Getting ready to GO!

Date night!

So, this last week was incredibly busy, because I have a lot of work to do. If all goes as planned, I will be open for business in a month! That is exciting, but incredibly intimidating. At this point, I just want to get started!

The week started off slowly. When I woke up on Monday, I was really sore from the Tough Mudder, and knew that Tuesday would be worse. For me, soreness is always worse two days after I've done something strenuous. I was right! I could barely stand up to get out of bed. I had to, though, because I had a meeting at the bank to open an account for GO! Gymnastics. Although I walked in awkwardly, and probably looked like I was struggling to stand up when I left, the account was opened. That's a huge step! I went to the gym to do some cardio, in an effort to return my body to normal, and fortunately for me, it worked. I felt MUCH better after my workout, and I was able to be more productive. Phew!

I taught a few private lessons this week, and I know I've said it before, but I really enjoy those. I have one small group that I teach, that isn't really a "private," because there are 6 girls in the class, but I design the class specifically for their dance needs. They are all between 8 and 10, and they are on the same dance team at a local studio. They have an interesting dynamic, because they are supportive of each other, but also very competitive. They challenge each other, because they all want to be the best in the group! That's positive in some ways, because the girls make progress fairly quickly, but it also makes things difficult, because there's always one or two of them who struggle on specific skills, and they get discouraged when they can't do what the others are doing. The funny thing is, they're all really at the same level. No one is really better than anybody else. Each of the girls has very distinct strengths and weaknesses, and it's my job to help them build on their strengths, while improving on their weaknesses. Yesterday, one of the girls was struggling with the conditioning I had assigned. I had the girls put their hands on a bar for balance, bend one leg, and try to touch the bent knee to the ground, then stand up. One of the girls was having a really hard time with the exercise (it's actually incredibly hard to do), and she broke down, discouraged. I told her not to worry about it. The exercise was hard for her because she had the longest legs in the group, so it made it more difficult. That seemed to make her feel better. Then, the other tall girl in the group looked at her legs, then at her friend's legs, and said, "Ummmm, I challenge that statement..." Ha! It was hard not to laugh, because she was very serious. Instead of laughing, I moved the girls onto a different station, in an effort to distract them. Kids say some funny things, and that's one of the best parts of my job! Side note: A customer came into the gym yesterday, for a private lesson. Her daughter dances for a local dance studio, and I have 8 girls from that studio that I teach, personally. In talking with the parent, I found out that the owner of this particular dance studio actually requires her students to come to Kenwood Gymnastics, to train certain skills. Apparently, she swears by Kenwood, saying all of her students who go to Kenwood learn their aerials, and other acrobatic skills in no time. I was proud to hear that! I know Kenwood has an awesome staff, but is a huge compliment to have someone in a closely-related industry, tell her clients the same thing. I think it says a lot about the gym!

This morning, I headed into work, in an attempt not to be too early (Charley wants to run wild, if we get there too early), only to find that every entrance to 35W was closed. Great. Just my luck! So, I was  a little bit late, but my first class went great, and Charley made it through her class without throwing a fit. This day was unique, because Charley had to stay for two classes instead of leaving after the first class to go to my mom's house. The second class started, and it wasn't long before I heard her crying from inside the kids' gym. So, I traded with my co-worker, and taught the preschoolers instead of the older kids. It was actually a lot of fun, and great practice for my new venture!

A 2-year-old in milkshake heaven...

Charley and I have been really busy, and on the go, lately. I shouldn't say lately. We're always busy, and on the go. That's just kind of my nature. I've always been a busy-body and a workaholic. Unfortunately, Charley does not seem to share that trait. She's definitely more of a homebody than me, and she really likes to spend time at home. So, last night, and part of the day today, I made a specific effort not to plan anything, and just to stay home. Generally, when we're on the go, we're running errands or going to the gym. We haven't had a lot of quality time lately, because I've been so busy trying to get organized for my business. So tonight, we had a date night. We went to Red Robin, which was actually pretty fun and it was a great atmosphere for kids. It was like Fudrucker's, except without the hanging slabs of meat hanging in the window (Edina kids totally know what I'm talking about). Anyway, I wanted it to be a special night, so I let her get a milkshake, which she is a huge fan of, naturally. I spend almost all of my time with Charley, but this was different, because I was deliberately trying to make it fun for her. And it was fun for me, too! We came home, and she quickly fell asleep. Win-win!

In other news, I recently joined this online "Meetup" group. I've got wonderful friends, but I'm trying to expand my social circle. I joined a couple of groups that are pretty well-targeted to me, like Minneapolis Hip Mamas (I'd like to think I'm hip, although I'm not sure that's totally accurate), Active Singles with Kids, etc. I've only gone to one meet-up so far, and it was a little awkward, because it was at the Edina Pool and the group was small, but the Hip Mamas I met were very nice. I haven't had the guts to venture out with the Active Singles group yet. I'm a little apprehensive about that, and I'm not really sure why. I just get the impression that most of the people will be significantly older than me. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Many of my close friends are quite a bit older. Anyway, we will see how these meetups go. At the very least, I'll get to meet a variety of new people without feeling like I'm re-entering the online dating world. Yikes!

I've started talking about my business more frequently lately, and now I have a favor to ask all of you. I'm trying to pick a logo, and I've narrowed it down to two options. Which do you like better, Option A or Option B? Keep in mind it's going on the side of a bus, and it's a children's gymnastics program. I appreciate your help!

Option A

Option B

Gettin' Muddy

Well, I did it! I completed the Tough Mudder. I might have been the slowest one in the group, but at the end of the day, I set a goal to complete the TM, and I reached that goal. I'll get more into detail with that, but first, let me give you a little bit of insight into the days leading up to the Mudder. This post will be a lengthy one, so I hope you're ready!

Last week didn't go as I'd planned, in general. Every day I planned to go to the gym, something came up, and I wasn't able to do the workout I'd intended. I made it to the gym three times, but not as much as I wanted, so I began feeling more and more unprepared. Then, Charley decided that sleeping wasn't really her thing. Wednesday and Thursday nights, she was up several times (probably due to the heat and lack of central air in our duplex), and although she went right back to sleep after waking up, I wasn't so lucky. It's always taken me awhile to get to sleep, and last week was no exception, so I was a little bit sleep deprived. On Friday night, she slept like a rock for 13 hours, so I was pleased! I thought for SURE she'd do the same for me on Saturday, because clearly she was wiped out. No such luck!

