Otherwise Engaged

For 2011, hubby and I are again participating in an "Engagement Health" program through work that encourages us to engage in, well, healthy activities. Sounds logical, right?

For our part, we're each toting around a pedometer 24/7 with hopes of getting 10,000 steps in (or the equivalent of 5 miles) each day. I say "hopes" because it does take a commitment to engage in some extra movement to accomplish that. It really is not as easy as it sounds!

We also have to weigh in weekly and get our blood pressure checked on one of those handy dandy kiosks with a bench seat. We have one at work so there is no way (or weigh) of getting out of this. We did this last year, though, so we are used to it.

To begin the program, though, we had fill out a lengthy health assessment survey. When I got to the questions about my cholesterol, however, I was clueless. I haven't had it checked in probably 5 years so I left those questions blank. They were not required since there was no little red asterisk by them, but it ended up skewing my survey. By leaving them blank, the computer read it as zero or something silly and the Engagement Health folks forced me to take an in-home cholesterol test so they would have valid information.

The one thing I hate about in-home blood tests of any kind is, well, everything! I got the kit in early January, shortly after one of Carter's near-fainting episodes so I was already in the wrong mindset to inflict pain on myself plus look at blood long enough to collect it in some container. Uff-da! That was tough.

I didn't even tell Carter a thing about it so he wouldn't freak out. The morning I did the test I got it all out of the way before he even got up. Of course, I chickened out and did not even prick my finger hard enough the first time to get a good drop or two of blood. So I had to use the "spare" pricker and do another finger! Are you lightheaded yet? I was.

I shipped it off and sort of forgot about it until today when I was contemplating some new vitamins to take -- and hoped I didn't need anything special for high cholesterol. I checked for my results and sure enough, they received my generous blood donation and processed it. My cholesterol numbers are in the middle of normal so I am not borderline anything (well, not related to cholesterol anyway).

I was relieved, mainly because my dad didn't get diabetes until he was an adult so I knew in the back of my mind that my triglyceride numbers could be problematic. But they weren't. So that was great news!

Now I can continue to engage in my healthy activities, including running and scrapbooking (but not running with scissors), and keep a close eye on portion control...

Making sure I continue to get a portion of ice cream every day! Hey, it's working so far!

Spring into Action

We get excited here in the Midwest when the temps rise above 30 on a January day. After 40-some years of suffering through Wisconsin Winters, I know better.

The brainwashed part of my mind, however, still falls for it. Still gets psyched up. Still enjoys the anticipation of a new season. Even though I know with certainty -- no matter what Punxatawny Phil says later this week -- we have at least 6 more weeks of the cold, the ice, the snow.

But we didn't today.

Since Carter and I got up for early church, we were home at a reasonable time for me to get my Saturday chores I neglected yesterday done by noon today. Got some lunch ready for the guys and headed outside.

I knew I needed to get a run in and I prefer outdoors to the boring treadmill. So I was excited. It was sunny, about 33 and parts of the road were actually clear. Excellent!

The problem, as usual, is when I encounter cars and they don't want me hogging the road, I am forced to jump to the side. Today, unfortunately, the edge of the road was a slushy, sloppy mess. Good thing I had thick socks on!

My run itself, timewise, was pathetic but at least I was finally getting out there. I have no choice but to spring into action. I've got 5 weeks 'til a 5-mile race and I haven't started prepping at all. A run here and there and that's it. So this was good to get started. I've got a game plan now and I just have to stick to it.

Now if only I could apply this to other areas of my life. I have even less time to get ready for Camp Crop-A-Lot! I better spring into some serious action there! And that won't be nearly as painful.

Hope the "warm" weather found a way to stir your motivation, too!

Gray Matter and White Matter

A winter day wouldn't be the same without the use of some gray matter (brains) or white matter (snow).

Today was the annual Knights of Columbus Math, Spelling and Free Throw Competition. A student could pick and choose what they want to compete in or do all 3. Just like last year, Carter the over-achiever did all 3.

Carter ended up finishing first in Math, which means he moved on to the district competition in March, and finished second in Spelling behind his friend Mason from school.

In the free-throw competition, Carter took first for 12-year-old boys and his friend and classmate Brady took first for 13-year-old boys. So they both get to move on to a regional competition in March (different weekend than the academic one).

