Veterans Day

I just want to take time out today to thank our Veterans for their service. THANK YOU for the many sacrifices you all have made serving our beautiful country. As well, the families that stood behind and supported them throughout their service. Thank you to past, present and future service men and women for 'walking the walk'.

"This nation will remain the land of the free, only so long as it is the home of the brave"

-Elmer Davis

Sunday's @ my house...

For most people, Sundays are for resting and football. Well for me, no resting is involved. I am in the kitchen on Sundays from about 9am to 4pm. If you're expecting me to say how much I hate this, you'd be wrong...I LOVE it. No, I am not some antifeminist. I actually just really like to be alone in the kitchen to do as I please, and this is the one day a week where no one is concerned with what I'm doing as long as I keep it coming.

In our house Sundays are known as 'Snack Day' which means, mommy tries out new recipes and old favorites. We have friends over and unlimited snacks. Everything from; Turkey wraps, loaded baked potatoes, bacon wrapped ANYTHING, various dips, mini burgers...etc

So while everyone is enjoying the games (yes of course we have Sunday Ticket) I am slaving away in the kitchen to keep everyone fed. There is something so fulfilling about cooking for people and watching them enjoy it. It's such a sense of accomplishment for me. Plus, on Sunday, it's a chance for me to try all those fun looking dishes from Pinterest. So, along with all the staples, I also pick a new dish to try and it either gets added to the favorites or thrown away, never to be spoken of again. The nature of the beast, I suppose. All I really care about though, is that we're making memories and starting traditions.

From my Sunday to your's, enjoy it, whatever you do!

To run, or not to run?

Here I am, recovering from my morning run and thinking about the next race I should sign up for. I guess you can call me a 'runner' although I am not as consistent as most ACTUAL runners. I run a few miles a couple times a week, but only if I have a race coming up. Otherwise, I'm lucky to get in one run a week. I am a PRO at making excuses and having other pressing things to do. Which brings me to my dilemma: Should I try for the NY Marathon next year???

Here's the thing, I have run so many 5, 10 and 12K's that I have lost count. I have also done 2 half marathons (so I guess technically, I've already done a marathon!) But again, I am not the most consistent. I don't generally 'train' for said runs. I normally just go out and do it. Even for the half marathons...I know, Im crazy! I am a pretty athletic person, which is why I think I'm lucky enough to not have to build up my endurance. For me, its more of a mental thing. Although, when it comes to 26.2 freaking miles, I think my natural athletic ability is going to abandon me around mile 13 and my mind will probably give out shortly after that!!

I really just have to think about my time management. If I can commit (REALLY COMMIT) to running at least 4x a week, while increasing my distance, I think the NY Marathon would be do-able. It's just so easy to make excuses when you have kids. Oh and I should probably mention, I live on the West Coast!!! Yeah, not only would I be kicking my butt running all the time, but I would also have to account for travel time, expenses and time zone changes. I have also never been to NY! It's always been a dream of mine, and what better way to see the city than punishing my body doing so?!

~Heres to the NY Marathon in 2014~
                 (maybe)

Just be grateful

As I drive home from happy hour with a couple friends I really have some perspective. As we're sitting there talking about family, kids and other random things, I realize how lucky I am. While a lady is talking about how she is embroiled in a messy divorce and visitation issues, I think about how I get to go home to my husband and kids all in one place. As my friend tells me about her friend who might have cancer, I remember the clean bill of health my husband and I just received from our yearly physicals. As I listen to a couple of them talk about how hard it is to be single right now, I am reminded of all the love that surrounds me.

Isn't that really all it takes to gain a little appreciation in our lives...Hearing about the problems of others. Things can seem so overwhelming until someone you know or someone you hear about, has it so much worse. It's so easy to dwell on our own problems and be selfish about things, but whatever you are dealing with, I can promise there is someone out there dealing with more!

Welcome

So here I am, deciding to start a blog.
Like millions of other women, I am a stay at home mom of 2 wonderful kids. This for me, will be an outlet for many things. A place to vent, to gossip and maybe even talk about some reality TV. (Don't pretend that you don't watch it. We all have our guilty pleasures.)

And so it begins...

The other night after getting in bed I was asked a simple question by my husband, something along the lines of "what's going on, you seem distant..." and that's all it took. Que the waterworks and this sudden overwhelming feeling that I am drowning. All because of one simple question, that, on any other day would have garnered an "I'm just thinking about things" response. Unfortunately for my husband, and his early work schedule, he asked the wrong question at the exact wrong time. For whatever reason, all the problems in the world, past and present, just made a home in my head and wouldn't leave. I just unloaded about my less than glamorous childhood, how I'm not confident in my mothering skills, my lack of gym time lately and how Im not feeling like Im getting much done around the house lately. Just everything. It wouldn't stop coming, I kept thinking of more that was wrong, with me, with life, with my house...Meanwhile, my wonderful husband was reassuring me that I am not the horrible person that I am describing. That I am a great mom and we have great kids who impress us often (this is true, although sometimes I wonder how we got so lucky) and show us that we are on the right track in raising them into confident adults. But that's my husband, he can always look at the bright side for me and bring me back to reality.
I think sometimes we all need to have these meltdowns to realize how/what we can do to better ourselves as people. There is no right or wrong way to parent kids. Everyone has a different idea of how to raise their kids. There is no handbook for a reason. I have always been told that if you're worrying about your parenting skills, you're a good parent. I love my kids and my husband so much that I just want to be the best I can for them. Sometimes though, there are just too few hours in the day to do it all. I have to start realizing that its ok to not always be everything for everyone everyday. Sometimes, taking time for yourself is the best thing you can do to make those around you happy!