When tired toddlers shop...

On Saturday morning, I went to work as usual, but instead of going to my mom's house, Charley went to her friend Sawyer's house to play. She had a great time with her little buddy, and Sawyer's mom said Charley had been great, but seemed to be running a fever. Sure enough, her head was a little warm. But she didn't seem to be acting unusual, so we met up with my friend Kim for some shopping and lunch. I'd been on the hunt for a pair of lime green athletic shorts, because one of my fellow Tough Mudders said that everyone was going to wear them along with our team shirts to complete the race. We ended up at TJ MAXX, where I found some incredibly neon shorts for $7...Totally in my price range! We went from there to Panera where we ate lunch, and chatted for a bit. Charley ate some of her lunch, but after awhile, she put her head on my lap, and before I knew it, she was asleep! I knew she was tired, and it reinforced that her fever might have been due to something more than a growth spurt. When she woke up from her nap, she seemed to feel great and went to bed easily. "Woohoo!" I thought. "She's in bed early, and I'll be able to get to sleep before 10!" Ha! Not so much. One of my TM friends had sent an e-mail earlier in the week, encouraging everyone to check out the obstacle course in advance, so we could be prepared. I looked at The Berlin Wall, and several others, and figured they wouldn't be a problem. I'm strong as crap so strength events don't bother me. Then I saw one called The Boa Constrictor and another called The Trench. I was instantly in panic mode. I am extremely claustrophobic, and these events required crawling through small, dark spaces. Suddenly, my nightmare seemed as though it would become a reality in less than 24 hours. The thought freaked me out, so I took some melatonin to help me get to sleep.

Then, in the middle of the night, Charley started crying several times, which meant I was up several times as well. Around 1:30, I heard a loud popping sound. Then a minute later, I heard another, and it sounded very close by. I had an internal panic attack, because I like all of my neighbors quite a bit, and I was convinced I'd just heard a murder-suicide take place. Perhaps the lack of sleep from the previous days was getting to me? Anyway, that kept me up, ultra-paraoid, for about another 30 minutes to an hour. So much for getting a good night's sleep before the TM! Charley woke up, happy as she could be, around 4:30 a.m., and she was ready to go! I think if I did the math, that means I got a total of about 4 hours of sleep on Saturday night. I knew I could handle it. I'd make myself some coffee, and that would perk me up! That's when I realized that the bag of coffee I'd purchased the night before was full of coffee beans...not ground coffee. Typical! I intended to get out the door in time to pick up some Starbuck's before heading over to my team's meeting place, but that didn't happen, so I ate my Cliff bar, and drank a bottle of water, and prepared myself for a long, grueling day

The Tough Mudder was exciting. They say it's a team activity, and that's the truth. It was like the ultimate team task, and I couldn't have been on a better team. We all met up at Colleen's house (she'd done most of the organizing for the race), and broke off into carpools from there. I rode with some of my fellow coaches, and we had a great drive out to Somerset, Wisconsin. As we got closer, the excitement continued to build, and we were all pretty ready to get going. I was nervous. Not nervous about the obstacles, but nervous about the running. I'm not a runner. I've talked to several of my fellow gymnasts, and we've all determined that good gymnasts have more difficulty training themselves for endurance- based events. We were trained for so many years to go really hard in short spurts, but have trouble with distances. Plus, I knew my asthma  and allergies would be an issue, because nearly all of my training had been indoors. Well, I was right. I struggled with the running, quite a bit. By Mile 3, I was convinced we HAD to have run like 6 miles already. Ha! I probably walked through half of the course. I felt like the girl on one of the Real World Challenges that held up her whole group. With that said, my team was SUPER supportive and really fun to work with. I completed all of the challenges without any issues, although I chose to skip the obstacle that required climbing over hay bales. Could I have made the climb? Sure! But I would have been wheezing and swollen for the rest of the day, so I opted out. The obstacles were challenging, but definitely my favorite part of the course. Even The Trench and The Boa Constrictor weren't nearly as bad as I'd anticipated. They were actually kind of fun! At one of the last obstacles, we had to climb monkey bars that went up at an incline, and then down. I climbed across like a kindergartner, one hand at a time, but I made it all the way across. One of my teammates looked at me with a questioning grin, and said, "Did you make it?" "Yeah!" I replied. "I'm strong as crap, it's just my endurance that sucks!" Ha! My favorite parts were the obstacles that required us to climb over mounds of slippery mud. We got to slide down the mud into puddles of MORE mud, and we even took a couple of breaks to float in the mud. Needless to say, the entire team was a muddy mess! But that was part of the fun.

The entire course was full of hills, and challenging paths, and if my team hadn't been there, I certainly wouldn't have made it through. But I genuinely enjoyed the comradery within my team. Everybody was having fun, helping each other, scaling walls together. It was quite an experience. I loved every minute of it, even when my legs were cramping up and I was struggling through The Arctic Enema (swimming through ice water). As much as it was a challenge, I think I would do it again. The teamwork and "mental grit" the Tough Mudder requires, made for a long, but incredible day. I think the best part of the day was when the entire team kicked up into handstands, and crossed the finish line together. It was awesome! Then we were given our orange headbands, t-shirts, and well-deserved beers. We hung around for awhile, talking, and washing as much of the dirt and mud off of ourselves as possible (I was still covered in a layer of dirt when I got home, despite my best attempt of cleaning off with a hose). We walked back to the cars, sat outside, shared some drinks, and headed home. It was a day I'll never forget.

Now, after all of that, the team went back to Colleen's house to grill out and recover. I had to leave, unfortunately, because Charley still wasn't feeling well, and she was becoming pretty anxious for her mommy. Duty calls! I was happy to see her, and we both slept like rocks last night. This morning, I took her back to TJ MAXX so I could buy some more running shorts. After wearing my first pair through the TM, I might officially convert from leggings and a tank top, to running shorts, and athletic shirts. There really is a difference in comfort!