After such a successful morning, we had to celebrate with a blizzard at Dairy Queen, which opened yesterday after a way too long winter hiatus! Thank you, Carter!

Before coming home, we decided to swing by the South Wood County Humane Society Souper Snow Sculpture Spectacular. We're so glad we did! Lots of neat stuff going on as a fund-raiser for the shelter. Check these out...

The humane society dog sculpture -- which doubled as a slide.

Carter's always a fan of the Rubik's Cube!

I had to take a picture of a snow dolphin -- especially since I knew my sister Rayna in Texas was taking my parents on a dolphin tour cruise around South Padre Island today. I bet the dolphins they saw were warmer!

Loved the detail in this eagle!

The Princess & the Frog takes shape.

I loved the added touch the yellow snow gave to this hydrant!

Of course there's cheese! This is Wisconsin!

We thought this was the most creative concept. A man reading his newspaper in an outhouse. Funny!

Any fans of the Madagascar kids' movie will recognize these penguins!

Meet Roscoe the river rat -- mascot for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters professional baseball team!

We might just have to swing by tomorrow to view these in their completed stage. Looking at the forecast, there's no chance these will melt overnight.

What a creative use of gray matter and white matter!

Bridging the Gap

Not to age myself, but I recall a quarter of a century ago today, sitting in my high school accounting class when someone burst in and said, "The space shuttle blew up!"

What? That can't be!

We sat in disbelief while we tried to absorb the news and our teacher pondered whether we should all get out of class and go down the hall to the library, where at least there was a TV with a connection to the outside world (as opposed to those that just hooked up to VHS players). He didn't let us go, but I had study hall the next hour and I just watched those same 3 minutes over and over while newscasters and authorities tried to figure out what was going on and what to say about the Challenger. The teachers watching it with me were crying because, well, they lost one of their own.

It was just one of those moments in history for me that I won't forget. I have that Jan. 28 date ingrained in my head much like everyone has Dec. 7 and Sept. 11 and June 28 (oh, that's just my birthday so you can mark it on your calendar).

The amazing thing is that not only could I talk to Carter about it today, thanks to videos on the Internet these days, he could watch the event with me and see why it was memorable for this older generation. It was a bit unreal to see again. For Carter, too. I still got goose bumps and a lump in my throat. So tragic.

I am continually impressed with the different ways technology continues to bridge the gap between generations. The memorable news stories are neat to see again. But there is something else far more entertaining... Music videos!

Tonight, Daddy got to show Carter the Bohemian Rhapsody video by Queen. The 12-year-old was suitably impressed.

Then Daddy showed him a little country video on a song called Why Me, Lord? ... something he always starts singing when Carter (or Momma) does something high on the idget scale.

We were not impressed.

Gator Aid

One thing I feared most in our trip through the Everglades last summer was the possibility our airboat would tip on its side and empty its contents -- us passengers! -- into gator-filled swamp waters.

Thankfully, that didn't happen. But with every swish and sway back and forth at full speed, it seemed probable. If we could just slow down, I'd feel safer. Like things are under control.

That's how it is with life a lot of times, isn't it?

This week -- when I've been in the office -- I feel like I've been going at warp speed with my hair on fire. My "boat" swishing and swaying back and forth and I have no sense of control. It was fitting that one of my co-workers said today I was up to my neck in alligators.

What an unfortunate truth! I guess some days you're the alligator. And some days you're the bait... or simply unsuspecting passengers getting dumped during a quick turn of the boat!

Thankfully, I managed to slow it down by mid-afternoon and gain some control. I think it helped that I escaped to the fitness center for a brief workout. Endorphins do wonders.

I also was relieved that Carter -- thanks to some hefty urging from Mom and Dad -- went to school and stayed there all day. He'll be fine. In fact, Daddy took him to the Assumption game tonight to watch cousin Colin and Carter was just fine. More than fine if we judge it by the number of girls he was sitting with! (Good thing Daddy reports everything to Momma!)

I had a nice evening out with some friends -- eating and laughing and learning. I will have to share sometime when I have a moment. Right now I'm just so relieved I don't feel like "bait" anymore, I think I'll get some peaceful sleep.

See ya later, alligator!

Getting Back

It's so good to have our household close to getting back to normal. Hubby is back home and Carter, hopefully, will be back to school tomorrow.

