affiliate) link above to see the full product description and all the devices with which it works.

It's about the same size as my phone, so it's easy to take in any bag
I'm carrying, no matter where I'm going.

If you are not a gadget collector (I am not) this external battery is one of those things you don't know you need until you have it. For me it's all about convenience. We all stay pretty busy these days and it's really not cool when you get slowed down because you have to charge your phone. Now, I don't have to worry about that.

Do you want a New Trent Easypak NT70T for yourself for free? Enter the giveaway below*. And keep reading for rules and disclosures. And just ask if you want to know anything else about my experience with this product. I'm happy to share.

*By entering this giveaway sponsored by New Trent, you will be signed up for New Trent's newsletter. Once you receive the newsletter in your inbox, you may opt out if you so desire.

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Full Disclosure: This post is sponsored by New Trent and I am part of a pilot user program for them. New Trent is providing the giveaway prize. However, all opinions are my own and I would never feature a product on my blog that I didn't actually believe in.

Making Time for “Me” {Guest Post}

2013-04-19T09:14:00.003-05:00

This is the first time I’ve had a guest post on my blog. I really felt this subject needed more air time, but I was unable to add anything helpful to the conversation. That’s where my awesome friend, Shannon Lewis, comes in.

Shannon is a mom to two school-aged girls. She also has her own photography business and is a brand rep for Life Shotz. I love her perspective on life - in front of and behind the camera - so I wanted to share her with you. Here’s Shannon:

Making Time for "Me"

{Guest Post by Shannon Lewis}

I feel very strongly about making time for myself. I am a better wife, mother, and friend when I get “me time.” In a day and age where we are expected to do it all, it’s very difficult to not fall into the trap of taking on too many things. I do not feel selfish by making time for “me;” I see it as an absolute necessity.

I am, by no means, perfect at juggling all of life’s duties and activities, but I do the best I can with things I’ve learned along the way. These are things that I think are important to think about when making the decision to create “me” time.

Find Your Passion

This is a must; everyone has one or can have one. For me, having a passion or two drives my motivation to make time for myself, which always includes a passion. I think that mothers feel like they have to sacrifice themselves and their dreams to be a mother or wife. I could not disagree more.

My passion, which happens to be running and fitness, is one of the things that makes me “me.” I would go crazy without it, and no one would want to be around me.

Make Your Passion a Priority in Your Life

Make time for it. Period. Running and working out are my passions, and I schedule most of my daily activities around it. I am not one of the master time-managers, so along the way, I have had to let some things go. As much as I would love to have an immaculate house or volunteer for anything and everything, I know I can’t realistically do it all.

For me, it’s giving up some little things in order to make other things possible. That means saying “no” from time to time. Ouch.

Don’t Be Afraid to Delegate or Ask for Help

Again, we as women (especially) think we have to be “super.” The concept of not being able to do EVERYTHING is hard for us. We really don’t have to do it all, nor should we have to. I am married to an amazing man who is always willing to help out with the children or household responsibilities.

I live in a fantastic neighborhood with amazing friends, too. Even though we do have family relatively close by, it’s not always feasible to lean on them for every need. I frequently ask for favors, because I believe the saying, “It takes a village…,” is true. And, in turn, I help out my friends and neighbors when they need me. It could be that we lean on each other when we have to run an errand that is not kid-friendly, or it could be that we need to get some work done at home, and we don’t want to sit our child in front of the TV for an extended period of time.

Trading “play dates” could be a great way to get some much-needed time to work or do whatever “me” time is to you.

Love Yourself

This might sound easy, but it’s probably one of the areas we tend to struggle with the most. We put everyone ahead of ourselves, but sometimes we take it to the extreme, at our own expense.

I wanted to close with this one, not because this is where it ranks, but because it stresses the “why” for finding that coveted “me” time. I’m not groundbreaking here by saying that we have to love ourselves before others can love us, but it’s worth repeating. Our children, especially, look at everything we do and listen to every word we say. We probably don’t realize the impact of all the little things on their little minds/psyches.

I think it’s very important for children to know that we love ourselves, and because of that, we do things that bring us joy – and that’s not being selfish. The world does not revolve around them, and it’s an invaluable lesson for them to learn. Seeing the people they love taking time to do what they are passionate about teaches them that just because we are “grown ups” doesn’t mean we stop being “us.”

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Do you have a passion in your life, like Shannon does, that helps you with your "me" time? Or do you have tips for building that ever necessary support system/village? I'd love to keep this conversation going in the comments - share your tips!

