This Life of Mine.

Rocking some fashionable sunglasses

I am so freaking sore.  I saw a picture of myself and was thoroughly disgusted with how big I've become.  Granted, I've spent the last two years pretty much pregnant but still.  I hide my body in my husband's shirts or wear all black to conceal the wasteland that is my stomach. The reason I am sore is I started working out yesterday.  I figure I can spare 30 minutes of my life a day to burn some hard calories instead of trying to do things like play silly facebook games like Castleville (addict).  The only catch is I have to do it while the kids nap as evenings are typically a chaotic cyclone in this house from about 5PM to 9:00PM trying to wrangle dinner, baths and bedtime.  By the time me & the hubs are done we are pretty much ready to pass out.  

I began with an old DVD I found among my things in the basement.  

[ big dramatic voice with high beat music plays ]

 Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred! I hurt so bad just after day one (awesome!).  It's temporary until the XBOX Kinect game that I ordered used off of Amazon arrives in the mail.  I get bored very easily watching the same DVD 9,000 times in a row and would rather be upping my XBOX gamer score as well as unlock achievements while I better the health and fitness of my wrecked body.  

Also, I'm thinking me & the hubs can get some competitive fun in and play together!  

Being sore was worth it though as mentally I felt very refreshed and very pleased that I had done something to better myself.  

And while on this train of thought it was decided I would run errands today solo with two children under the age of 2.  I don't leave my house very much.  You may wonder why and I could give you a list of reasons ranging from "it's unsafe out there!"  "it's full of germs" "I'm tired" "I hate people" "I'm scared." but the truth is it might be a combination of those things but essentially I just like being home.  I have a beautiful view, it's quiet, and I am very content here.  However, the kids should get out and see different things so I left with my gear, and them safely sunscreened and buckled in to take off on a adventure!  It started with the three of us dropping the husband off at work and then heading to Target.  I made sure that I parked near where the shopping carts are collected (instead of as close to the store as possible) to make this transition as easy as possible.  I took a abandoned cart and put my daughter in there.  Afterwards, I grabbed my ring sling and affixed my son to my body making note to wrap the car keys/house keys around my neck on a lanyard so I didn't get scatterbrained and forget or leave them somewhere.  The trip was a success!  I bought the girl some bunny shaped graham crackers and hats to protect their heads on days that it is blistering intensely hot.  

Spud began screaming his face off as we checked out.  I scrambled to the car as fast as I could, thankful that my daughter was so well behaved at this moment.  It took me what felt like FOREVER to get the kids in the car and buckled again.  Then I realized Spud needed a bottle.  I got him back out, made a bottle in the front seat of the car and hurriedly unwrapped a granola bar and handed it to Sweet Potato while I fed her brother.  I clicked on the engine to get the air conditioning circulated and put on Sweet Potato's favorite music, the complete score of all three seasons of Yo Gabba Gabba.  So, here we are sitting in the parking lot singing together "Don't Bite Your Friends."  I had to tell myself to keep calm and just breathe.  Everything is just going to take 10 times longer than it normally would because now I have two kids.  After snack time was completed I decided to head to the park.

The park was okay ... I frowned when I saw two school buses sitting near where the toddler section was.  I drove further in and found the park was completely empty  and that the buses were for a neighboring pavilion.  I get Spud strapped to me and Sweet Pea carted under my arm so I'm not fighting to get her out of the road en route to the park.  Within minutes I see these high school aged kids start swarming a park that is deliberately intended for younger kids.  These bastards were cussing and rough housing on the equipment and I was so close to just packing us all up and heading back home.  But then I remembered, "I am a parent."  and scooted Sweet Potato towards the far end away from the kids to play on the equipment.  She had a blast & the other high school kids began to leave when more mothers started arriving with their little ones to take over the toddler park. Sweet Potato giggled and played with two other very sweet little girls and I even got to know the moms there for a bit.  It was a nice change of pace.  

Then it got *too* hot.  It was time to go.  

Sweet Potato screamed her face off as I hauled her away like a sack of potatoes.  I tried coaxing her with more Yo Gabba Gabba, her pacifier (yeah she still has one, don't judge!), and eventually she calmed down.  My stress levels were almost at peak.  

Then I decided to be a dumb ass and attempt to take us all to the grocery store.  I was hoping to have dinner figured out and waiting for when the hubs would be home.  I got as far as buying some chopped watermelon before both kids decided to scream and cry right there in the grocery store.  Thankfully the self check out was open as I fumbled for the debit card, Spud trying to rebel out of being strapped to my chest & Sweet Potato throwing her pacifier on the floor every 4 seconds after I returned it to her.

Oh dear God... I am THAT parent in the grocery store.  The lady behind me looked amused and I joked as I shoved the fruit in the plastic bag and the debit card in my pocket that it was "time to go home now, heh."  She laughed.  It put me at ease for maybe ten seconds before I had to maneuver this dinosaur aged shopping cart one handed out of the grocery store and towards our car.

I'll be the first to admit, I *may* have pressed the gas pedal a bit harder than I normally would have trying to get home.  In my head it seemed going 5 more miles over the speed limit would in fact turn my car of screams into a freaking time machine and get us all home faster.

Well, for the record -- it didn't.

We all are home safe now.  The kids were fed & put down for naps.  I circulated out some of Sweet Potato's toys to cut down on the obscene amount of clutter in my living room.  I did the dishes, swapped out the laundry and even managed to squeeze in a long distance phone call with my best friend.  

So now I sit in my recliner finishing up typing this entry.  Sweet Potato is snuggled on my reclined legs watching My Little Pony while Spud is passed out (WHY DOESN'T HE SLEEP LIKE THIS AT NIGHT?!)  for the 6th time today.  

The husband will be home in about 30 mins... then we get to kick off the weekend.

Of course dinner, bath time & bed time must happen first.

But ya know what?  I wouldn't trade this life for the world.