At least today I was prepared for it. I had plenty of work I brought home with me so it was actually a productive day. That tends to happen when the phone isn't ringing off the hook. Carter, on the other hand, is probably going to be a bit behind after missing 2 (hopefully that's all) days of school.

When he came in our room at 4:30 a.m. to tell me he still felt sick, my first thought was, "Why couldn't you at least wait for my alarm to go off?" Well, the first thing I thought was, "Oh no, poor baby." Yep, that's it. Then I had my selfish thought about needing more sleep!

So we had a day together while Daddy went off to work. Before he left, he made sure he gave it to me... and by "it" I mean his stinkin' cold that made his travel (even golfing) a bit miserable. What a sweetheart. At least I had no co-workers having to hear me blow my nose all day.

I still wanted to do something nice for hubby since I missed him -- plus I was home. So I put a turkey breast in the oven for supper and smelled it cooking for 2 hours. It smelled like a meal made of love -- until something started burning. Well I had it simmering in a bag with seasoning but the bag somehow leaked so I had a big bubbling black mess.

The turkey still tasted good, though. And the best part was he scrubbed the burnt pan clean for me and only once mentioned how he saved the day -- and the pan!

Oh it's good to be getting back to normal.

Not So Tough Love

I should have known my new "tough love" pact would eventually blow up in my face. And by eventually, I mean a day later...

Carter was feeling under the weather again this morning so, much like the Ground Hog Day movie with its deja vu theme, I again suggested we wait it out a bit and I would drive him to school. Because he was going to school!

The difference today was that he was a bit nauseous and couldn't choke down any breakfast. He just felt that crummy. I did get him to have an orange and we grabbed some crackers on the way to school. We didn't get far with those either. He just didn't feel right. I said, "Just try, please. And see how you do."

I just don't want him missing a bunch of school and falling behind -- especially in new classes this semester. But yes, I did feel guilty, guilty, guilty the whole drive to Iola. Actually, I didn't even get all the way there before my cell phone rang and it was Carter saying he just didn't think he could make it all day. So again, evil mother says, "Just try to make it to 10 and then you can call me." I explained I wasn't even at work yet and didn't know if Grandpa and Grandma were even around today to pick him up if I needed them to. So he agreed to try and tough it out some more.

When I got to work, I called my in-laws and Grandpa said he could get him if Carter called. Carter didn't last until 10 a.m. either. It was about 9:15 when he called and we had to call the Grandpa Cab to take him home.

I had hoped I could get through my deadline stuff at work by noon and get home to him. But you can never count on anything to go smoothly, when you really, really need it to, can you? I had some unexpected "fires" flare up and it turned into a hellish kind of day. By the time Jim called me around 12:30 (from the San Diego airport) I was ready to run away! It sure is tough when you need a hug and your hubby is 2 time zones away! Good thing he'll be home in an hour or so.

I ended up getting out of work early -- by a whole 30 minutes. Got home and snuggled with Carter awhile and then, when he convinced me he felt pretty darn good, I had him do homework. While he did that it was to the Scrap Cave for me! I just needed to do 2 pages to regain my sanity. Trust me, it is the best therapy. I have to concentrate on what I am doing so I can be creative -- and not screw up, of course. So there is no room for outside, negative thought of any kind.

When I was done with that, I felt pretty good. That's just how it works.

I tucked in Carter, who insists nothing cures him like his mom's touch. So I hugged him some more and I hope that works. That "tough" business is so behind me!

Tough Love?

I woke up today with all intentions of being the Mom of the Year. Somehow that didn't pan out.

I got up a few minutes early so I would be ready in time to give Carter a ride to the bus stop on this cold morning. He even started the car for me while I was wrapping my final attempts at beautification. Just as I was leaving my bedroom, however, he comes in and reports that he had just gone to the bathroom and things were not looking good.

Great.

Besides the fact that I thought we were in the clear after surviving a 3-day weekend with no stomach issues, Mondays are a terrible, terrible day for me not to go to work. Big deadline. Busy stuff. All Mondays are like that. So staying home really wasn't an option for this temporarily single mom. That doesn't mean Carter couldn't stay home by himself, but what kid wants to stay home without TLC from his mommy?