Tips for Treating Allergy Eyes {Giveaway!}

2013-04-18T09:56:00.000-05:00

Disclosure: The interview for this post was made possible by VSP Vision Care. I have not been compensated for it, but was provided with a promotional item for my readers. See full disclosure below.

Those of you who know me in real life have seen me wearing my glasses quite a lot lately, but have I told you why? My allergies have been making it very difficult for me to wear my contacts for a full day at a time. Are you having this problem, too? I mean seriously, my eyes are watering so much as I write this I can hardly see.

Recently I had the opportunity to talk with an eye doctor specifically about this problem. Dr. Jing Han is a a VSP Vision Care optometrist based in Folsom, California, at Healthy Eyes Optometry. He confirmed for me that his patients usually complain the most about allergy eyes in the spring and fall because that’s when most things are blooming. The complaints he hears in the winter months are about dry eyes. I happen to fall under both categories... which means I can only see in the summer, I guess.

Because I have eye problems so often, I wanted to know how he knows if eye irritation is caused by allergens or something else. The way he explained it, it seems it’s the itching that is the tell tale sign. Swelling with itching could also occur in a more severe reaction to an allergen. Itching may also be present with an eye infection, but would likely have other symptoms as well.

Have you every had an eye doctor put colored drops in your eyes? This, along with a high-power microscope, helps the eye doctor observe the contour of the tissue underneath the eyelid so they can determine if it’s allergies bothering you or something more serious. At that point you can discuss with your doctor the best way to treat your symptoms. Some of Dr. Han’s suggestions to comfort allergy affected eyes are cold compresses, prescription eye drops, and wearing sunglasses outside to shield your eyes from the allergens flying around.

Dr. Han told me that contact wearers definitely have more allergy related eye problems than those who don’t wear contacts. Apparently the contacts themselves can even be the cause of an allergy. (Fantastic news, by the way.) So along with changing your contacts on the schedule recommended by your eye doctor, he suggests that you be consistent with hand washing before handling your contacts and if you normally sleep with your contacts in, don’t do it during allergy season. Rewetting drops can also help.

I have problems sometimes even with my glasses on, so I asked him what I could do to help. He suggested keeping the proper allergy eye drops handy year round. Dr. Han said not to wait until my annual eye exam if I’m having problems, but to see my eye doctor right away to get started on a treatment plan.

So I will be scheduling that appointment with my eye doctor very soon, but also? I'm going to rock the shades. I mean, the doctor said I have to wear sunglasses, right? Do you need some shades to rock, too? I can help you with that...

I have a pair of (ladies) designer shades to give away - just enter below!

Giveaway ends on Wednesday, 4/24 and winner will be emailed. After logging into Rafflecopter below, follow the prompts. With each prompt, you get another entry. Cool, right?

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Full Disclosure Statement: VSP Vision care coordinated both the interview with Dr. Han and the availability of the giveaway item. Information in this article is the direct result of my interview with Dr. Han. I have received no compensation for this post, though - coincidentally - VSP is the insurance my family and I use. Also? You may give me your super cool shades if you win them. I have no problem with re-gifting. ;)

On Supporting Runners & Running.

2013-04-16T14:22:00.000-05:00

My husband started running in the spring of 2011. He ran his first marathon in January 2012. I know it wasn't easy for him to make it to the finish line. And it really wasn't easy for me and the girls to get to the finish line either, as I shared with you afterwards.

But he wanted to run another one anyway, so this past January we all went to Orlando so he could run the 20th Anniversary Disney World Marathon. That one went better for all of us, but still required quite a lot of effort for all of us to make it to the finish line.

Our view of the finish line as we waited for my husband.

My 6 year old holding her "Go Daddy!" sign.

And here we all are, reunited and proud and happy.

As we started planning the Disney World trip, I was convinced to run the 5K. It was a big deal for me because it was my first race ever -- and my husband ran it with me, because that's what runners do. Two months after that, I ran a 10K with my friend Cathy, who has also run a couple of marathons (and was supposed to run the NYC marathon last fall). She ran with me because that's what runners do.

The thing you might not know about running and runners is that it's a choice: though we may be born to run, to get up and actually do it is a choice. For some it's a fitness choice and something that aids them in a greater weight loss or fitness goal. For some it's an endurance choice, something that lets them test the limits of their bodies. And for some? It's a turning point in their lives. A chance to do something they never imagined they could. An opportunity to take that much needed "me time". It's that thing they needed when they didn't know they needed anything.

Running is different things for different people, but the one thing it is for everyone is GOOD.

