2 weeks to healthy

i have been on a mission recently...it is 2 weeks to healthier hair. after a recent visit to the salon i realized just how damaged my hair was due to the daily use of my beloved flat iron. i have vowed to minimize it's use and let my hair get healthy again. i have also started using an amazing- but quite pricey shampoo/conditioner. Morrocan Oil. it is amazing so far. i only have to wash my hair every 3 days and use such a small amount on each wash that the price kind of works itself out. i have limited my flat iron use to just the front of my hair and lowered the heat to med instead of super hot....we;ll see how this goes!

Two Good Causes

I recently found out an old boyfriend's daughter has Leukemia. She is only 5 years old and happened to be in my son's class this year. When I found out I was so sad and upset at first but have since come to think that there is something- even the tiniest thing- i can do to help. I decided to register for the Sporting Life 10K Run for kids with Cancer. This not only helps raise funds for a great cause but also gives me the motivation to run and get fit before May 12th. One month after turning the dreaded 40... OMG!!!
Anyone want to come with me???

starting small

since my November challenge fell curbside pretty early on in the month I decided to start smaller this time. I have challenged myself to do either the Wii fit Zumba or the elliptical for a minimun of 20 minutes every second day. This is more attainable than a full on workout every day! So far so good. I started on Friday and did a beginner zumba class. i was sweating regardless of the "beginner" label on the class. Managed to fit in another 20 minute zumba today. What i have learned when I fall off the horse is the only way to get back on again is just to go for it. No time to hesitate and dwell on failure! life is too short for that.

personal challenge...fail

November 1st I vowed to get back into my daily exercise routine. I go through spouts of exercising regularly and always feel great when I do but then things get hectic and I fall out of the habit... I last 3 days this time. Today i've had hours at home alone when I could get off my ass and exercise. It is a glorious day out, i could even go for a run but something in my head is holding me back. Wish i knew what it was or how to get rid of that blockage but it is still there. At least i've been doing alright in the food tracking so what i lack in exercise i make up for in healthier eating... but there are some days when that is just kicked curbside too!!!

changes

my very first attempt at colouring my own hair. not really much different but the condition of my hair seems quite healthy.It is darker than i'd hoped and I will probably get highlights to soften it up...but nobody has even noticed yet I guess it really isn't different at all!

Nobody ever said it was easy...

Parenting is one of the hardest jobs out there. It is definitely harder than my day job, harder than university and harder than almost anything else i've ever done. I now understand  the rational for choosing to have only one child or spacing out kids by several years. I honestly didn't even think about how a baby would affect the balance in the house! When we decided to have #2 we were only a few days away from celebrating #1's first birthday. He wasn't even walking yet! But we were so happy being parents to our perfect little boy we wanted another one, just like him!! Our decision went something like this:
"Honey, i love how cute and cuddly baby is, He is such a good boy, I want another, just like him"
"hun, i'm not getting any younger, i don't want a baby at 40... we better have another one soon!! "
"honey, I keep forgetting to take my birth control, do you suppose that is a sign we should start working on our second"  His response to each... ok!!
Three months later we were expecting #2!!
No thought to how another baby would affect us financially, emotionally or physically. I always knew that I wanted more than one baby but as I wasn't blessed with starting a family at a young age so I had to make due with the hand i was dealt. Since I would never have had a baby without being married first.And i didn't get married until 31..  That meant having my first baby at 33 and a second at 35. My mom was 29 when i was born and and 31 when my brother came along, i always felt that she was the "older" mom in the bunch. How times have changed!!!
Anyway, i wouldn't change the way things have turned out but there are times when I wish I could just step out of my life for a short time, just to catch my breath and remember how lucky I really am!!!

SOOO

it has been a long while since my last post...can't believe how the time escapes me!
Anyway in reference to my last post- I did end up finding to bikinis that I love. YES I said BIKINIS!!! both very flattering on top and not too bad on the bottom either! I wore them with great confidence...until one broke...yup just broke- mid wear. My brand new $90 bikini broke. the plastic which closes the top just snapped into two. Luckily the store sent it for repair and it was ready for wear again in 2 short weeks. They have amazing customer service there and I recommend anyone looking for a bra style bikini check out Legs Plus on Leslie!