So I suggested we wait it out. See if he has to "run" to the bathroom again in the next half hour. If there were no further incidents, I would drive him into school. If there was, then he'd have to suffer alone at home -- at least part of the day. In the meantime, I shut the car off and took care of some work emails.

At 7:05, after a "run-free" 30 minutes, I declared he was good to go.

"I still have a bit of a stomach ache," he said.

"No you don't," I replied. "You're going to school."

Then, just to impress upon him how important it was to buck up, I briefly (very briefly) explained what girls have to go through every month and stressed they are not all missing 5 days of school each month because of painful cramps. They push through it because they're tough. (Don't be alarmed. Boys are well schooled on all of this stuff by 5th grade these days.)

I also threw in there that there are many days Daddy and I don't feel like going to work either, but we do what we have to do. Not many people wake up and feel 100% right away. Frankly, I need my shower and a cup of coffee before I feel anything!

So in the end, yes, I drove him to school.

And yes, I am a mean mom to tell him to tough it out.

But yes, I was also right and he survived just fine.

Tonight he is going to bed early just so he is well-rested for tomorrow's walk to the bus stop (hey, it'll be above zero) and school day. I suppose I should get some sleep, too, just in case I decide to get up a little early and give him ride.

C'mon, you know I can't stay that tough for long!

Just Chillin'

From the time hubby got up at 4 a.m. to the time he landed in San Diego midday, he experienced an 80-degree temperature change. Lucky!

I think it got to the single digits above zero today but I don't know that it got much beyond that. It was deceivingly sunny. But nowhere near warm the few times I ventured out for church (8 a.m.) and grocery shopping (later). B-r-r!

It was a good day to be indoors anyway. With hubby gone, I am the only adult in the house so I get control of the remote! Unfortunately, there was nothing on today so Carter and I worked. He did several hours of homework (writing a paper) and I did several hours of work-work (editing, proofing and posting articles online). We both made some great progress.

Yes, we did catch about 15 minutes of a certain football game. But we didn't need to watch it. The phone started ringing off the hook just as we were about to sit down to our spaghetti and meatball supper. People (OK, family) just feel compelled to tell us the Packers won -- even though they didn't play the Vikings. So I'm not sure why we're supposed to care.

We do care that our loved ones are happy. So as I responded to one my "text-ual harrassments" on the phone, "Nothing matters more to me than your happiness." That's true. I knew at the end of today, for example, either my father would be happy or my father-in-law. I'm pretty sure you know LeRoy -- not John -- is the one who's dancing tonight (even with a cane)!

Between those calls and the weather report in California, I think the boy and I are just going to chill out the rest of the evening. We both have some reading to get done. And definitely have some sort of cool treat calling our name!

Our Other Stomping Grounds

The day started off as usual.... the alarms goes off and we make our way to Iola while most people are still sleeping. Only today we weren't going for work. Instead that's where Carter's basketball tournament took place. At our home away from home... Our other stomping grounds...

The first game should have been ours. We had a lead after the first quarter then somehow lost it and that game in a close one. The second game was not quite so close and we were beaten quite handily, if I do say so myself.

So we went into the third game looking for our first win of the day -- just like the last tournament. And, just like the last one, we won our third game and fourth game, too, to finish 2-2 and take home a 5th-place ribbon.

Carter had a few struggles but also some good plays today. He almost scored on a beautiful jump shot. Yes, almost. But it is worth noting because it bounced back and forth on the inside of the rim before bouncing back out. So it should have been a bucket. "I don't care who you are, that should have been a swish!" he says. Ah well, next time.

Naturally, since we were only a few blocks from work, I did manage to sneak over there between the morning games to get a few things done. Many taking care of things I missed yesterday. Nothing too time-consuming because I did not want to miss any of the hoops action!

The highlight of my day (for me personally, not to take away from Carter's day) was seeing an old friend I hadn't seen in ages. We used to work together in Iola and she still lives in Iola but we just haven't connected much in person since she left. So that was great to sit and visit with her and see her "baby," who is suddenly a 4-year-old boy. That was nice.

After the games, of course we had to stop somewhere to eat -- even though we told Carter we manage to get home from Iola every night without having to stop anywhere! As it was, most of the team headed to The Hilltop Pub in Stevens Point and arrived just before 6 p.m. (prime time on a Saturday night). So while we were technically all there together, we all ended up sitting at our own tables as they became available.