I have never run a marathon. I don't have any aspirations of running one, either, but I know it's possible I'll change my mind one day. Because here's the thing about runners: they want you to experience this wonderful thing they have discovered. And everyone is attracted to that - so people go out and cheer for them. And all the people who love them stand on the sidelines to support them on this great effort. It's just all goodness and love coated with sweat and tears.

And yesterday someone's darkness took over and lots of innocent, well-meaning folks were unspeakably injured. And some died. And this is not OK.

Please be the light. Please don't let the horrific act win. Pray for the injured and the grieving. Don't let that anger turn into darkness in your own heart.

As someone who has just discovered a love for running and someone who has waited with my children at a marathon finish line with tears in my eyes for that runner I am so proud of, I am feeling this tragedy deeply. Don't distance yourself from this because you are not a runner or have never been to a race -- now is the time to be good, to be better, to help the light spread.

And if you don't know what to do to help your light grow? Go for a run. The time is now.

How Do You Take Care of You?

2013-04-10T23:48:00.001-05:00

No, really. I'm asking for a friend: How do you take care of you?

Do you have something special that you do just for yourself? Where do you find the time? I think most of us know what we should do to take care of ourselves but the real struggle is finding the time to fit it all in. At least I think that is how it is for me.

One of the things I do for me is write this blog and I've talked about how it's helped me discover this is an area of my life I want to focus on. On the super popular blog Kelly's Korner, she is hosting a link up on this very subject. I felt compelled to explore it even further because I've been exploring it in my head forEVER.

THE AGE OF BUSY-NESS

At this point in my life I almost feel like it's a foolish goal to have "me" time. There are so many things we are responsible for as mothers, as parents. Are we supposed to cut something out or pile more on? Are we failing if we aren't taking care of ourselves? It kind of sounds like the answer should be yes, but when you have young children and no family around to share some of the craziness, where do you find that "other" time? Everyone is critical of the over scheduling of children these days, but what about the over scheduling of parents? When did life become so complicated?

The whole idea of "me" time seems selfish to me. Yet I desperately need to have quiet downtime in order to recharge myself and be a better wife and mother -- a better me. So what is the answer?

WHEN DELEGATING WON'T WORK

In an office environment, if you are struggling to get everything done you would be sent to a time-management class. In that class you would be advised to minimize your interruptions and delegate work to others when appropriate.

What if you are self employed and work from home -- while your children are there? Is there a class for that? Even if there was, how would you go if you are the primary caregiver for the kiddos?

As tempting as it is, I'm pretty sure it's frowned upon to lock yourself in your home office when you are the one responsible for taking care of your children...

THERE IS AN ANSWER

This can't be a new problem. Children have always been children and moms have always had things they've needed to accomplish. I think what is different about the issue today is that our lives aren't as compartmentalized as they once were. You can work from your house, your car, the coffee shop. You can stop in the middle of composing an email (or a blog post) to wipe a nose or take your toddler to the potty. Multitasking has become the way to live.

Doing one thing at a time just doesn't exist anymore. So maybe "me" time doesn't either.

Wait - was this "me" time?

Do you share my foolish dream of time to take care of yourself? Or have you found a way to do it, even with young children? Please share your ideas, solutions, or problems in the comments. Be part of my village.

All Pumped Up with No Place to Go: Changing My Focus.

2013-04-03T15:30:00.000-05:00

GREAT -- I come back all ready to write and take on the world after attending Blissdom, but guess what? That is not how it works. I have a real life with real responsibilities that take precedence. Yay.

Obviously -- obviously -- my family comes first. As someone who chose to be a stay at mom, I think this goes without saying. And really, when will this ever change? I would never want to compromise their happiness or well being. So I will do laundry. I will do the grocery shopping. I will provide meals of some sort that aren't complete junk. I will give hugs and kisses on demand. These are things that will always be part of my life.

But I have other responsibilities, too.

Late last summer I started working part time as an independent distributor for a home show based company, mainly because I felt like a bum for not bringing in any income and felt guilty for spending money on myself. I KNOW. Ok? I know. But still. That's how I felt (feel). And I do enjoy that job - it has great perks, I choose my hours, and it has the potential to bring in a lot of income. But not if I don't focus on it. And that is not where my heart is. And there are still only 24 hours in a day and seven days in a week.

So where does this leave me? I mean, I think I know where this leaves me: I have to make a choice. And I know I am super fortunate to be in the position to make this choice, but I hate being a quitter, you know? And right now what it comes down to is this: Love or Money.

Or? SHOWERS.

That's it. You know what? If I just give up showers I may be able to squeeze everything in. And one meal. I can give up showers and one meal and that might do it. AND SLEEP. Yes! I can certainly cut back on those luxurious 6 hours of sleep I've been getting *almost* every night. I mean, who do I think I am - Oprah?

