1 month down...72 days to go

So, I did a great job on the training for about a week and a half...then I stopped! This is me starting it back up again. September seems to be a crazy stressful month and this one was no exception. With going back to school & homework, starting the soccer season, starting the cub scout season and the busy month at work, there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in a day.

October will be busy as well but I will be prepared! Here are a few things that we have on tap for October:
~ a quick trip to Arizona to christen my god-daughter.
~ a quick trip to D.C. to cheer for a friend completing a goal
~ the big event of the fall for Cub Scouts (Spooky Trail -- and this year we get to do the scaring)
~ Halloween (stay tuned for costume)
~ Cub Scout popcorn sales -- be ready to get hit up for purchases if you live in the area

I will hopefully check in before the end of the month but I can NEVER guarantee that!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Kate

1 week down .... 90 days to go

So the first week of school is done and we seem to have survived. After the first day of school I asked Talmage what he thought and this is what I was told.

"My teacher is REALLY nice. We don't have homework on the weekends!" I guess that's where the priorities are in the 4th grade. :)

Talmage -- the 2nd day of 4th grade.

As far as getting the rest of my life in order...I made progress there. Today I took advantage of cancelled sports due to weather to organize some of the house. I cleaned out my craft closet and my bedroom closet. I also organized the laundry room. For the last 7 days, I have worked out 5 days...that helps too.

Now I just have figure out what day's we are going to have activities so we can figure out the rest of the time!

Take care everyone!

The 4th Grade Plan

Today is the first day of school for my little bundle of joy. Believe it or not, he is starting the 4th Grade!! I have decided to also start some school today. My school will be getting myself in order. This morning I received the following from a friend of mine:

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone for everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life.. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.....
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

This is my new outlook on life. My first mid-goal is to do a combination jog/walk of a 5k in December. Yesterday I proved to myself I could walk one and survive... now for the next step. Here we go!!!

Mission Accomplished!

I did it. It wasn't fast and it wasn't easy but today I accomplished a goal that I set about a year ago. Today I completed a 5k! We walked it (with my friend Suzy) and finished in just under 50 minutes!

Now I am tired and sore and thinking about working towards running at least 1/2 of one in December!

Home Alone

Talmage is on Nantucket with his Uncle Will and Aunt Melissa this week so I am taking this time to catch up on stuff that has been falling to the side. My work-work is actually at a manageable level this week (lots of people must be on vacation) which is nice & I am not watching a clock to make sure I pick up the kids on time.

My home-work is a little less up-to-speed. Though the laundry is done, the rest of the house needs picking up and possibly cleaning. I think my puppy would also appreciate a LONG walk and I should do something on the treadmill that I have been avoiding... :)

I can't believe there are only 2 more weeks (not even) until school starts again! But more importantly....Talmage is going to be a 4th Grader!!! That is ... where did the time go?

To celebrate my being home alone, tonight I am going for birthday drinks with some friends and then tomorrow I am having dinner with another friend. Ahh...the life of a single girl!

Wow...It's Been 3 Months...

Ok...now for the update since the last post...

Got the car back

School got out

Talmage went to many camps

Talmage went to Grammie & Poppa's house for a week

We both went to California for a week

Talmage is at Uncle Will and Aunt Melissa's house right now...

Not as many little details as the last time so here a picture from California trip!

The Update...

Ok...it's been a few weeks. This is what I have been up to:

- Bought a new 2009 Volvo XC90
- 5 days later ... crashed new 2009 Volvo XC90 (actually rear-ended another car and the damage is repairable and everyone is OK)
- Dealt with insurance on fixing the car and renting a car for the time.
- Meet with teacher on current status of son on different items.
- Lots of trips into NYC for work
- Lots of late nights of work at home
- Lots of baseball games and practices
- Lots of soccer games and practices

That's where I have been, in case you are wondering!