It was our "last supper" with Daddy, who leaves for San Diego on a work trip in about 10 hours. I was going to help him pack instead of get on the computer... But something in my minus-2 degree heart couldn't handle putting his golf clubs in the trunk for him! I don't think he'll miss us as much as we'll miss him.

At least I'll still have my electric mattress pad to keep me warm this week!

A Cold Day in...

If today hadn't already been a pre-planned No School Day, I wonder if they would have had it anyway. It was bitterly cold and I am not sure it even got to zero or on the positive side of the mercury today. B-r-r. Just b-r-r-r!

Good thing we didn't have a whole lot going on. Hubby had to work so it was just a Carter and Momma day!

We did have to get our "chores" out of the way first. I got my "Saturday" dusting, vacuuming, etc. stuff done since we'll be gone tomorrow. Then I had to go get the oil changed, pick up some groceries and gas up the car. That part was painful.

The only part I was happy about was that no one said, "Cold enough for ya?" 'Cause I think I would have had to hit the first person who asked! Or at least flip them off (which isn't effective when one is wearing mittens anyway). Thankfully, people were too cold to try to be funny.

When I got home, I hit the treadmill awhile while Carter finished up some homework. Then it was couch time! We watched Shrek 4 then Marmaduke. At some point in there, Jim came home from work and then left again to go with friends to see another friend coach a girls basketball team near Madison. I'm glad he got to go because we wouldn't have been good company for him. There's one thing I know: Carter's laziness can match mine on a day off! We were in the relaxation zone and, combined with the need to stay warm, weren't going anywhere!

We did get up off our respective cushions to eat supper and play Scrabble. Now he's in bed, trying not to think about tomorrow's basketball tournament, and I am finally getting around to the one productive thing I had hoped to accomplish today -- downloading pictures off my digital camera and saving them on CDs. I'm pretty sure I was right in my estimation that this is an all-day project. Since I don't have all day, I will have to finish it Sunday.

The forecast looks like that will be another cold day to stay inside and do something (or nothing).

No News is Good News?

The good news is Carter saw the doctor today about these fainting spells and they found nothing wrong with him.

The bad news is Carter saw the doctor today about these fainting spells and they found nothing wrong with him.

So we are sort of back where we started. Not knowing much. But feeling at ease that some things were ruled out.

Carter stayed home from school today because his stomach was still upset. Unfortunately, both Daddy and I had to go to work. There were certain things I had to get done today because I already have tomorrow scheduled off since there is no school. So Jim and I ended up driving separately so I could bolt when those mandatory things got done and head home.

That worked out well. I got home by 12:30 so Carter wasn't alone too long, fed him some soup and sent him to bed so I could get some more work done. We had a doctor's appointment in the mid-afternoon so I made it a quick, productive day.

Although his stomach still didn't feel right when we went to the doctor, he at least kept his food down. In fact, he has never gotten sick that way during any of these fainting or near fainting episodes.

When we laid it out all for the doctor, he could understand why we were concerned about this. In the past month, Carter has fainted twice in a down-for-the-count way, then had 3 other "almost" situations. Whether it was full-blown or not, he always felt yucky after and that included an upset stomach, basically some nausea.

After checking him over, the doctor said his head is on straight (that's a relief) and ruled out anything neurological since the pattern didn't suggest seizures.

He said his heart sounded fine through the stethoscope but thought we should do a more in-depth test for a rapid heartbeat, which can cause fainting. So he ordered an EKG and I just about fell over in my chair. (OK, I shouldn't joke about that.) I will say seeing your kid hooked up with 10 wires to test his heart is just plain scary. At that moment, as I'm trying to hold myself together, I realized this could be serious. Could be, but hopefully not. As it turned out, his EKG results couldn't have been more perfect if the doctor drew them himself. He said that! So that was good. His heart is in perfect shape until some girl comes along and breaks it!

Now we had the heart and nervous system ruled out and really, there's not much else. The doc did explain that all teens and kids have low blood pressure to begin with, so it's not uncommon for them to stand up too quickly and pass out because the blood doesn't have time to get to where it needs to be quickly enough. Based on the situations described, the doctor said this could be the case. But he couldn't say for sure.