I don't know why I even bothered you with this silly "choice" thing. I apologize.

I got this.

Ommmm....

Blogging + Love: My First Conference.

2013-03-27T17:31:00.001-05:00

Danielle Smith interviewing Susan Cain.

I did it. I put myself out there and attended Blissdom, my first blogging conference. And I didn't die, so we are going to put this one in the "Win" column. However, my travels were not without strife...

You know I was feeling a bit trepidatious about the entire experience anyway, but let me tell you - I was ready to turn around and go back home when I arrived at DFW and my bag did not. It deflated my Balloon of Hope & Optimism faster than a professional Hope & Optimism Balloon deflater with lots of experience. Up to that point, I was all repeating mantras in my head and telling myself it was good for my girls to be without me for a few days and had made plans to ride to the hotel with people I didn't even know and was just really working hard to make this an incredible experience.

And then? NO BAG. (<insert sound of air quickly escaping a balloon here>)

And this is pretty much my worst fear every time I travel. But at the risk of ruining a perfectly good disaster tale, I must. My bag showed up an hour later on the next flight from Houston. They had no explanation as to why it failed to make it on a plane carrying 20 people for a 45 minute flight. But by that time I had told the other Blissdom gals to go on without me and just planned to find the Super Shuttle, which I did. And on the ride to the hotel I met my Official Blissdom Buddy of 2013, so it was meant to be.

The math is a little rough here, but about 99.8% of those I met at Blissdom said things like, "I would never do that!" when I told them I had come to the conference by myself without knowing anyone. The other .2% were in my same boat, so I wasn't completely alone. (No, I don't know how many people equal .2% of the conference population. They say 85% of statistics are made up anyway.) So these statements just reinforced my nervousness, which I unfortunately held on to most of the time.

I'm not a huge fan of social situations that include lots of people I don't know, so the time spent outside of the sessions was very difficult for me. I wasn't quite sure what I should be doing. I felt the way my cats must feel when they are in a big, empty space -- I really wanted to run and hide behind something. Occasionally I found food or drink to ~~hide behind~~ entertain me, but I think the non-free time was easier for me to deal with.

The speakers were very good. And most of the sessions I attended really spoke to me and gave me lots of practice writing with a good old fashioned pen and paper. I left with notes and goals and inspiration and met a good handful of wonderful people.

But now that I've been home for a few days I can say for certain that BlissDom was a very jarring experience for me. At first I couldn't figure out why I had that unsettled, uncomfortable feeling but today I figured it out: The entire time I was at the conference, I was thinking about me.

ME.

What do I want to do? What do I want to write about? What's my story? What do I want to do with my blog? What do I want to eat? Why can't I find the coffee?

If you have ever been a stay at home mom, you might understand why this point of view is so foreign and uncomfortable for me. I'm not trying to play the Mother Martyr here, this is just how life naturally unfolds when you are in the position I'm in. But it is definitely time for that to change.

One of the best speakers of the conference was Jon Acuff, and at the closing keynote he reminded us that "being a mom is enough" because raising humans is kind of a big deal. And he is absolutely right. But for me the seasons are changing. My girls aren't babies any more (*sniff*) and the time has come for me to be a big girl and really follow my heart. Well, the other part of my heart. I would not be doing my job as a mother if I didn't pursue the thing that I can't not do. If I don't follow my dreams, how can I expect my children to follow theirs?

And this, my friends, is how I discovered that Alli Worthington was absolutely right about what she said when she opened the conference: BlissDom is about blogging AND love.

I just did not expect that love to be for myself.

Following my Light to #Blissdom

2013-03-20T01:08:00.002-05:00

I think it was on Twitter that I first discovered the One Little Word movement. As soon as I read about it, I knew my OLW for 2013 was "light" -- I had just written a post about "being the light" and it really stuck with me. It was around that same time that I took a big step in following my own light and registered for my very first blog conference.

When I registered for the Blissdom conference, I didn't realize all that it had to offer or the esteem in which it was held. I feel very unqualified to attend, but very lucky I have the resources to do so. I really don't know where the experience will take me but I do know I am heading in the right direction. My attempt to walk the talk has made me realize I need to write. I need to write more and I need to write better.

I am a writer.

I didn't always know I was a writer. Or maybe I did but I didn't have the confidence to embrace that voice inside of me trying to get out. But I'm 38 and I'm too old to not do something because I'm scared to do it or I think it's not practical. At this point in my life I am not going to waste time on fear and things I wish I could do. I'm just going to do them. (When my kids are in school or napping obviously - Let's not get too crazy here.)

