Much ado about a lot of stuff

So there's a bunch of stuff afoot in the masses 'hold, and I thought I'd share:

First off, despite the trip, I lost another pound.  Whoot!  I am so glad that I decided to do this.  One of the things that spurred me on was the fact that one of my daughter's schoolmates told her that she had a fat mother.  That hurt so bad, I can't even tell you. 

I've decided to attempt my first 5K.  I can easily walk it, and I can run about half.  I wasn't really planning on it, but I recently became aware that there is going to be an Autism Awareness 5K, and since I believe so strongly in that cause, I thought I'd give it a whirl.  I've bumped up my running time on the treadmill - 15 running, 5 walking, and then as long as I can go.  Lather, rinse, repeat. I'm trying to keep it to an hour, which is about 3.5 miles.  I'm scared to do it, but I really feel like I want to.  Now that I've figured out the whole "wear a regular bra under the amazon sports bra" thing to keep me out of pain, I can only try.

Riley is going to be released from therapy!  She has one more session, and then her therapist is confident that she can be released.  Now, of course, we've got to start speech.  But she's met her goals, surpassed some of them, and since her therapist is moving, I really don't want to try to get her in with a new one.  So we will try it, for the summer, and if it doesn't work out I can try to get her in with the school system.

Allegra was given her "Packet" of girlie stuff from the health teacher - complete with a book for me to read entitled "How to help your daughter have a HAPPY period."  Oh, great.  As if there wasn't enough to think about, now I've got to make certain that she has an enjoyable, pleasant monthly??

My kids computer has been diagnosed - it needs a new hard drive.  Anyone got a new Serial ATA drive laying around, and a new CD Rom drive that they want to donate to the cause?  Ha, I crack myself up sometimes.  I've got a friend whose son wants to work for the Geek Squad and he can fix it for me for about $30, if I get the $200 worth of parts.  That has to wait, though......

Mackenzie will make her First Communion this weekend.  She's so excited, she can't stand it.  She was picked to do the Second Reading, and she's been practicing non stop - she's even taken the paper to bed with her.  Every time I see her, she's got that paper either in her hand or right next to her.  She is soooo slim, that I had to take the dress to be altered.  I bought a great dress for Allegra, and all of my girls are going to wear the same one.  I didn't want the seamstress to cut the fabric, since I was concerned that Emma and Riley wouldn't be able to wear it.  She needed to take it in FOUR inches!  What ended up happening was that the seamstress took the center buttons and put them down the right side of the dress, crossing the back over.  I think it looks ok, but even if not, she will have on her veil, right?

She was funny yesterday. We had the First communion practice, and after it was over, the local Catholic bookstore had a display set up, for gifts and veils, and such.  I had told her that we weren't going to buy anything.  She looked with some of her friends, and came flying up to me.  "Mom! Mom!  You've got to see this medal - I just love it so!  I really really want it!  Can you buy it for me?"  Um, no, remember the deal?  I've got $1.57 in my wallet and bills coming due.  I told her to put it back, and she said, "Well. Grandpa always gives me money, maybe he will give me enough for this."  She handed it to me and walked away.  A quick phone call to my father in law, who agreed that he'd love to buy her a medal, and to ask the store owner, friends of the family, to hold the necklace in the store for his pickup tomorrow.  But, here came Mackenzie again.  "Never mind the medal - I've found something else I like better.  I've just got to have this music box!"  No way - not after all I went through to get this handled!  Anyway, there is a great First Communion music box available, if anyone is looking for one.

WHAT is up with the weather?  80 degrees last week, and now that I'm back from Mexico we've got on pants and long sleeves again.  Geez.

Comments

[moe]

We have cold weather too.
And my son's doing his first communion too.
Unfortunately that's where the similarity ends. I have not lost a pound and if I tried to do a 5k I'd be walking the whole way. WAY TO GO! Be proud of yourself.

[Heth]

Go for it! You will do great at the 5k. Awesome job on your eating and exercising, you should be proud.

[kalisah]

whew. Most days you make me tired just reading you.

[Beth]

I so envy you setting the goal for the 5k. I set that goal at the beginning of the year, but have done nothing to work towards it. Running is one of those things I love, but I'm not that great at. I know I'd get better if I tried, and I have already improved, it's just that I'm an "instant gratification" kind of person. Grrrr. I make me so mad sometimes.

Anyway. A great motivational book for running (at least for me) is "The Complete Book of Running for Women" by Claire Kowalchik. Maybe I should read it again....

Good luck with the 5k.

[HolyMama!]

congratulations on that pound, and YOU ARE NOT FAT, and i'm mad at the little classmate who said you were.

a happy period? Ha! I'll remember that one for next month.

[Amah]

If I can do a 5K, you can do it in your sleep!!! I'm over 50 and walk the whole way - but I make it!! And if I have babies - I push a stroller (a friend pushes the other one) and I am TOTALLY out of shape. Relax and enjoy it - I find them enjoyable and feel good for doing-something-for-a-cause rather than just because I want to. Great luck, even tho' you won't need a bit of it :-)

[Suzanne Balvanz]

if YOU are fat, then I am totally obese. OF COURSE little girls think anyone whose rib cage is not prominent is fat. Look at the images in our media that convince little girls that skin and bones is health.
Congrats on the loss of that one more pound. (I found it if you need it back...)
and HOOAH to you and the 5K....That is awesome!

Suzanne
http://suzannebalvanz.blogspot.com/

[Suzanne Balvanz]

ps
As the mother of THREE special needs kids, I am so glad that you chose a GREAT cause to participate in. My oldest is autistic so God Bless you!

Suz

[Beth]

Love the new site look!

[Eileen]

I love the site. First time viewer so I can't comment on how it compares to the old. Congrats on weight loss. I'm doing W. Watchers. Luckily I have plenty of weight to watch so in theory this shouldn't be so hard. : )

[TLC]

Your site looks great. Thanks for running in the 5K..every little bit helps. My son has high-functioning autism, some call it Asperger's, I guess. Never a dull moment. Does Riley have autism, as well?

Come and visit my blog and you can read about our misadventures, too.

Here is a good post to start with:

Why I am Only Mostly Sane

[karnak]

Hi Carmen

Your little girl looked great for the big occasion. I was pleased to see that she wears a veil where I live they don't wear veils anymore for some silly reason. One year they did not wear white dresses, I still have not worked that one out. There was a feeble execuse about the costs or something but many of the girls wore family communion dress or ones that their mothers made. The white dress and veil I always thought were part of the experience. When my second one did her FHC, I made her the white dress and she wore it as it was non negotiable on my part.

I know the feeling aobut rushing out to get something you need at the last moment. You do it in style if you cart 6 with you each time, I take 3 and all drive me nuts on these stressful occasionss

[Paula]

Can I contact you? I'd love to talk with you more about Riley and SID. My niece has many behaviors like Riley's were. She just turned 2. In particular, she can't handle any transitions. RIght now one of her many big struggles is after my sister drops off her older children at school, my niece is upset, and screams LIKE SOMEONE IS KILLING HER all the way home (15 minute drive) EVERY day. My sister is really at her wits' end after 2 years of this. She looked up SID after I told her about it and her daughter met 6-7 of the 10 criteria listed so she is checking into getting her diagnosed.