So, to sum up, I've learned the following random facts in the last week:
1. The Tough Mudder is every bit as extreme as it's advertised to be.
2. I can make my way through enclosed spaces without having a panic attack.
3. I clearly don't know what a gun shot sounds like, because all of my neighbors are still alive (thank goodness!).
4. Running shorts are amazing.
5. I should wear shorts and athletic headbands more often. One of my teammates told me I looked like I was 20, and the lady at the check in for the TM questioned my age.
6. The Kenwood Gymnastys are awesome (although I really already knew that).
7. The TM makes me sore. Not just a little sore. Waddle like a duck, sore.
8. It's possible for me to have scratches and bruises all over my body, and not be able to pinpoint exactly when any of them took place.
9. I'm not discouraged because I was the slowest team member. In fact, I'm motivated NOT to be the slowest one next time!
10. Slow and steady might not win the race, but definitely still completes it!

If you read through all that, you deserve a drink! Wine tonight, anyone? Cheers!

Adventures in Babysitting

So, I promised more stories, and I plan to fulfill that promise. The last couple of weeks has been busy, and full of activities, so I certainly have plenty to share. From working like a maniac, to Charley's antics, it's been busy, but fun! The last couple of days, I've spent a lot of time in the gym coaching. I've been coaching private lessons for the most part, which is great, because I get to know the kids really well. It's definitely enjoyable, but it certainly wears me out!

Anyway, I worked yesterday, and Charley spent the day with my mom. She is so funny, because she always has a good time when she's playing with her Nana and Boppa, but she generally puts up a fight when I leave. Today, we were able to distract her with toys before I left, and avoided a meltdown. Woohoo! That's a bonus for me! Charley's been the queen of one-liners recently. The other day I was at the gym, and went to pick her up from the childcare center. I said, "Charley, I missed you!" Her response? "Yeah, whatever." The girl behind the counter heard it and started laughing uncontrollably. Yup! That's my kid. Charley's been getting particularly spoiled recently, too. 98% of the time, I have a sitter for her, while I'm coaching, or teaching private lessons. However, once in awhile, she has to come to the gym when I teach a private, and generally she just plays with the parent of the child I'm working with. Tuesday was one of those days.

Charley started out great, playing with another little girl who was watching her sister do gymnastics. After that, she went into the kids' gym and took out some orange cones, which she brought out to me, saying, "Happy Birthday!" That was a big hit with the parents sitting in the waiting area. Then she came out on the gym floor for a bit, which I really don't like, but as long as she is out of everybody's way, I'll deal with it. She was actually really good for about the first 45 minutes of the hour long lesson. Then, it was meltdown time. She found this long, metal pole, and was shooting it at anybody who came by like it was a light saber. She must have gotten that from her cousin, because she certainly didn't get it from me! Anyway, it was entertaining for a minute, until I took it away, and everybody in the gym got to listen to about 10 minutes of "No!" followed by, " I'm NOT going to sit down! I want to jump!" Let's just say, she showed her 2-year-old side. I put her in time out, which didn't go over well with her, but it gave me enough time to finish out the class. As we were leaving, one of the moms who had been watching said to me,"That was like free entertainment! Can you bring her next time?" Ha! I am all about laughing at my own expense (and my child's), but if I can avoid bringing her to the gym, I'm  going to do it! Even though the parents loved it, selfishly, I didn't. Imagine that!

Yesterday, my recreational team girls were in the gym, and I love working with that group. I am choreographing a group floor routine, which I haven't done in awhile. I've done a couple of individual floor routines (which is funny, because they generally include pieces from my old floor routines), and I've done a few group routines, but it's been awhile. It's actually kind of fun! It's a lot of work, trying to figure out spacing, and decide what looks good and what doesn't, but I'm really enjoying putting the routine together! On a different note, one of my private lessons canceled on me yesterday, which gave me a free hour in the gym. There happened to be some adult tumblers there, so I jumped in with the class and had some fun! I like getting out on the equipment and doing things I haven't done in years. And I didn't hurt myself this time! Woohoo!

The last couple of days, I've been doing a lot of work for GO! GYMNASTICS. I've been working on a logo, putting together lesson plans, etc. It's starting to come together very quickly and that's exciting. It also means I have a TON of things to do. I like it though, it keeps me busy. Hopefully, it will keep me busy for a long time!

Last night, after I finished at work, I went to my first ever "Gender Reveal" party for some of my friends. I've known my friend Katie since high school, and her husband Max even longer, and they really are a great couple. They have a son already, and at the party yesterday, they had a box filled with balloons that would reveal the gender of their baby-on-the-way. Naturally, I was late, and missed the big reveal. Lucky for me Katie had video! I've never seen someone so excited by pink balloons! It was a great idea, and a fun little get together. I'll have to keep that in mind for the future...The VERY distant future.

So, this morning I got a text from one of my girlfriends, asking me if I could watch her kids, because she had a bit of a babysitting emergency. I've totally been there, and it's the worst! I only ended up watching her youngest, because she'd figured something out for her older child, and it was really fun. Her son is about 10 months old, and busy as can be. He's a stereotypical boy! Charley was so excited to have someone to play with all day, and I think she really liked being the "big kid." We went to the splash pad, and they played in the water because it was so stinking hot outside, and they both had a great time! Charley was very sweet with him, patting him on the head, and saying, " Hi little guy! How are you?" She might have heard that somewhere.... Ha! She's totally my mini-me. Anyway, I was thinking how she would make a great big sister (and she will someday), because she was playing so well with him. Then, he made a dangerous mistake. He approached, and even TOUCHED the iPad! In Charley's world, that can be a deal breaker. "Hey! That's MINE!" she shouted several times, as he innocently banged away on the screen. My "big sister" bubble was totally burst. Ha! She's two, it's really how I expected her to react. I mean, by the time the thought of being a big sister is even an inkling, she will be older and she will be a GREAT big sister. But her possessiveness made me laugh. On another note, this little guy I watched today is like an angel child. He was so easy! He only cried once all day, and that's because he was hungry. It made the day go by faster, and even wore Charley out enough for a second nap today. Thank goodness for that!

I suppose that's enough rambling for today. Sometime in the next couple of days, I'll give an update on my personal life, which I'm sure is always amusing to those of you who are settled down...and maybe more amusing to those who aren't, because you can probably relate! More tomorrow...