I may never write anything other than posts for this blog, but I know for certain that the truest way I can connect to the world is with the written word. Getting it right when I write makes up for all the times I stumble in conversations trying to get the right words out at the right time. Everyday I am becoming more of my myself and know I am on my way to living a more authentic life, which may indeed be my personal nirvana. (Not the Kurt Cobain kind, my Gen X friends.)

I wrote a post a while ago that was featured (for like a day) on BlogHer about a blogger reality show. The impetus for the post was my frustration of not knowing what to do next to get my blog where I wanted it to be. My first blog conference might just be that thing.

I finally had some time to read on our trip to Costa Rica and finished Daring Greatly by Brenè Brown. I think I timed that just right.

But I'm in Costa Rica!

2013-03-16T23:34:00.000-05:00

I'm taking a few minutes this evening to be publicly thankful for the lack of howling wind (or monkeys) tonight. Last night the wind was blowing so hard and whistling so loudly that not only did I think it might blow the house down, but it scared the bejeezus out of my nearly 7 year-old daughter. So much so that she requested to sleep in our bed, which meant my husband had to go sleep on her twin bed so the nearly 3 year-old wouldn't be all alone. And I'm very glad I wore a sweater today because it's a bit chilly here.

BUT I'M IN COSTA RICA. People. I kid you not. We found the cold place in Costa Rica.

But we are having a good time. The girls are having so much fun with their grandparents. And just a couple days ago we were sleeping on the edge of the rainforest overlooking the the Pacific Ocean after having spent the majority of said day at said ocean. And there was only one gecko in the house. And the howler monkeys only woke me up a few times. Each night. And the power was on almost the whole time. So it was pretty cool. See?

The beach where we played.

That's the ocean beyond the land.

Again, that's the ocean. It kind of all melts together, doesn't it?

So we've been busy.

So much so that I neglected to share all about the 10K I ran two days before we left. (Take that, 5K!) I was pretty sure I was going to die. Or fall over in a dramatic fashion. But I did neither of those things because I ran with a great friend and super cool person (Thanks, Cathy!).

We are wrapping up our latest Costa Rican adventure right now and then I'm on to a new adventure (Blissdom), so my schedule remains unusually full for the next week or so. But don't worry about me - if I have trouble falling asleep tonight I'll just start counting my blessings. I know I'll fall asleep before I can finish.

Cup o' the Day: DALLAS = #BLISSDOM

2013-03-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

A friend recently pointed out to me that I haven't done a "Cup o' the Day" post in a while, so when I saw this cup on my coffee cup shelf I thought it was about time to do another one.

I got this cup as a gift. I think. I don't remember ever buying a cup for myself in Dallas. I also can't remember the last time I was actually in Dallas. But I'll be there in two weeks for Blissdom.

*Gulp*

No, that's not the sound of me enjoying my morning brew, it's the sound of me freaking out about not being ready for this conference, which I'm learning is a BFD. That I had the gumption to sign up for it in the first place must have been some fleeting moment of courage which has since escaped me and hidden under the bed or the couch somewhere. So although I am excited, I'm feeling, um, too *small* for my britches? Is that a thing?

Well, regardless of how my britches fit, I'm going. So, Dallas & Blissdom: with this cup I salute you. See you in two weeks!

I Don't Even Know Who I Am Anymore.

2013-03-04T23:36:00.000-06:00

In January I ran my first 5K. On Saturday I will run my first 10K.

Do what?

Seriously, who am I? I don't even know anymore. I think this is my version of a mid-life crisis. Except I think everyone is going through it. Is it just me, or does it seem like everybody everywhere is running? Well, not like in-a-panic-through-the-town-square-as-if-zombies-were-chasing-them running, more like everybody on Facebook is talking about it and everybody has a sticker on their car and that kind of thing. But it would be so much more interesting if we went about it the other way.

OK. So here's the plan:

Running is cool now (I think, but I'm a poor judge of what's cool now - I mean, I'm buying tickets to see NKOTB. Again.) so that will be your defense when you are questioned. In the name of fitness, I say we start a new running trend. You have your barefoot runners and your color run runners and your ultra runners, so I think mob runners would fit in with the trend. So the "race" will be "secret" like a "rave". (Or a flash mob? Stop it. Just let me continue.) And the "runners" will go to a public place and then suddenly there is an announcement that runners should take their places and then "On your mark, get set, GO" and then everyone who is "in on it" just starts running around in-a-panic-through-the-town-square-as-if-zombies-were-chasing-them. The winner... is the one that doesn't get trampled? Hmm...