He acknowledges Carter has had a run of bad luck being in the wrong place at the wrong time -- seeing graphic scars, standing near other people fainting, etc. So he just told us to keep watch and, if something happens again, note everything that led up to the moment and how everything reacted (body and health-wise) after it. If it keeps happening, we'll have to go to some sort of specialist.

I know I for one am hoping (and praying!) that we just keep watching and there will be nothing to see!

Eyewitness News

This business of feeling like you have to faint just because someone else does is getting old.

Poor Carter sees another kid almost faint in Mass this morning, so then he doesn't quite feel right the rest of the day. He sticks it out, though, and even stays after school for a yearbook meeting. Then, when he is in the bathroom changing into basketball clothes (for later), the boy in the stall next to him is puking. Nice.

No surprise my phone rang at work about 30 seconds later. "Mom, I don't feel good."

The plan had been that after his yearbook meeting, he would walk to the library from school, do his homework, then walk half a block to church for confirmation. Dad would pick him up after that and take him to the last part of basketball practice. That is our normal Wednesday routine lately.

Not today. Since we were still at work (an hour away), we had him call up Grandpa Austin and get a ride home. He really was feeling pretty crappy by the time we got home, so we basically let him sleep, then do homework, shower and go back to bed.

I did tell him I'm going to have to take him to the doctor on Friday when he's off from school. Then he started crying. I assured him we didn't think something was wrong. We just want to make sure he doesn't have low blood pressure or anything else that might be making him faint or almost faint -- other than consistently being in the wrong place at the wrong time to eyewitness these other wimps!

So we'll see. I just said he's got a whole lifetime ahead of him and we certainly don't want him worrying he's going to faint when he's playing in band, or in a music competition, or performing acolyte duties in church, or up to bat in baseball! Hey, you never know.

I can't say I ever outgrew it. I just learned to somehow breathe through it and think happy thoughts..... ice cream... cheesecake... warm beaches where the temperature is well above zero!

Monday Happens

I have learned that no matter what day your week starts, it still has all the elements of a Monday.

It was nice after a relaxing Monday off to have a delayed start to the work week. Only because Friday is one day closer. Other than that, it had all the makings of a typical Monday today. Digging out from what work magically piles up over the weekend and answering to every person who couldn't get ahold of you on your day off.

And I wouldn't have wanted it any differently.

I normally can cope with a Tuesday with a healthy dose of Glee at the end of the day. Tonight, however, was a repeat plus I had some work that needed finishing up. But that was OK. I still found an effective way to cope with my "Monday" stress. A friend stopped over and we chilled out in the hot tub awhile. Well, the air temp was chilly, but the water was nice!

Later, I found I still had a little bit of Peppermint ice cream left, so that was an unexpected bonus. That doesn't happen every day!

Well, actually, around here, it does. A freezer without ice cream would be like a week without a "Monday."

It just doesn't happen!

Girls' Day In

I managed to work two 5-day weeks in a row this year before taking a day off. This one, though, was a company holiday so I felt no guilt about having to get any work done. And, as luck would have it, two of my girlfriends were also off today for MLK Day, so we all decided to be slackers together!

We actually couldn't have planned a "Girls' Day In" on a better day. It snowed all morning and most of the day so really, who would want to get out and do anything anyway?

My wonderful hubby got up early so he could take Carter to school (allowing the pre-teen to get a valued extra 45 minutes of sleep). Then, when I rolled out of bed, he took me into town to my friend Christine's so I didn't have to brave the slick roads and see snow pile up on the car all day. What a honey!

My day didn't get too strenuous after that either. Christine, Jenny and I had a movie -- and munchie -- marathon. Chick flicks only! Naturally. We watched 27 Dresses, followed by The Proposal, then Mamma Mia!

During this whole time, we snacked. And snacked. And snacked. Christine just got a fondue pot so we had beer bread dipped in cheese for the mid-morning snack. Then shrimp and chicken cooked in oil for the lunch-time snack. Then mini-cheesecake bites dipped in chocolate for the afternoon snack. Did I need supper tonight? No!

That was a nice getaway for some laughing and singing and crying (getting choked up a bit anyway), plus plain old girl time.

