40 years!

So, I am contemplating a certain date that will arrive soon. My Birthday!

Many people keep asking me, "How do you feel about turning the big 40?" The funny thing about this is, I have never really thought about how I would FEEL turning 40. It is just another number, right?

Now, thanks to everyone asking, I am thinking about it. I know I don't feel 40 in my head, in fact sometimes when I take my kids to school I feel like I need to get out , grab my math assignment and head on into the classroom. I get nervous about how maybe my locker won't open up this time, or that gross boy might be stalking me from afar again, as I head to the lunch room.

Has it been that long? My brain tells me, it is just fine to stay up watching reruns of "Nanny"on Nic at night till 3 in the morning. Sometimes I'm even tempted to turn to my husband, shake him awake, and ask, "How about a Denny's run?" This I know would never happen. HE would probably start monitoring my calls thinking, "Who else is she meeting at Denny's when I am asleep!"

Somehow I can't get my body to go along with my brain on this.

This is how my 40 year old body feels.

Bad list- Facial wrinkles, skin that no longer stays in places it is supposed to stay, pre cancer marks that get burned off every 6 months, lunch lady arms (you know what I am talking out), memory issues (what was that called? I swore I would never be like my mother) hot flashes, mood and anger issues, and last but certainly not the least, the most hated thing is, those extra unwanted pounds adhering to the body without consent from me.

On the other hand, my head feels like my life has never been happier or more fulfilling than right now. If I look back on my long years gone by, I can say I feel like a much more complete and accomplished person, than I have ever before. Of course this is not talking about my body I would choose to be the body I was at 27 in a heart beat.

I can say this though, I do have a favorite thing about turning 40 , I like my new 40's voice. Those of you over the age of 40 know what I mean. I once heard Oprah talking about it on her show "What do you do in your 40's, 50's and 60's". I can honestly say I thought those old lady's were crazy. ( I was only in my late 20's then) But it is true! My mouth just opens up and out come all kinds of fun facts and opinions, and I don't care! That is the best part! I realize that this might be one of the most fun parts of life right now.

I now know why older women have always said what is on their mind, no matter the consequence. This part I am immensely excited about.

Next time I am in the grocery store and someone has planted their cart and their body in the middle of the isle and I need to pass, I will say, "move it or lose it, you old bat!" I can't wait!

So for those of you wondering how I feel about turning the BIG 40, I have never felt better!

Sick today..... Sick tomorrow!

So many of you might guess what my post will be about today.

Illness. Sickness. Disease.

When we get any of these things it is rarely controllable. Something I do not tolerate well. I like to be in control of my life.

I admit, I may be slightly OCD in some areas.

One area is germs. I tend to be the woman you see at the grocery store wiping down the cart, sometimes those darn wheels aren't even clean enough. I tend to do an all over cleaning job on the poor thing. I will definitely be the woman you see with the sani-wipes in her purse along with the liquid gel in case that might not work.

My children tend to run from me because after the store, church, school or any other public area we have visited, I am always ready with the wipes. Sad thing is, some of them have also now picked up on the treacherous habit.

If you are behind me in church, on the bus or at a movie theatre and feel like hacking into the back of my hair. I will be that lady you see, turn around, and give you a thorough mean glare. Stop!

I do not like to eat food that has fallen on the floor- no matter how many seconds it was there. I do not share food or drinks with others except my husband (who is rarely sick) and I will always be the first one to ask for a individual salsa bowl.

So, I ask myself, since I am today and have been this whole week, sick with a very contagious cold. Why do others not feel the same way as I do about keeping their germs to themselves.

I see the nose runners, the hackers and the glass eyed ones with fevers wondering around town, not in bed like they should be, not coughing into their elbows, not using kleenex and then

sani-wipes.

They are the ones trying to drink from your cup, sticking their chips in your salsa, and touching your hands with their hands, that they have just used as a kleenex.

Many of my friends say, " You get sick because you use all those daily implements to ward yourself off of the germs, you need the germs to build up an immunity." I say in return, "Anyone that knowingly touches things that has germs on them and does not use precautions realizes that they are allowing microscopic things into their bodies that have the sole purpose of trying to destroy your body." Isn't that a little like playing russian roulette?

No, thank you.

Why do these people think I want something like this from them?

So, I guess all I can say is this, If you are sick, stay home. If you cannot stay home, wash your hands, use sani-wipes. Stop thinking you're doing me a favor by giving me your stupid germs to build up my immunities. Stop It!

The Diet!

So, once again I am on the roller coaster road called Dieting!