No. That probably wouldn't work. People are pretty unsupportive of unnecessary panic in public places these days. I miss the good old days. When you could run around in-a-panic-through-the-town-square-as-if-zombies-were-chasing-you and nobody cared. Good times.

What was I talking about? Oh, yeah. I guess I run now. Crazy.

When Your "Baby" Becomes a Big Kid.

2013-02-27T23:25:00.000-06:00

Tonight as I rocked her and sang her a lullaby, she looked at me in the same way she used to when I would nurse her in that same chair. Was it that long ago that she was a helpless infant who needed me for everything? How is she already speaking in complete sentences and playing with friends and putting on her own shoes and clearing her dishes and explaining her day to me?

It doesn't matter if I am ready for her to be a big kid, because she is ready to be one. This week she moved from the toddler class at her school to the "big kid" class, which is three to six year-olds.

She's not three yet. Her birthday is six weeks away. It doesn't matter if I'm ready.

This amazingly silly and sweet child of mine who is so quick to give me a hug and a "besito" when I need it is also quick to make friends and settle in a new environment. She's like the tiny puppy who doesn't know she's a tiny puppy and just jumps right in with all the big dogs. And it's so hard for me let her run free.

She is my baby. And she's a big kid. And I'm not ready.

But it doesn't matter. Because it's not about me - it's about her. And she is ready.

I Did It: I Ditched the Minivan.

2013-02-25T15:20:00.003-06:00

Our minivan came into our life by necessity. I wasn't thrilled, but I complied with the minivan acquisition as I was pregnant with my second child and knew we needed something bigger than my Honda CR-V. But three years later I came to realize something VERY important: I make bad decisions when I'm pregnant.

I loved my CR-V. I'm an SUV girl and wanted one from the time I was a licensed driver. But with my lack of independent wealth, I drove the charming cars (filled with character) that my dad gave me. My 1980 Toyota Corolla Tercel had an untimely demise when I rear-ended a full size van on my way home from work the summer after I graduated from high school. The 1979 Mercury Bobcat I bought to replace it (it was less than $500), literally fell apart as I was driving home Labor Day weekend my freshman year of college. I don't remember what eventually did in the 1982 Chrysler LeBaron that my dad got me, but I do remember that the driver's side door wouldn't open from the outside. And that it sat in the parking lot of my dorm for months because the battery died and a tire went flat.

It was at about that time I wised up to the many uses for student loans. I hadn't needed them to pay for school (I was a scholarship kid), but realized that might be the way to get myself a car that had mostly working parts. And so my 1987 Ford Ranger was introduced into my life. This was in 1996, so though it was the newest car I had every owned, it was by no means new. I loved that truck. I loved that truck despite having to replace the transmission and engine in it (there's a story there, but too long for this post). But once I had a regular paycheck I realized I should upgrade to a newer vehicle. And in February 2001, I became the proud owner of a 1999 Honda CR-V. I am pretty sure I cried in the used car salesman's office with the realization I could actually afford a car that new.

But five years later I was pregnant with my first child and I couldn't sleep at night knowing my 1999 CR-V didn't have the LATCH system for car seats. (First time parents are so cute.) And so, I upgraded my CR-V to a 2002 and, oh my, THAT was a love connection. It was gold with leather trimmed seats and a six disc CD player. And I loved it. But...

But four years later I was pregnant with my second child, and we came to realize that a vehicle that seats five could be very inconvenient when you have a family of four. We would be bound to taking two vehicles in any situation we were in: No taking our girls' friends with us on a whim. No letting the grandparents ride with us when they were in town. No loading up the car with luggage or Costco purchases if the whole family was with. So with reluctance, I started looking at minivans because that seemed like the thing to do when you're eight months pregnant.

I didn't want to be a minivan driver. That meant I was an old suburban mom, which I wasn't obviously (I totally was/am). Maybe if I had a swagger wagon, but that wasn't in the budget. So despite my growing identity crisis, we drove home in a 2007 Honda Odyssey. DVD player? Check. Leather seats? Check. Super handy magic sliding doors? You betcha. Love connection? Not so much. Also it wasn't until we got home that I realized it wasn't in great shape inside. My OCD had a problem with the level of cleanliness we were greeted with. Due to my growing belly, I hadn't really investigated the third row at the dealer. And so the minivan started with two strikes against it: 1) It wasn't my CR-V; and 2) it was dirty. The relationship was doomed from the get go.