So Much to Tell...

It's been awhile since I've blogged, and it's not because my life hasn't been interesting... it's actually because I've been without a computer! I thought about blogging from my phone or iPad, but then I tried it. It was frustrating, and took forever, then wouldn't post when I made an attempt. So I abandoned the blog until I got a new computer. Hooray, I got a new one, which I love, by the way, so I'm back in action!

I've had a lot going on lately. Those of you who know me well, know that I've always been a bit of a busy-body. I tend to be on the go all the time, and this summer has been no exception. I've been to Kansas City twice since May, to visit friends, and outside of that I've been working a lot. I know I've said it before, and it might sound cheesy, but I LOVE my job. I love to teach and there's nothing I'm better at teaching than gymnastics. I've always enjoyed teaching gymnastics, but some days it really hits me that I'm very lucky. Some people like their jobs, some people loathe their jobs. But I truly LOVE mine. It's partially due to the fact that I work with great people, and partially because I adore my students. There's nothing more exciting to me than watching a kid finally land a skill they've been working for weeks or even months. It's very rewarding. I genuinely feel blessed to have found what I'm good at, and passionate about, at an early age.

In previous posts, I've mentioned that I'm starting a business. I've kept it kind of quiet, because I wanted to get the basics into place. Now, it's in the works, and should be up and running before September. Along with my friend Blair, I'm starting a mobile gymnastics business. The company is called Go!Gymnastics, and we'll be traveling around the Twin Cities on a bus which will be retrofitted with gymnastics equipment. I am really excited to get it started, and get busy promoting the program. I'm a self-proclaimed workaholic, and I've always worked 60+ hours a week. I'm looking forward to seeing the benefits of my hard work. I think it's going to be great for me, but more importantly, for Charley. I'll have a bit of a more flexible schedule, which means more time for her.


Aside from the business stuff, I've had a lot of other things going on in my life. For one thing, Charley is almost 2 and a half now, and she's asserting her independence regularly. More regularly than I would like! The other day she said, "Mom, look at me," very seriously, then looked me in the eyes and said, "No! I will NOT go to bed." Ha! That's what she thought! Of course she ended up going to bed, but she certainly put up a fight.  She's mastered my "mom" look, and she's not even 3 years old. That's a little bit frightening. I don't even want to THINK about her teenage years. At the same time, she can be so incredibly sweet and adorable that she makes me just want to squeeze her. I love that she's strong-willed, but she certainly knows how to push my buttons.


Recently, I've befriended the parents of a little girl from Charley's gymnastics class. It's been great. Charley and their daughter Aurora are like two peas in a pod. Neither of the girls go to preschool yet, so it's really good for their socialization, for them to play. Today, we went to the Como Zoo, and we discovered their splash pad. It was amazing, and the girls had a great time with each other. They ran in circles, squealing, for at least 30 minutes straight. They were cracking me up. I love watching them interact, too. Charley has a tendency to be bossy, and Aurora doesn't put up with her crap. It goes both ways, too. The girls are good for each other. On a side note, it's nice to have made friends with another family that has kids! I have amazing friends in Minnesota, but only a few have any kids. It's always nice to expand my social circle, and Charley's as well!

On another note, I have the Tough Mudder next weekend. A month ago, I felt confident about the race. Now? Totally different story. Three weeks ago, I tore an abdominal muscle, and it's been impossible to do ab work at all. The worst part is, it was a totally stupid injury (as they usually are). I think sometimes I forget I'm almost 30. I posted on FB a couple weeks ago, that I'd done 60 back tucks that day. At the time, it didn't hurt, but naturally I was sore in the following days. Three days after I did my little tumbling workout, I was teaching a class, and my students' were not understanding the body position I was describing. So, like an idiot, I forgot that I was sore, and jumped on the bars. The minute my hands caught the bar, I felt a rip in my stomach, and immediately regretted my attempt at a demonstration. So, I've been going to the gym, but watering down my workouts so I don't re-injure myself. With that said, I'm hoping I survive the Tough Mudder, because I feel like I was in better shape a month ago! Oh well, I'll be working my butt off at the gym this week, and hopefully I make it through without looking like an idiot.

I've got a lot more to share...Lots has been going on... But I'm about to fall asleep, so I'll get to it tomorrow. I hope everyone is having a good summer so far!

Lessons in Bad Parenting

So, yesterday was my last day with students. It was a bit of a bittersweet feeling, because even though I don’t see them in person, when I work with kids for a year, I build a certain bond with them.  I got some nice e-mails from my kiddos, thanking me for helping them this year, and even a couple letters from appreciative parents. That’s always a good feeling, because as my fellow teachers can tell you, teaching can be a thankless job at times. But I’ve been lucky to work with families, and teachers that are very supportive and appreciate collaborative efforts to help students improve. Anyway, that meant that today was primarily a paperwork day. Those are the hardest days for me, because my self-diagnosed ADD kicks in, and I jump from one task to another, without completing anything! Oh well, I have another week to get everything finished. Honestly, I’ve got about 2 days of work, and a full week to complete it. I’m determined not to procrastinate and do it at the very end of next week!

Okay, enough of the boring stuff. Today I got back to the gym, which I have unintentionally avoided for the last two weeks. It felt great to get my muscles moving again, although I’m sure I will be sore tomorrow! When I dropped Charley off at the daycare area, she started crying. This has been her pattern for the last two weeks or so. She’s gotten to be a little clingy with me, for one reason or another. Last week she cried through her entire gymnastics class, which is crazy, because it’s her favorite thing to do during the week! I know it’s just a stage, but I hope it passes soon.  I thought about Charley when I was in the locker room, too, as I overheard a conversation between a mom and her teenage daughter that literally made me cringe.

Mom: Well, you know, your dad gets to do all the fun stuff. He takes you kids on vacations, and to do all kinds of fun things, and has photos taken of you. I have to pay for everything. I don’t have any money to pay for fun stuff for you. Now I’m going to have to pay for this summer camp!

Daughter: Well, do you want me to ask Dad if he can pay for camp?

Mom: Well, I mean, if you wouldn’t mind. That would be great. He seems to have a lot of money, and I don’t have any money. And I’m the one working my butt off to pay for the everyday bills!