It is really not a diet, just healthy eating. Healthy eating that consists of eating almost every 2 hours with Cardio and weights.

I am now in week 2. I have passed the walking around the thing,waiting in line, looking it up and checking it out to make sure it is not going to kill me.

I am now sitting in the seat, I hear the prerecorded voice tell me-"Keep all arms and legs inside the ride at all times, both played in English and Spanish, sometimes even French.

And I wait! Immediately I see the hill, boy, that suckers tall, and slow going. I am not sure if I really want to do this. Will it be worth it, will I like it!

So far, I love it!

I love the food, love the cardio and love the weights. I feel cleaner, lighter and stronger!

I am still just over that beginners hill though, waiting to see what the ride will really be like.

I know I will have to scream a little, my eyes are going to water a little and I might get a bug or two in my teeth, but I am still hoping for that exhilaration that you get when it is over and you did something that was really scary!

Life's race.

Today I ran a race for a friend that passed away last year. I ran it competing with my husband. That is, I ran it, while he competed with me as I was running.

I have seen a lot of competition in my life; sister's, family, friends, co worker's etc.

What is it about the human race and being competitive?

I being someone not as competitive as others have wondered, what drives a competitor?

Is it something you are born with? Is it learned from childhood? Is it a gender thing?

How can we be healthy competitors, without insulting others?

Just in case you were wondering.... He did beat me this time, but I beat him at golf yesterday.

He He He

Going Green

For years I have been watching people take on the "Going Green" frenzy. I was never ambitious enough to apply myself.
Now, I too, can say I have been pulled into the rip tide of it all.
I started with signing up with my community recycling program. Out came the bins to sort each item. Little did I know, as I looked at those bins, that my obsessive personality would take over and in the next few weeks I would become the sorting queen that my family would grow to loath.

I never thought sorting trash could be so fun. In goes the yogurt containers, milk bottles, cups etc. In goes all the newspaper and cardboard I could think of. I never knew how much cardboard there was in all the things I bought! Cereal boxes, granola bar boxes, so many boxes!
I felt so guilty for not recycling before. My trash has never been so empty.

So on to the next item on my going Green list- the garden.
This year my goal for my garden was, to look as good as the Obama's garden did, with all the White House gardener's tending it. You must keep up appearances you know. HMMM.

Today was the day. Wake up kids! Little did they know they were going to be the cheap labor I would be using for the next 3 hours.
Into the garden I stepped. Note to myself- remember to never weed garden right after sprinklers have been running. The idea of buying a pig a few weeks ago, did not look so bad anymore.
Mud up to my ankles, armed with garden gloves and buckets, the weeding began. We renewed the system of pulling and emptying and pulling and emptying each bucket. With each pull of a weed my goal became more of a reality. Me and Michele Obama together, walking down rows of carrots, deciding what to eat each night for dinner. Would she too like beets, or would she rather have corn?
Three hours later, the deed was done. If you have never had the privilege of weeding a muddy garden, it is truly a blessing. Each weed I pulled made me realize how easy it is to achieve things, it just takes gloves and a desire to do it.
So I can now say I am a accomplish er of "Going Green". Come join the frenzy!

Summer Vacation

Just got back from 10 days in sweltering Missouri heat, Rving with the entire family.
Things I learned:
1. Do not rent your RV the week before your trip, or you will get the RV that no one else wanted. (I would have preferred the one with the huge picture of the Alaskan coast on it, with the large bear and the fish in his mouth, instead of the boring picture of the ships overlooking the Boston harbor. This way when everyone that we pass on the highway will know that they better get out of our way instead of not taking us serious).

2. Do not try and mimic the speech of each individual that you meet along the way. (Honey, we are no longer speaking to that Asian couple, remember these people said they are from Russia, not China)

3. Never take 2 teenage girls, both with hormonal issues, and fit them into a small bed, each and everynight then, expect them to be happy in the morning.

4. Jessie James definitely had it better, even in his hideout.

5. Chiggers are things that embed themselves into your skin and do not come out until you put fingernail polish on them, or itch them till your feet bleed and weep with pus.- They are NOT a new kind of fried chicken sold at the Steak N' Shake.

6. When the clouds look dark it is ok, but when the clouds look dark, and the wind starts to blow, you have 2 minutes before you need to start running, like in the horror movies, with your arms flailing in the wind, high above your head, to "high tail" it out of there before you are engulfed in a wall of water and you end up like in Titanic.

7. Do not let your husband talk you into staying in a camp site that he says " Looks really nice" and as you pull in, hundreds of overgrown flies land on every inch of the outside of your vehicle.

8. Hotels are really, really, really the way to go!