But I'm a trouper so I stuck it out. When my second child was born, it was very nice hit a button on the remote to open the doors. And it was nice in parking lots when I had to get the infant car seat out of the car because there was no clearance to worry about for the doors. But, alas, it was not my CR-V so I was left to count the days until we could get something else. Well, it finally happened! Sure I was a little hesitant about losing the magic sliding doors, but now that my girls are almost seven and three, I felt like we could handle it.

And so I present to you, my "new" car! She's a 2012 Chevy Traverse, and I know it's early in our relationship but this *might* be a love connection.

Despite the fact that my husband says adults don't name their cars, I feel like she needs a name... I am open to suggestions. And - for what it's worth - we are in the process of replacing two other major purchases we made around that time, thanks to my pregnant-decision-making fails.

Have you ever had a love connection with a car, or am I a total weirdo?

Wordless Wednesday 2.20.13

2013-02-20T11:23:00.001-06:00

{My super cool husband gets the credit for this pic.}

Decisions: February 2013 Edition

2013-02-19T23:45:00.000-06:00

So. Why has it been almost two weeks since my last blog post? I don't even know what I've been doing. Socializing? A little. Laundry? Not so much. Working on my business cards for Blissdom? Uh, yeah.

But I've made some decisions. Here's the run down:

1. I'm not going on a cruise (free bathrobes or not).

2. I'm not going to convert to Catholicism.

3. I'm not going to date a South African runner with no legs.

4. I'm not going to give the Republican response to the State of the Union.

5. And I'm definitely not moving to Russia.

But in case you missed it, I did beat Roger Clemens in a four mile race:

That's The Rocket making a "quick" exit.
(See what I did there? Because he wasn't quick? Get it?)

Any questions?

How to Overcome the "There's Never Any Time" Issue.

2013-02-06T11:43:00.001-06:00

If you're anything like me, you loved the show "Saved By the Bell" at some point in your life. I am SURE the writers or actors never thought bits of it would stick with us well into our adulthoods, but I cannot even tell you how many times I've thought, "No time! There's never any time!" which is of course followed by, "I'm so excited! I'm so excited! I'm so -- scared!"

Don't even act like you don't know what I'm talking about.

And of course we know Jessie went on to be a showgirl, so either she worked out her time issues or didn't work out her daddy issues. Ha. Ha ha. Ha.

Our struggles with the constraints of time are, well, timeless. We all at some point in our lives have felt that "there's never any time" - but how do we get past that and become productive? Right now my answer lies somewhere between "find a way to stop time" and "just pour another glass of wine, honey - it'll be ok" so clearly I am not the Zack Morris in this situation.

I find that I am further challenged when I have a series of unexpected interruptions to my routine and that it takes me way too long to recover and get back to normal. What is ever more frustrating is that I used to be SO organized and on top of things. I'm considering coining a new phrase, "When life gives you interruptions, make interruptionade" whereas "Interruptionade" is one part rum, two parts lemonade. Or maybe flip that depending on your day.

Point of the story: I am NO HELP here.

Do you have this problem, too? Or have you found the magical answer I am looking for?

Please. Don't make me be Jessie Spano. (Any more than I already am, ahem.)

Do You Get Excited About Underwear?

2013-02-05T23:29:00.000-06:00

I like to shop. OK, I sometimes like to shop. The best kind of shopping is when you know exactly what you are looking for and you find that exact thing right away. Well, my shopping companion and I had that experience today:

Those are big girl underwear, people. With Minnie Mouse on them! That girl is potty trained.

I'm just as shocked as you are.

No, I did not want to make a trip to Target after school when my car was full from my Costco trip, but she wore underwear to school for the first time today and had no accidents. What choice did I have?

We Came, We Saw, We Ran a 5K.

2013-01-22T11:25:00.001-06:00

Somehow it was decided that my first 5K would be at Disney World, instead of something, say, in the Houston metro area where I live. I mean, why make it easy? Had I known that running a 5K would require waking the entire family at 4AM on a Friday morning, I probably would have declined. But I didn't know. So up at 4AM on a Friday morning -- WHILE ON VACATION -- we were.

We were asked to be in our corrals by 5:45AM, which meant we had to get there in time to hand off our girls to my husband's cousins. (Did I not mention my husband ran the 5K with me? Oh. He did.) This meant catching the bus from our hotel to Epcot, which is where the run was. Also? This meant no time for coffee. So I began my very first experience as a race participant severely undercaffeinated.

After we handed my precious girls to the wonderful cousins they barely know (*gulp*), we headed to our corral. Along will eleventy billion other people. I didn't actually count them, so I may be off by a little. And I really had to pee, which caused me great distress. Peeing your pants during a 5K is just not acceptable, but I was afraid I was going to have to be a rule breaker. So I shifted back and forth while standing with the gabillion other participants (again, just an estimate) and tried to find a way to keep my mind off my bladder (it's all about relieving the pressure).