Daughter: Ok, Mom, I’ll ask him.

Okay, seriously? While I might have this internal dialogue all the time, and vocalize it to my friends, I would NEVER let Charley get involved in my finances or opinions about her father. This mother made me really upset, because as the child of divorced parents, I know that regardless of how hard parents try to keep kids out of their personal issues, there is still a sense of being caught in the middle. It just can’t be prevented. But parents CAN make it worse, and that’s exactly what this mother did. She put her child in the middle and asked her to take care of something she should have addressed herself. I was irritated. Even though things aren’t always rosy with Charley’s dad, and I might address certain issues with him from time to time, I would never ask my child to address those issues for me. Ugh. BAD parenting. But it showed me exactly what NOT to do with Charley!

Anyway, I think my annoyance from the conversation made me work out a little bit harder. And my mood improved greatly when Betty White’s Off Their Rockers came on the TV at the gym. I’ve only seen one episode of this show in my life, and I’d forgotten how amusing it is. I had to stop myself from laughing out loud and falling off the treadmill, when a “blind” man started throwing bird seed on a couple of twenty-something women. It was hilarious. Totally distracted me from the fact that my legs were burning because I’ve been a lazy bum who hasn’t worked out in weeks!

I haven’t talked about my dating life much lately, and honestly it’s because it’s been going well. I met a nice guy, and I don’t want to jinx it! So that’s all the information I’m going to provide… Ha!

Funny story for the day...I went to McDonald's to get a Diet Coke today. I try not to keep soda in the house, because if it's there, I drink it, which I don't like to do every day. Anyway, as I was pulling up to pick up my drink, I could see the drive-through guy bouncing his head up and down, probably showing off for some girl he was working with. It was amusing...especially when he wasn't paying attention and hit his head on the top of the drive-through window. He immediately grabbed his head and cringed. I laughed. I pulled up, and he asked, "Are you laughing at me?" I said, "A little bit." He replied," Yeah, I'd be laughing at me, too." It kind of made my day, even though I know it probably hurt. Ha!

Tonight, my girlfriends are out for pizza and drinks. My coaching friends are at the gym, for adult tumbling. And me? I’m sitting on the couch, blogging. Unfortunately, it’s just hard to get out at 8:00 on a Thursday night, because my family works, and it’s kind of late to get a sitter. Charley has gotten into a pretty good bed time routine, and I am trying to keep it consistent. I know it’s easy to get lax in the summer, but it’s important to me that she has some structure. So, I’ll take one for the team, and stay home with my munchkin. And seeing as she’s in bed, I’m pretending that I’m out with my girlfriends, and enjoying a glass of wine. Cheers!

A Weekend for the Books!

Wow, what a week! School is winding down, but of course I was just assigned two new students, even though there is about a week left of classes. That means my IEP writing is NOT done, the way I thought it was. Oh well, just one more week with students, then it's summer time! I'm looking forward to it. This year actually went by pretty quickly, and I think it's because I tried hard to keep myself busy. Well, I didn't have to TRY that hard. I mean, I have a toddler. She does a pretty good job of keeping me busy!

So last week, my friend Kim and I drove down to KS for Memorial Day weekend. It's about a 6.5 hour drive, which really isn't that bad. We managed to make it there with only one stop, and we were traveling with a toddler and a dog! Not too shabby! It was a great trip. Charley hadn't been feeling well the day we left, so I was worried she would be sick for the whole vacation, but she slept all the way to KS, and through the night, so she seemed to be much better by Friday afternoon. We stayed with my friend Kellie and her two boys, Jack and Luke. It was really like staying with family. I've said before that Kellie is like my sister, and that's true. Just like a sister would, she brought me along to her exercise classes. That meant I got to go to boot camp and pilates on the same day. Kellie is in incredible shape, so I knew I was in for it, but I was glad to join her. Boot camp was HARD. Mostly because I hate cardio, and it involved a lot of cardio. When we went outside to run about a block, I thought I was going to die. Sad, right? Part of my problem was that I totally wore the wrong shoes to the class, and after about a thousand burpies, my feet were killing me. Even though it kicked my butt, I did enjoy the class. I really enjoyed the pilates class. That's more my kind of workout. Strength, balance...those are the things gymnasts are good at. Running and endurance? Not so much!  Anyway, I totally got my butt kicked, but was pleasantly surprised when I was able to walk on Saturday, in spite of the tightness in my calf muscles!

Saturday was a fun day. We took it easy in the morning. Charley slept until 10:30, because she'd had night terrors throughout the night. Sorry, Kellie and family! It was miserable for everyone, I'm pretty sure. Fortunately, though, she was a in a much better mood when she finally got up. Luke and Charley played outside most of the morning. Kellie owns just about every outdoor toy a kid could want, including a swing set, a trampoline, and even a little John Deere tractor. It's like a kid's dream. Charley's been in a, "drive a car," stage for quite some time, so when she got on that tractor, she was in heaven. It was incredibly amusing, watching her slam on the gas pedal and fly along the grass until she ultimately ran into a bush (which she did, every time). We went to a birthday party for a friend's son that afternoon. It was really nice. I got to see some of my good friends, including my Ali who is pregnant and about to deliver any day. I was hoping she'd go ahead and have the baby while I was in town, but no such luck! For some reason she wasn't all into the idea of bouncing on the trampoline to get her water to break. Weird. Ha! Charley had a blast, belting Happy Birthday at the top of her lungs (3 times...everyone else only sang once), but when she realized the presents weren't for her to open, she was ready to go back to the house. She was in bed by 7:45 and I actually had time to relax. It was great!

When diapers fill with water... My girl's got some junk in the trunk!

Sunday was honestly the perfect day. Charley and I went to breakfast with Kim and her boyfriend, then came back and played outside for awhile while Kellie and the boys were at church. When they got home, we got ready to go to Kellie's mom's pool. Kellie hadn't said much about the house, so I didn't know what to expect. It was a BEAUTIFUL home and the pool was amazing. It had a large stoop that was about 4 inches deep, which was perfect for Charley to "swim" on. There were a million pool toys, and in spite of it being a little bit cloudy, the kids swam for hours.