Still Searching

My son was diagnosed with Idiopathic Scoliosis in July of 2011. He has been wearing a Boston Brace for about 14 months now. At first he was fairly compliant and wore the brace with no debate or argument. As time goes on and he notices that nobody else he knows wears a brace he is becoming more defiant and less willing to wear it regularly. This is becoming a big problem for us as we are fully aware of the damaging effects non-compliance can have on his health long -term. This is very frightening for us knowing that what makes him happy now can seriously effect him negatively later on. I have nightmares when I think about him wearing the brace until he is 12 or 12. Another 6 or 7 years.
The problem is we have been searching for over a year now for a support group where he can meet other kids who suffer from Scoliosis and must wear a brace. We live the biggest city in Canada and there are absolutely no such groups around. There was one website with forums for both kids and parents dealing with Scoliosis available but that was recently disabled for reasons unknown to us. The closest group we have come across is in Ottawa...very useful. I have emailed numerous individuals from websites and even contacted the Scoliosis clinic at Sick Kids (where he receives most of his care) they have NOTHING for us. The only advise they had for us is to take him to a psychologist. JUST LOVELY. and so wrong on so many levels. If he had some other issue I'm sure he would have the option of a support group to vent his frustrations and gain understanding from other kids of how to cope but with Scoliosis he is treated like a pariah. The child has no outlet for his thoughts and feelings on dealing with being the only kid in his whole school with a brace other than speaking with his parents and teachers. It really isn't fair and we seriously need to fix this hole in the system.

seeing red

i have always loved red...i have had red boots, purses and coats over the years but was still apprehensive about red jeans...until i put them on. Now i am in pure love!!!Paired with black flats is lovely!!

a few maybees...

at Winners....inspired by Defying Gravity...love her fashion shows:)

this juicy couture bag ..wish i'd bought it!! So cute and not ridiculously priced at $99.99!

thought this was cuet but just too low cut.

Loved this one but needed a small as this medium was just a bit too big around the waist and bust area. Would look really nice with black dress pants.

Updates

So it's been a while!!!
Our summer was amazing. We had a fantastic holiday in Cuba and would recommend our resort to anyone looking for an affordable, fun, beach holiday. I rocked my new bikinis and was so happy to have bought them instead of the conservative, ridiculous one piece or tankinis sported by most women my age. Only unfortunate incident is the top on one of them broke the second day...lucky though I actually liked the other one more and have since had the broken one fixed at the store I purchased it from. (a shout out to the anon reader who suggested I go to Legs Plus-they are awesome there!!)
Also had a big issue with the camera and only got about 93 pics out of about 300 snapped. The issue with digital cameras is the memory cards can get viruses and the pics aren't always recoverable...so no nice scrap book from this holiday but there will be lots of holidays in the future and I'll be sure to take pics then!
I've been running a lot these days. Completed this 10k with FancyPansy. It was great!! I didn't have the best time but I made it and that counts for a lot in my books!!
Now I am concentrating on reducing my time and finishing my next 10k in less than an hour. I have been working up to running on my own for a full 10, Something about running in a race that makes it easier to get to the end...when i'm running solo I seem to need a bit more of a push and normally get to 7k with no problem but am completely done so I normally just make it home!!
Getting the kids ready for school. My big boy is starting first grade and he is super nervous. I know he will shine bright and do amazingly but as I was at his age, he is quite worried about the whole thing!

the search begins

We are finally heading on a proper vacation. I am super duper excited, as is the whole family. The only thing I dread about vacation is the need for bathing suits. I have several- none of which fit me well. The last time we went on vacation I was forced to purchase two tankinis from a beach side store in Grand Cayman Islands since my suitcase with all my swim wear never showed up. I got 2 pretty ones but they really don't fit me that well.I got back my suit case eventually and realized at that point my honeymoon bikinis were no longer appropriate- string bikinis surely should remain on the 20 something set of boobies!  The tops on my new tankinis are really unflattering and I would prefer either bikinis or one piece- sexish not utility ones though. I have been glancing at Bikini Village and Bikini Bay but have a feeling I am NOT going to find anything beach worthy at either of those stores... plus the girls who work there are so young, they are not going to be helpful in finding the right, flattering fit... so the search begins!
I cannot find ONE pic of anything I would possibly consider wearing...

wheat weirdness

I have never really been an allergy sufferer of any sort. The occassional sniffle at certain times of the year or a slight reaction to different foods but nothing to worry about. I have never associated bloating or general discomfort directly with what I ate, until today. I haven't had bread or bread products for breakfast in a very long time but today didn't have time for breakfast so I grabbed a bagel at Tim's along with my usual coffee. Boy what a mistake...firstly the points on a bagel are astronomical and definitely do not bode well with a weight watchers life style, secondly the after effects of all that gluten/wheat have been leaving me in a stitch. I have bloated up to twice my normal size within a very short time. My tummy looks like it is carrying child. After taking a digestive enzyme I am starting to feel better but boy what an eye opener!
Even if the bagel says 12 grain...it is probably full of wheat (bad) and definitely loaded with butter (bad)- so even if it is tastey...totally not worth it!!!