This was a 5K "Family Fun Run" which meant lots of kids and costumes. No, not kids IN costumes. I mean there were a few, but it was mostly grown-ups who were wearing the costumes. I felt very out of place in my ordinary Athleta running skirt and leggings and my Target tank top and jacket. My assertion that I am not creative stands.

See? It's a lot of people.

To Infinity and... The Finish Line!

Waiting to run. And pee.

Although our "fun run" was to begin at 6:30 AM, our corral didn't cross the start line until nearly 6:45. Which meant we were standing in our corrals for nearly an hour. And we were the second corral - there were two others after us. Once we started, running wasn't really even an option because of the umpteen kajillion participants. I did not know this was how it would be. Also I hadn't anticipated the number of nine year olds walking with their grandmas I'd have to dodge. None of this was in the FAQs section. But they did shoot off fireworks as each corral started, so that was kind of cool.

Now, I knew we would run through Epcot, but I didn't know how much of our path would be in the park. It turns out not so much. When we started we were on a back access road or an abandoned highway or something. And there were stadium lights attached to generators along the road, which helped us see but did not help us breath *cough cough*. Eventually we got to Epcot, but through a service entrance past the garbage cans, which obviously were another treat for my olfactory receptors. But once we were actually in the park? There was music and every single Epcot employee lined up to cheer us on. I don't have a picture of that (because, duh, running) but I won't forget it. These were not the characters or the cute little young folks you might expect. These were the food service people, the custodial people, the nuts and bolts of the park. And they were there at 7:00 AM on a Friday waving at us with big Mickey gloves and shouting to remind us that we "could do it!". It kind of made up for my lack of coffee.

When my husband talks about our run together through Epcot, he likes to add that I was singing for the last mile, and you know what? I totally was. I mean, there we were running through Epcot with "Hakuna Matata" playing on the loud speakers on a beautifully warm January morning. How do you not sing in those conditions?

Eventually we had to exit the park, again through a stinky service entrance (exit?) to make our way to the finish line that was in one of the Epcot parking lots. But as we exited and started to pass the bleachers near the finish, in my left ear I heard the wonderful, familiar voice of my six year old, cheering for us. I was pretty tired so I was afraid that if I turned to look for her, I would trip on a nine year old, but I knew that voice. As we approached the finish line, I told my husband I wanted to hold hands as we crossed the finish line, and so we held raised hands as we crossed the finish line for my first official race.

And now I have a medal with Mickey Mouse on it and a 5K under my belt.

And I'm 38. And I like to kick, stretch, and KICK.

Just a Quick Note between posts.

2013-01-17T14:08:00.001-06:00

Could I *be* any more behind on everything? This is why this post doesn't really count.

Yes, I will write about my 5k and about our trip to WDW and will hopefully do that soon. And hopefully I will tackle the amazing pile of dirty clothes we brought back from Orlando, too. And eat lunch. And take a shower. Yeah, it's that bad.

But really, as I was mulling over my future posts in my head this morning on my drives to schools, I had a very hard time focusing because of the feeling of disgust in the pit of my stomach. I was listening to the news and they were reporting on the polarized, absolute extremist views being held by folks on the "gun debate" - and I just couldn't believe this is where we are as a society.

In the practice of yoga, the idea of non-attachment is one that is often explored. In a nutshell, the idea is that it is our attachment to things (and ideas and egos) that causes our pain, suffering, and discontent.

Way back when I was an actor, one of the things I discovered to be universally true about people - real or made up - is that their moment to moment thoughts and concerns tend to be about themselves first.

Anyone who has studied child development knows that in the toddler years, children are the center of their own universe. As they get older, they learn - with the help of parents and caregivers - that this is not how the world works. Or they are supposed to anyway.

Where am I going with this?

Perhaps if folks would listen to each other with an open mind and open heart we could affect the real problems with our society. Perhaps if people weren't so defensive and possessive about every single issue, we could actually communicate with one another and accomplish something, anything. Perhaps the solution to this and other problems isn't (only) legislative. Perhaps the solution is that the members of our society learn to talk to each other without shouting, learn to listen without waiting to interrupt, and learn that everyone is not out to get them or take things away from them.

To refuse to listen to the other side of the argument is not admirable, it is immature. Am I saying that everyone talking about this issue is selfish and immature? No, not everyone. Just those talking the loudest. Which, unfortunately, are the only ones some (most?) people will hear.

But didn't I say this post doesn't count? So, carry on.