My old roommate and good friend Spenser came by to say hi, and stayed for awhile. It was great to see him, and he provided an excellent source of entertainment for Charley and Luke, so that was fantastic. It sure made for an easy afternoon! At one point, he put on Charley's sunglasses to play football with Luke, and Charley is still talking about when Spenser wore her glasses. Anyway, the pool was relaxing, and I got a little bit of sun, thank goodness, because I was starting to look a little too white for my liking.

When we went back to Kellie's, my good friend Ann stopped by and chatted for awhile. I love catching up with old friends! Then Kellie fired up the grill, poured us some wine, and we settled in for the evening. We had some GREAT wine, and even better conversation. Lots of laughs, some at the expense of our friend Eric , who we both texted back and forth for awhile. He'd been doing tequila shots, and Kellie and I were having a little bit too much fun giving him a hard time for not inviting us over. Not that either of us could've driven there anyway, after 3 glasses of wine... Eric owns a gym, and has been trying to convince me to move back to KS to help him run it. As much as that is my dream job, I'm not in a place to leave MN right now. I love being back in my hometown! That's not to say it could never happen, but not right now.



Monday it poured down rain. Kellie went to pilates, and I stayed home with Luke and Charley. We built a fort, played hide and seek....perfect rainy day activities. When Kellie got back, we went to Eric's gym for open gym to let the kids play around for awhile. Luke is a talented little gymnast, so it was fun to see what he could do. Eric showed me around the gym, and we came across the playroom for the siblings of the kids who were in the classes. That was a mistake. There was a toy kitchen in there, and Charley is borderline obsessed with "cooking" in the kitchen. She played uninterrupted for a good 20 minutes, and screamed when I took her back down to the gym. Who screams when they have a chance to bounce on the trampoline? Seriously. Only my kid. Anyway, we drove home Monday afternoon, and got back just in time for Charley to pass out for the night. The perfect ending to a perfect holiday weekend.

Almost Done...

I guess this has become more of a weekly blog, as opposed to a daily blog, but I can't imagine people would actually want to read about the insignificant events in my life on a daily basis, so I think that's a good thing! This week was actually pretty mundane. Work has been winding down. I've written all of my IEPs and held all of meetings except one, which has been a difficult case, and all of my fellow special ed teachers would back me up on the fact that being done with IEPs is like losing 10 lbs. It feels GREAT! Anyway, work was pretty easy, and there wasn't a ton of excitement throughout the week. The kids are beginning to check-out during lessons, so I appear to be doing quite a bit of talking to myself. But that's okay, it's just one of the end-of-the-year things teachers have to deal with. Just 3 more weeks!

In terms of my workout program, I'm hitting a bit of a standstill. I've been going routinely, but I only went 4 days last week, when I have been going 6 days a week. I should've known going to Vegas and breaking my routine would kill me a little bit. Honestly, it's not that I don't want to go to the gym. It's that I'm finally hitting my wall with cardio. It's boring. Oh well, now that it's getting nice out, we can do more cardio outside, so hopefully that will help! I did have an interesting gym experience the other night. The gym always seems to be a place to people watch, because you have the VERY serious athletes doing their thing, the people who are clearly trying to lose a significant amount of weight, walking on the treadmill, and everything in between. On Thursday, there was quite a mix of people, and a couple stood out. One man was wearing shorts that probably measured a foot above the knee, and every time I saw him, he was just standing there, looking around, like a lost puppy. Another man, who was probably in his forties, was wearing jean shorts and a Vikings jersey. He creeped me out, though, because he seemed to be following me around as I worked out. He would sit on a piece of equipment about 2 stations down from me, and I could see him watching me from the corner of my eye. I wondered if he thought I was a trainer or something, and was copying what I was doing. But he never did any real exercises. He just kind of watched. So I spent my evening trying to avoid him, which, for some reason, put me on a lot of arm and back machines which, let's be honest, with these man-arms of mine, I don't really need! I could barely lift my arms on Friday, though...Anyway, I stayed away from the creeper and ducked out without doing any cardio (oh darn!). Ha!

On Friday night, Charley and I went to the gym for a little bit, and then headed to gymnastics. There was a little party going on for May birthdays, and I was excited to go do a little bit of tumbling with some friends! Charley fell about 19 years shy of the 21+ age rule, but I don't think anybody was worried about her trying to sneak a beer. Charley had a BLAST! She jumped on the Tumble Track for the better part of an hour, which wore her out a little bit (the kid has endless energy...). I got to tumble  just a little bit. It is funny how much going to workout regularly impacts my tumbling. I didn't try anything too difficult, but it's definitely easier to tumble when my muscles are stronger. I haven't really done any back tucks or handsprings on the floor since Charley was born, but I actually did a couple of real tumbling passes on Friday. It felt good! It got me excited to coach on Saturday, so I could jump in and tumble a little bit more!

So, Saturday morning I woke up a little bit late, and rushed around to get ready before the gym. We had to make a Starbucks stop, because I was slow to wake up. Is it bad that every time we pull up to a drive through, Charley asks for a cake pop? She doesn't know McDonald's, Burger King, or Taco Bell...She knows Starbucks. Oh well, I guess there could be worse things! I coached my regular classes and Charley came along and took her little preschool class at 9. She did a little bit better this week, and wasn't so focused on what I was doing. Baby steps...lol! I love my Saturday classes, particularly my last class, because the girls are a little bit more advanced, so they're fun to teach! We usually do quite a bit of tumbling, but this week we did more work with controlled skills, which was fun, and a little bit different for them. We also had a handstand contest, which I won, thank you very much! Honestly, I was surprised, because I'm pretty inconsistent when it comes to holding handstands (I usually start to walk)...Maybe all of that arm work on Thursday served a purpose! It enabled me to beat a bunch of 10 year olds in a contest! Ha! The funny thing is, there was one girl who was giving me a run for my money, and I said, "Reese, come down and let me win!" I was joking. But she did it! Lol! So, I gave her credit for the win. Some kids are so obedient, they don't even know when I'm kidding! I love her. I'm looking forward to coaching more this summer. I need to get out of the house, because when I'm cooped up all day I have WAY too much time to think. And yes, that's a bad thing. Ha! Anyway, I love coaching, and the interaction keeps me on my toes. Just the way I like it!