Learning to Run

I have been running/jogging a bit more lately and have definitely started learning things about the wonderful sport...

First. when you can't find your sports bra...any old bra just won't do!!! My girls aren't particularly large but definitely do require support and proper support when running is imperative. Now that I've done a 5k in a bouncy bra, i will search until I find my running bra...each and every time!!

Second. I much rather enjoy early morning runs. It is so peaceful outside and way cooler too. I tried running at 3pm last week and almost passed out. I did manage to get in my 5km run but not without a few short walk breaks just to catch my breath. Will try for morning runs whenever I can from now on.

Third. Taking water with me make a huge difference in my performance. I normally don't take water but did today and boy was I happy I did. Half way through my run when I normally would have stopped due to exhaustion I was able to take a few sips of water and just run on. What a revelation I had!!!

Lastly- persistence. For me working through my negative attitude of "I can't do this" and just going for it was not easy but i have learned to just get my shoes on and go for it. No matter how short my run or how hard it is, once I"m done I feel great!!!

just a slight rant...

a person i know has recently lost a crap load of weight. She has been following a strict diet plan and over the course of 5 or 6 months lost what looks to be close to 30 pounds (i'm really just guessing). She looks good but maybe a little too skinny in my opinion...well last time I saw her and her mother, the mother says to me (out of her ear shot) that she thinks her daughter should lose more weight...i was totally shocked and actually disgusted by this comment.

the joys of home ownership

I love owning my own home. It really beats renting, really it does. But since we moved out of our townhouse which was corporated and had services such at lawn mowing and snow removal we have discovered the real joys of home ownership. Anything you need done, you have to do yourself! This past winter I had to shovel snow for the first time in I don't know how many years- we didn't get a lot of snow- thank goodness- but it was a serious workout!

There are lots of "yellow flowers" in the yard...well now what? Before the lawn guy would come, do this and that, and the weeds dissapear now we just look at them with wonder!

We should/need to plant some trees and flowers in the front but i have been procrastinating. I'm not a gardener by nature and it takes so much effort to get down and dig up the earth to plant- ugh!

A New Love Affair

I have never really been a "dress" person. I like dresses for fansy dress but for every day I have always been a jeans and t-shirt kind of gal but lately I have become obsessed with dresses. Suddenly after years and years of not even trying one on I decided to give it a go...well I have fallen in love and have actually become somewhat obsessed!!
I have discovered just how flattering and comfortable they can be. AND an added bonus- just one piece to worry about, no need to find a matching top/pants , no muffin top, just throw it on and go.
The absolute only problem with dresses is playing with the kids while wearing them. It is really hard to get down on the floor and play in a dress- the skirt part rides up and makes it kind of embarrasing for anyone around who might get a peak of my undies!!
This summer I picked up several new summery dresses from Reitmans, Ricki's and RW. They are mostly colorful and great for everyday wear as well as a little dressy if I choose. I have even worn a couple of them with a little shrug which I can take off if need be... also great for wearing them into the fall before the weather gets too chilly for dresses :)
Who knew?!?!

fear factor parenting

it started out innocently enough, I told my son if he didn't brush his teeth after every meal his teeth would fall out. Now he brushes them when he is done his morning milk and when he goes to sleep at night.He is very consciences about it too- if he has a snack after his teeth are brushed he will brush them again before going to sleep for the night. I am proud of this. I think that warning him about the ill affects of his actions is a good way to get him to understand how important it is to brush his teeth (or to eat his vegetables, drink his milk etc...) Some may not agree with this style of parenting. Recently we were critisized for using fear (warnings!!) to get him to listen... we really didn't know a better way- any suggestions?!?!

ism's and tism's

A few sayings or phrases I commonly hear but just can't stand:

See ya- (not "see ya later" but just "see ya") I'm not sure why this one bugs me so much but when I hear someone say it I feel like they are being condescending and sarcastic
Is that so? It is like the person saying it doesn't really believe you or they think what you're saying is insignificant.
You look tired -in other words, you look like sh*t. Thanks! I know I'm tired and don't have much makeup on but do you need to point it out to me!
Youéve lost weight-  I just hate when the focus is on my weight. Sure I lost weight about 2 years ago and have managed to keep it off but I have other things in my life besides my weight! Take some time to ask about those things.