Now, in case I miss some more weeks after this, following is what I am going to be up to:
- I think I will get my fixed car back on Tuesday or Wednesday
- I have lots of work to get done.
- We are having some friends over on Memorial Day
- Oh, and I am going to get serious to run a 5K on Labor Day! I can do this over the summer.

I hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day weekend!

Car Shopping...

So, I have decided to get rid of the 2 cars that I have and get 1 new one. This is one I currently have my eye on:

Volvo XC 90

Everything I have read has been good. Does anyone have personal experience with it? I test drove the car today and liked the way it handled. It had all the options I was looking for and it is within budget.

Any thoughts?

1st Baseball Game of the Season!

Well, it is definitely spring time. Tonight is Talmage's 1st baseball game of the season. In what is sure to be the most inspiring opening night game ever... the Blue Jays (Talmage's team) will face off against the Angels. He is excited for the game and hoping to play well.

In recognition of this event, I thought I would post an older picture of Talmage in his baseball glory... Kindergarten.

Being Kate

Have you seen the new show on SoapNet (no laughing) (perhaps it started in Canada on CBC) called Being Erica. She makes a list of all the things in her past she would change if she could go back in time. Each episode is 1 of the travels back in time and how the change effects how her life is today...

That got me thinking about what I would change. I got really philosophical about it and decided that I would not change a single thing. Sure, there are probably times that I made a fool out of myself and I wish that I had not, but they were all lessons that made me who I am today and gave me the life I live today. My life, though not perfect, is great and I can't imagine it being different.

The lesson: Be happy in your life and don't wish for better, or more, or happier. If it's not what you want, change the future, don't blame the past.

Memories

So...as part of my picture-organizing activity, I have found so many pictures that I haven't looked at in a LONG time. I thought that I would share some of them with everyone (anyone that wants to look anyway):

His 1st Halloween...

my 1st homemade costume

(they didn't really sell them in Romania)

Hanging in NYC with Daddy

OK, the rest I am going to hold for a later date! I am also thinking about scanning all the pictures that I have in boxes in my house for organization on an external hard drive. Anyone have an opinion on that?

Too Much Of A Good Thing...

OK... so I realize this is a quick second post after my post earlier but I was organizing pictures and thought that I would post a picture of Talmage on our annual Easter Sunday Trek To The Shore...

You can probably tell by the look on his face that it was 37 degrees and we spent about 5 minutes there...but we did it!

I hope everyone had a happy Easter!

Spring Awakening....

Happy Spring!

I am not sure if anyone is going to see this since it has been sooo long since I posted anything everyone has probably given up on me. I realized that it was 3 months ago today that I last posted. Apparently I am not doing well on those 2009 personal objectives. With that said, everything that is old is new again.... Spring is a time of renewal ....

We are getting ready for soccer, baseball and all the rest that Spring and Summer have to hold for us!

Ready... Set .... Go!

Happy 2009!

I know that I am a couple of weeks late in doing that ... never even got a Merry Christmas in... or an on-time Happy Thanksgiving. However, this is the year of starting fresh. I am thankful to all our friends and family that carried us through the end of 2008. It was a rough year and not one I want to repeat any time soon... if ever.

Here is what I am going to accomplish this year:

1. Get Healthier (food and fitness)
2. Organize my house better (closets and everything else)
3. Organize my life better -- not procrastinate soooo much

So, we recently had a training class about how to accomplish goals and that you can't just wish them done, you have to plan them done! I know, it's a really novel idea and someone is seriously making money off that! Why didn't I think of it. In order for me to achieve my goals, I figure the first step is to put them up here and make me somewhat accountable for them. If others know that I am working towards them, maybe I will make better decisions for me.

Because of my innate ability to procrastinate, I have decided that the best thing to do, is make monthly goals (short term means less time to procrastinate....right?)

January goals:
1. Start working with my trainer again!
2. Clean out the closets in my room and Talmage's room
3. Make a list of events coming up this quarter and what I need to do to prepare for them.

There we have it! That's the plan! Ready? I am!

Have a great 2009!