I had two sets of plans last night, and both fell through due to babysitting! Oh the life of a single mom. It's just one of those things that you get used to as a parent. Especially if your plans are with another parent. Sometimes, plans just don't work out!  It's okay, though. Charley spent a little bit of time with her auntie, and I got a chance to run some errands, toddler free. Yes! Although, I would've enjoyed dinner and drinks with Blair and Laura. Those two are ALWAYS a good time :) Anyway, Charley and I came home, ate some dinner,played for a bit, and went to bed early .Well, Charley went to bed early. I sat on the couch looking for something amusing to watch on TV, with no luck. When I finally did go to bed, my upstairs neighbors kept waking me up. I don't know if they were packing to go out of town, or hammering the floor right above my room (kidding), but they were LOUD! And it was midnight! I was thrilled. Not.

Charley woke up crabby today, and she's got a runny nose. She cried and cried when she requested a donut (thank you Curious George, for having an entire episode about donuts), and I told her we didn't have any. Nor did we have any "puffins" (muffins), and that didn't please her either. Ugh. It could be a long day. I was planning to take her to the park, but I guess we'll have to see how the day goes!  I'm hoping her cold goes away quickly, because we're headed to KC on Thursday for Memorial Day weekend. I'm really looking forward to seeing some old friends, and getting my butt kicked in Power Pilates with Kellie! It should be a fun trip. Well, time to get back to reality. Have a great Sunday!

Late Night Car Rides, and Too Much Gin and Tonic

I haven't posted in awhile, but it was a bit of a crazy weekend. It all started on Friday night, when I picked up one of my girlfriends who had forgotten her keys at work. It was 11:00 p.m., and I was worried that transitioning Charley to the car would be a nightmare, but she was happy as she could be, and fell asleep the minute she was buckled in. So I started the 15 minute drive toward Uptown to pick her up, when I realized the highways were closed. I plugged my destination into my GPS, and figured it was no big deal, it would only add a few minutes to my drive. Ha! I was wishful thinking. The GPS kept directing me back to the highway, and the detours posted on the highway took me completely in the opposite direction that I needed to go. Ugh! The drive took forever, and it was after midnight by the time I got there to pick her up. She was totally grateful, but I felt terrible that I'd left her hanging for over an hour. When we got back to my house, my friend and I went straight to sleep. Charley, on the other hand, was a different story. I had given her the iPad, and figured she would doze off after a couple of minutes. Well, when I woke up over an hour later, she was still watching Shrek. Bad Mommy! Oh well, she napped well the next day.

Saturday morning I was a bit of a zombie. I was so tired from the busy week, and I had a crazy day ahead, so I got myself some Starbucks, and went to work. Charley was so excited to go to gymnastics and see her friends Aurora and Mae. She talked about them all the way to the gym. They're such great kids, and they just love gymnastics! It's always funny for me to see Charley from across the gym. She is generally giving the coaches a run for their money. This week, she was running back and forth on the trampoline instead of jumping. It was amusing. I just tried to ignore her and apologized to the coach later on! Saturday was a good coaching day. It was my first Saturday coaching in a couple of weeks, and it was really nice to see my gymnasts. When I left the gym at 2:00, I was still pretty tired, but I raced out of the gym to go get ready...because I had a date! I've said it before, and I'll say it again...There are a lot of crazies online, but there a couple of good guys, too. I was nervous, but the date was great! Phew.  Good food, great conversation, and a couple of beers. What could be better?

Saturday night, I went to The Legion with my friend Kim. We walked in and immediately realized we were out of place. Some woman was having a white-themed 50th birthday party (picture 50+ people in white clothes), and a couple seemed to be having an engagement party. So there we were, totally out of place, sitting at our little table, getting stared down by some creeper a couple tables over.  We were both pretty wiped out, so we pretty much planned on just one drink. I ordered my gin and tonic, and realized I hadn't eaten enough throughout the day to be drinking hard liquor. But I enjoyed my drink, and went up to order one more. Ummm....big mistake. I watched the bartender pour the drink, and it was pretty much straight gin with a couple of limes. I think I made it 2 sips in, before deciding that drink 2 just wasn't going to happen for me.I went back to my mom's house, hopped in bed, and slept like a rock...for about 3 hours. Then I woke up, sick to my stomach. Seriously? A little bit of beer in the afternoon and one drink hours later, and I was SICK? Yup. Totally threw up. I felt like a teenager who didn't know her tolerance. Pathetic? Maybe a little. Apparently I don't drink enough to consume beer and liquor on the same day. Anyhow, I was hung over for several hours on Mother's Day. Classy.

Charley and I had slept at my mom's on Saturday night, so we ate breakfast with her on Sunday. That was nice. When we left her house, we went and picked up Oscar (my dog) from my dad's house, and drove home. Of course the highways were still closed, so we had to take the back roads.At least I was prepared, this time! Charley slept in the car, and I got a chance to catch up with one of my girlfriends on the drive back to our house. When we got back, I was keeping my fingers crossed that Charley would stay asleep and transition to her bed. No such luck! Instead, she whined and decided to be crabby. I thought a walk in the stroller would put her back to sleep. Again, no luck. We got about three houses down, and she saw her friend Sawyer playing with his brother and sister outside. At this point, I knew a nap wasn't going to happen, so we invited Sawyer and his sister to walk with us. We all walked around the block, and with other kids around, Charley's mood improved drastically. I didn't have a sleeping child, but at least I didn't have a crabby child anymore! Sawyer ran ahead, while Charley walked with his sister, Ayla, who listened to everything Charley had to say. She is such a sweet little girl. Of course, just as we were rounding the corner, about 1 minute from making it back to the house, Sawyer tripped and scraped his nose on the ground. Poor kiddo. He barely cried, though! Such a boy! Then I got an amazing Mother's Day gift. Sawyer's mom offered to keep Charley for awhile so I could have a break. It was so nice, and definitely appreciated. I went home and took a little bit of a nap, which made me a much happier mommy. I went back to get Charley, and found a happy little girl, sliding down the slide. It's great to have other kids in the neighborhood that Charley likes so much!