Reality!

Since I was pretty much the last of most of my friends to have children I had lots of opportunity to observe and learn about what parenting styles seemed to work and what I would like to use for my own kids. There was so much to learn about sleeping, eating, dressing and general handling of kids. We had friends who had their kids on very rigid routines for sleeping and some who let their kids stay up as late as they wanted, we had some who let them eat and drink as much and whatever they wanted, including one who put Coke in her baby's bottle, and some who didn't stop their kids from eating cookies till the kid puked, there were those who didn't care what their kids wore and those who made sure their kids looked pristine all the time etc...
when I was pregnant with my first baby we went to pre-natal classes where the focus was mainly learning how to breath during labour- and since I knew that I'd be having a c-section I focused more on the other topics like sleeping, feeding and safety.I pretty much knew from the start that I'd breastfeed my baby, even when the time came to actually feed and it turned out to be much much harder than anticipated I followed through with it- mostly because I asked my amazing hubby to go to the store and figure out how much formula would cost compared to the free milk I had! When he came back and said it would likely cost about $300 a month for formula my decision was made. No way was I going to waste hard earned money on that when I could just feed my baby my own milk for free! I actually couldn't believe that people would willingly dry up their milk and pay for formula...but that is me I guess!( always weighing the cost of things!!)
Then came sleeping... I knew the first few months would be hard. Everyone always talked about the late night feedings, the sleepless nights and all that other fun stuff. Even the pediatrician mentioned this to us. We kept the baby in a bassinet in our room for the first 6 weeks- mostly because I'd had a c-section and it was very hard for me to get up to feed the baby, if he was in our room hubby could just quickly get up and bring him to me,and everyone had been telling us that was what we should do. Once he started sleeping through the night (yes he slept through at 6 weeks!!-but that only lasted till about 4 months) he moved into his own crib in his own room. We weren't going to get into the habit of having the baby sleep in our room with us- at that age he had no say and didn't know the difference- and to this day the only time he's slept in our room is when he's been really really sick (and usually gets moved back to his bed while sleeping)
We also noticed that he was very fussy in the late evening. So fussy that it was almost unbearable to hear his little shrill cry for hours at a time- nothing seemed to console him- feeding, rocking, swinging,  bouncing... until we just put him in his crib- and he fell asleep! He needed the peace and quiet of his own crib, in his own room to sleep. Thus started our realization that babies needed routine right from the start. Every night we'd have dinner, bathe the baby, I'd nurse him and put him down at around 6:30. He'd sleep for about 12 hours! There were periods of time where he'd wake in the night for feedings, like during teething or growth spurts but generally if we stuck to this routine there was never a problem.
I also started keeping a pretty rigid routine during the days for naps and eating too. This worked beautifully. My baby was happy and I was happy!
As he got older and all the other moms were starting their kids on solids I wanted to wait as long as possible. I had read how feeding solids too early could lead to later stomach problems. I held out until he was 5.5 months! We did the traditional, cereals (rice, then oatmeal, then barley), vegetables (greens first) and then fruits. I made my own baby food and only bought a few jars for convenience. Since I could never get meat mushed up enough I relied on jarred meats which my baby actually loved (blech!!!!) After he turned one and could eat whatever we ate I still wanted him to eat a variety of healthy foods and tried hard to limit his junk intake. We gave him cookies and sweets on occasion but unlike some of my  friends who couldn't wait to give their babies chocolate I avoided giving that to him for as long as possible.
I thought I had it all worked out! I'd be the health nut mom who gave the kids home make carrot cake, raisin cookies  and zucchini muffins in place of chocolate chip cookies, processed foods and other unhealthy fair! WRONG!!! Once my baby started daycare and I no longer had full control over what he ate, he was introduced to all sorts of less than ideal foods (french fries, chicken fingers, fish sticks etc...) Now that is all he will eat! As he is fast approaching 6 years of age he is getting better at trying things he doesn't recognize.
As for our daughter...she seems to copy him and if he is happy with the meal, she will generally be as well.
As for clothes...I thought I'd have full  control of what they wore up until they were tweens WRONG. Both my kids are very fashion aware. They have chosen their own clothes for as long as I can remember and boy does all hell break loose if I dare even suggest they wear something they don't want to... I try to buy stuff that all matches and this year I have a bunch of dresses for my daughter so she won't always look like a colourful clown!
It is just amazing how your plans for things can quickly go curbside once reality sets in!!