It's been a good day!

A few highlights: 1. I had off for MLK Day but Steve had to work and Katie's daycare was open. It's actually my last free holiday since Katie starts public school next year (and will therefore be off any holiday I'm off). 2. After getting them out the door I did week 3 of Ripped in 30. After languishing on week 2 for way too long I feel totally badass doing week 3. I exercised every day last week and that's my goal for this week as well. I'm feeling really good! 3. I made a double batch of pasta e fagioli today for dinner tomorrow. The house smelled so damn good. 4. Drove down to Steve's office to have lunch with him. I picked up delicious Thai takeout and we ate in the amazing visitor lounge in his building. Dude. What a nice space! I just wish his commute wasn't an hour each way. 5. After lunch I watched Insurgent, the second Divergent movie. I didn't read the books and am really only interested in Theo James. Except, I just discovered he's younger than me. I never felt old until I started being older than all the hot young actors. 6. I'm IN LOVE with these jersey leggings from Old Navy. Not only are they super cheap, they're comfy as hell and warm like my favorite fleece-lined leggings. Now I'm lying in bed while Katie falls asleep and trying to keep my eyes open. So. Tired.

Siiiiiiigh

My body image is abysmal right now. I hate looking in the mirror because it just makes me sad. I've had some sort of headache pretty much every day since Christmas Eve, thanks to hormones (yay for being a woman) and then this weird head cold that hasn't really morphed into an actual cold but is still super annoying. I was all set to work out every day of our holiday break and instead I fought off migraines and tension headaches and dealt with cramps and now I'm fat and bloated and hate myself. But seriously, the fat around my midsection, ass and thighs needs to go the hell away. I turned 35 yesterday. It was an OK day but feeling the way I feel lately, I'm reminded that losing weight is only going to be harder the older I get. I hate feeling this way.

We went for a family run today. Steve and Katie did 1 mile earlier this morning but I had just eaten so I skipped that one. Before lunch they went out again so I could join them. Both miles were done at the same pace (10:32 the first time, 10:33 the second). Not too shabby! I was sucking wind, though. Man, my endurance is GONE. But that's part of the reason I've been avoiding tumblr lately. I haven't been able to run because my left hip hurts after every run. It's so, so depressing. But we figured with this whole week off we'd try one mile at a time and see how I do. Better than nothing, right?

Currently reading...

Christmas is as good a time as any to start posting here again, right?

It was a great day - Katie woke up at 7:15, we opened gifts (woohoo, we’ve joined the world of Shopkins), my MIL came over for breakfast and then we had some downtime where we watched A Christmas Story, played some of the new games Katie received, and did a little dinner prep.

My parents and step-aunt came over at 3 and we had some apps and opened gifts while dinner cooked. We realized someone has been making this meal for at least the last 29 years. My step grandmother used to make it before she got too old, then my mom took over the year Katie was born and I’ve made it every year since.

After two rounds of Christmas crackers and a handful of games of Tapple they all went home. I’m pooped but Steve and I want to watch the Doctor Who Christmas special. It was a damn good day.

Katie’s favorite gift - Tic Tacs. Go figure.

My favorite gift - the handprint calendar her kindergarten teacher helped the kids make.

Merry Christmas!!

I don't like beer but I kept seeing people talk about this stuff. It's delicious!

Lesson learned

When you wake up at 5:30am for the 10th day in a row, just go with it. Do not attempt to fall back to sleep since it's the weekend and you don't want to wake up so early. Some of the craziest and most disturbing dreams of your life* will happen if you attempt more sleep. You have been warned. *I am the queen of odd dreams and last night's/this morning's ranked up there with a freaking Stephen King novel.

I love conference calls

I’m sitting here on a huge conference calls, with hundreds of participants, and someone gets a phone call. His phone is not on mute. All we can hear is him having his side conversation. People keep trying to talk over him, but it’s impossible for anyone to concentrate. 

Epic. 

Work has been insane lately so I needed this laugh. 

PS. This ranks right up there with the time I was on a call and we could hear someone going to the bathroom. Spoiler: they didn’t wash their hands. 

Downside to working from home

They’re doing work on the house next door. There’s a near constant droning noise, maybe from a bandsaw. I don’t know my power tools. 

I can’t decide what’s worse - the constant noise or the fact that it will go on for a few minutes and then stop for 15 seconds, making me think they’re finally done, only to start up again. 

I don’t even have the windows open either, that’s how loud it is. 

I need noise-canceling headphones. Stat. 

Turkey burgers with cheddar and guacamole and oven fries. Yes!

Spicy tuna pizza. There are no words.

Cornmeal pork chops and goat cheese smashed potatoes. Coming to the blog soon!

Well...it’s Fall

Sigh. Everyone else is all “Fall is here! Pumpkin! Sweaters! Cool weather!” and I’m over here like, “let’s go bring back summer!”

A cool day calls for comfort food - turkey meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans.

Lunch - leftover chicken tacos and sour cream rice. I'd forgotten how much I love these tacos. I'm really enjoying rediscovering old favorites.