We went to my mom's for dinner again on Sunday night, and that was nice. It took us forever to get there, though, because all of the detours for the highway had detours themselves. Every different back road I took seemed to have its own detour. Figures! Anyway, dinner was great, and we went to bed just about as soon as we got home. I woke up at 3 a.m. with heartburn. Seriously? That hasn't happened in years. I was up for awhile, but finally got myself back to sleep for a couple of hours, until Charley came knocking on my door. I had a terrible headache and my stomach was upset. That's basically how I felt all day. I actually wasn't looking forward to coaching, because I was afraid I'd be cranky. I made it through coaching, went to bed, and woke up feeling MUCH better this morning. Now my biggest issue is the fact that Charley is insisting on apple juice (which we ran out of yesterday), and throwing a fit. That's the way to start the day off right! Have a good day!

Back to the Grind

It's actually been a pretty busy week! I knew when I came back from Vegas, without working for a week, that I would have my hands full. But I had no idea what I'd be coming back to! Thankfully Gretchen warned me that the school was switching our email system, because otherwise I would've been screwed when I got back to work on Monday. Anyway, where do I start?

I'm just going to say a quick word on the email issues I've had at work, and I know my fellow teachers  can relate. For some reason, the email system needed to change a month before school is out. Generally, that would be an annoyance, but not a big deal. I think my biggest issue is that it also hit during the week that the special education teachers were slammed with IEPs. Fitting for teacher appreciation week, right? Ha! Anyway, I had tons of paperwork to send out, and I found out mid-week that half of it never got out to the parents or other teachers. Ugh. Lucky for me, I work with awesome parents and teachers, and all of the meetings went on as planned. Phew!

I got back to the gym this week, and boy have I needed it. It felt good to get back into my routine, but it was surprising to me how much difference a week makes, when it comes to being in shape. I was pretty winded after my first workout, and I've been sore for the last four days. I'm sure I'll continue to be sore for a week or so, but I'll have to deal with it.Sidenote: As I've let some of my girlfriends know, I'll forever be using a combination lock from now on at the gym. It only takes one time with your key dropping from your top to the floor, hitting every piece of metal, and clanking loudly, all the way to the floor. Embarrassing? Ummm...yes, just a little.

Yesterday was exciting, because I got the CD of photos from Charley's photo shoot in the mail. Tser did SUCH a good job with the photos. Not everybody can capture a child's personality in photographs, but Tser managed to get ALL of Charley's personality captured on film. The photos are amazing.

I went out with my friend Beth yesterday, because she wanted to go to the mall. I love shopping, because it gets me out of the house. Usually I don't buy anything, but just chase Charley around the stores. It's a nice chance for her to get energy out. I actually bought a couple of shirts yesterday, though, which is a rare occurrence. I've got to build my summer wardrobe at some point! Anyway, shopping was fun, and when I got home and opened my closet, I decided it was time to do my seasonal clean out. I have a love-hate relationship with my closet. It generally takes me awhile to clear out winter clothes, get rid of the things I don't wear, and hang up my summer clothes...but it feels so good to have it done!

Today was a busy day. Lots of meetings and classes. By the time I went to the gym, I was already yawning. Then, I had the bright idea to run to the grocery store to grab some things for the next couple of days. When I got home and looked in my bags, I realized there's a reason I usually write myself a list. I had things like cereal, popcorn, and frozen pancakes, but nothing to make for a meal. Maybe I shouldn't go shopping when I'm tired and hungry, just looking for things that sound appealing at the time....Oh well, the pancakes made a good dinner!

Alright, bed time for me! I've got a busy weekend ahead, and I'm looking forward to it. More in the next couple of days!

Busy, Busy Sunday!

Well, I finally got some sleep, and looked back at yesterday's post. As I imagined, there were several grammatical errors, which totally drives me crazy, so I'll  probably go back and fix them. I can't help myself, I'm a grammar freak. Anyway, enough of the boring stuff, I actually had a pretty interesting day!

I went to bed right after posting last night, and slept like a rock. That is, until Charley woke up at 5:00. Lucky me. I let her come into my room, and I handed her the iPad, just like any good mom would do, so I could doze a little longer. Naturally, I fell back to sleep, and when I woke up, I found Charley with a Dove chocolate in her hand. She looked right at me, said "Good morning, Mommy! Chocolate!" Lovely. She had found the stash of treats I'd purchased for our flights. She made sure to get melted chocolate all over her face and hands. So I cleaned her up, and oddly enough she went back to sleep until nearly 10:00. It was great! It wasn't exactly a relaxing day, though.  Once Charley woke up, we went the zoo, which was really a nice time. Charley loves looking at the animals, and she followed my friend's daughter around like a little puppy dog. Charley just loves other kids, and most of my closest friends in MN don't have kids, so it was nice to get her together with another kiddo so she could get a little bit of social interaction.

After the zoo, I took Charley to my dad's so she could hang out with Scott for an hour while I coached a private lesson. The lesson was great, and I returned to find a happy child. I couldn't ask for anything better! I planned to go to the gym myself, after coaching for a bit, but I got an invitation to my friend's house for margaritas and enchiladas. So I asked myself, workout OR eat with my girlfriends? Clearly the girlfriends won out. It was fun to catch up with them, and Charley had a blast running around in the back yard. She wouldn't touch the enchiladas until we told her it was cake. Then she took a bite, which she promptly spit out. Oh well, it was worth a shot! I made a comment at dinner that totally got a laugh, and it wasn't intentionally a joke. I think it was something along the lines of, "Heck no! He didn't have a darn clue!" My friend Lindsay looked me and said, "That was SUCH a mom thing to say!" Apparently I rely on my parental terminology, and the mom in me doesn't seem to disappear when I'm with my girls! Ha!

After leaving my friend's house, Charley and I ran to Target to get some groceries, and then came home, where I made Charley some dinner and played dress up for awhile. She had a screaming fit when I wouldn't let her eat dinner in her leotard (part of our fun little dress up game). She still can't quite pronounce it right, and was screaming a word that is particularly embarrassing for a special education teacher at the top of her lungs, for a solid 5 minutes. Nice. She fell asleep shortly after that, so I can imagine I will be up early again tomorrow. Now, I'm actually getting a chance to relax on the couch and watch a movie. Just what I need before starting back at work tomorrow!