You have GOT to be Kidding Me!!!

Control.  I have been out of it for a long time when it comes to my eating habits.  There have been days in the past months that I honestly haven't put one healthy thing in my face.  Chips, pop, chocolate, fast food, ice cream...if its crap, chances are I've been eating it...a lot of it!  So, in an effort to regain control I've started up with weight watchers again.  I did WW several years ago when we lived in Illinois and had great success with it.  I find its a program that just kind of fits my lifestyle.  So since last Wednesday I've been counting my points, focusing on water, fruits, veggies, fiber, protein, etc.  After I got past the refined "sugar withdrawl" which for me usually happens on the third day I felt pretty good.  I'm getting used to the hungry feeling in my belly and as we watch tv at night I'm occupying my hands at night with sudoku as opposed to popcorn.  I feel like I have control over my body and the food I eat and am remembering all those healthy lessons I learned from the last time.  As an added bonus I've even lost 4 pounds so yay for me!

HOWEVER...

There are a lot of women in my ward who are runners.  I'm trying to be a runner too so I asked a friend if she would let me tag along with her in her run this morning.  I told her I could probably do 2 miles, she said great so off we went!  We probably got 1/2 a mile down the road when I got a terrible stitch in my side.  I had to stop.  We continued to walk at a brisk pace and when the stitch went away we started running again.  It came back immediately.  We stopped again.  The stitch went away quicker that time so then we ran up a hill.  I almost puked.  Seriously people...I knew I was out of shape but I didn't think I was THAT out of shape.  Out of the 4 mile route we probably didn't even run a mile of it.  I feel like such a loser.  Thankfully my friend was very understanding and told me she would walk with me any time while I promised her that I would build my endurance before I ever asked to tag along with her again.  I am a total loser!

So here is my question.  What can I do about the side stitches.  I've heard breathing at a steady pace is the best thing to combat it and I've heard that higher altitudes have something to do with it too.  All I know is that if it wasn't for the darn stitch I could've run further (probably not that much further but still further)  I remember suffering this same ailment as a kid into a teenager.  Its the main reason why I've never been a runner.  Oh, I can step class, kick box, and power pump till the cows come home but I can't run!  

Running is my EVEREST but I will conquer it.  I'm on my way!  I called another friend in my ward who is "out of shape" like myself and we're going running/walking bright and early tomorrow morning!  We will work on it together.  We will build our endurance and before too long we will be out with all the "real" runners!!!  We'd better cause I have a 5k in 3 weeks!!!!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

I can't believe its already the middle of May.  Spring has flown by and summer is almost here!  I'm so excited for summer!  This time of year I get so lazy with my kids homework, schedules, reading, school lunches.  I'm just ready to fly by the seat of my pants for a few months and throw away the daily routine

So what have I been up to in May?  Well to sum up, you know when you feel really busy but you don't really know what you've been doing?  That kind of busy HASN'T been my May.  I've been busy and I know what I've been doing!

May started off with a visit from my nephew Logan.  My sister Marilee was here for a girls trip with her friends and she brought Logan to my house to stay with me for a few days.  He and Brady had so much fun together and he was so easy to have.  Love that kid.  He is seriously so funny!  TJ was out of town that week so it was kind of hectic BUT my mom was in town so that helped a TON!!!!!  She rocks!

Then this past week my Ang came to visit from North Carolina.  Her brother-in-law was getting married so she came for that and stayed with me.  It was so much fun to see her and her darling little munchkins.  We got together with Shannon and of course we ate a ton, talked a ton, laughed a ton and had an awesome time.  I feel so blessed to have such good friends.  I've known Angie for 17 years and I've known Shannon for 13 years.  These 2 girls are the best friends a girl could have and I'm so grateful to both of them for their love and examples to me.  We have so much fun together and no one can make me laugh like them.  I love them dearly and am so glad we got to play!  We always joke that we will be best friends forever because we all know too much about each other, but serioulsy, there is just such comfort in being with the people that know everything about you and love you in spite of all those things!

In between all of this we've been having fun with Natalie's soccer games and Jackson's baseball games.  Jack is playing on a Highland City team this year and on a Super League team so we have about 4 games a week.  This past Saturday was a PERFECT day for baseball and so we enjoyed being outside and soaking in the sun.  Natalie's soccer team is doing well.  She is just so fun to watch and she is having a blast!  Her violin is going well too.  She passed off her 6 (I think ) Twinkle Twinkle Little Star variations and is on to the next song.  She loves playing and isn't shy about doing impromptu concerts for those who want to hear her play.  Its really fun to see her improve!

I've also been having a great time with my calling in Young Women.  I know most leaders say this cause they have to but I really feel like we have exceptional Young Women in our ward.  They're smart, strong, beautiful girls and I LOVE LOVE LOVE working with them.  They make me laugh!!!!

And last, but not least, I have had the opportunity to participate in a production of "The Ten Virgins."  I don't know that I knew what I was getting myself into when I said I would be in it because its been very time consuming but its been extremely uplifting!  Its caused me to think about the 5 "foolish" women differently then I did before.  I used to think that they were just dumb, "bad" women but really they were you and me.  They didn't want to run out of oil and they didn't even mean to run out of oil.  They just allowed life to get away from them and it happened.  How often are we guilty of that?  We're too busy, too tired, we think we have more time to prepare...I see myself in each of the characters in the production, ESPECIALLY the foolish ones,  and its been very eye opening.  We perform it this Thursday evening at enrichment and I hope it all goes well. 

On a totally different note the Denver Nuggets play again tonight!  Go Nuggets!!!!!!