At home, hubby had to crank up the snowblower and did some chores around the house but I think he relaxed a little and enjoyed his day of quiet solitude. It's not like either one of us felt we had to take advantage of a free day and make it a super-productive one.

Thank goodness! I'll take a Girls' Day In any time!

Winter Recreation

The 3 of us under this roof are not big fans of the cold and snow. Which means for about 6 months, maybe 8, we are not doing much in terms of recreation outside. Other than the sled run (which has not taken form this year).

So when big brother Casey offered to take Carter to Powers Bluff -- a winter recreation park northwest of Rapids -- we thought that was great. So the 2 of them and cousin Colin spent the afternoon there, tubing down a big hill, then not even breaking a sweat to climb back up. One, because it was only 15 degrees out. And two, because they have tow ropes there. Now that would have been nice for our Hedberg "sliding" parties back in the day.

I figured if they could brave the cold, I could, too. So I layered up and went for a run. I managed 4 miles without breaking a sweat. Well, a little, but only under my awesome Twins hat! So I guess I really did get in shape last night! Or maybe it was just 15 degrees out...

One of the indoor activities that I do enjoy in the winter is watching the award shows for television and movies. Tonight is the Golden Globes and in a few weeks, the Oscars will follow. I never really see any of the movies beforehand but I do know some of the actors and actresses. In tonight's case, a lot of the folks on some of my favorite shows (Glee, Mad Men, Modern Family, Big Bang, etc) are nominated.

So I plopped myself on the couch in my comfy sweats (which did not pass Red Carpet inspection) and am watching 3 hours of glitz and glamour. Something tells me I won't break a sweat doing this either.

Gotta love winter recreation!

Fantasy Fit-Ball

One thing that's just about guaranteed at our house. If we have a weekend day with nothing going on, then, well, we're going to do as little as possible. And not feel the least bit guilty about it.

Of course, we had to get some things out of the way first -- like the snow we got all day Friday and into the night. I let hubby fire up the snowblower and handle that while I did my normal Saturday "chores" of sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, etc. I'm not sure what Carter did during all this, but he somehow deserved to go to the batting cage when we were done.

This time I went with to check the place out. Basically, our next-door neighbor has two "cages" set up inside the pole building that serves as his shop during the week. So Daddy threw pitches and Carter hit a bucket of balls, then they'd play catch and then hit some more. I just sat in a lawn chair and watched (yes the building was slightly heated).

Afterwards, we settled into a lazy Saturday. Stopped for a little lunch at the Sportsmen's Bar & Grill down the road, then came home and did some laundry and played cards while Carter watched a movie.

At some point, the neighbor called to see if Jim wanted to come over and watch the Packers-Falcons game. I guess our neighbor the Packer fan was willing to open up his home to Vikings fans if they were toting Bud Light.

So Carter and I stayed home to watch the game and decided to make up for our lazy day. (Plus it's hard to watch a game when we want BOTH teams to lose!) So we invented a new "fantasy fit-ball" workout regimen -- based on matching letters and scoring.

Altanta = Abs (1 sit-up per point when TD is scored)
Packers = Push-ups (1 per point when TD is scored)
Field goal = Flight of stair running (3 per field goal)
Penalty = Pull-up (5 per penalty)

The challenging part was that we had a running total. So when the Packers scored their first touchdown, we did 7 push-ups. when they scored the next one we had to do 14, then 21 and so on. All totaled, we did 147 push-ups (ow), 42 sit-ups and 6 flights of stairs. Carter was the only one doing pull-ups and they got enough penalties between the 2 teams, that only lasted until halftime.

The "fantasy" part of this is that we'd actually get fit in one game's time! When in reality, we did so many push-ups, I'll be lucky to be able to lift my arms up to type tomorrow.

Just one more reason for me to dislike the Pack.

What's Your Sign?

For awhile there today, many of use were dealing with the unsettling news that our Zodiac "signs" were changing.

Apparently some shifts in the skies have been slightly astronomical but mostly astrological. We heard news that the dates that dictate our signs were now changing and, therefore, so were our signs. I was thinking I was changing from a Cancer to a Gemini, which would make sense since I'm a twin and all. But I sure would miss my built-in cranky excuse: "Hey, I'm a Crab!"

Thankfully, it won't impact most of us. I guess if we had read our horoscopes first, we'd know this, huh?

This new stuff (new to us, anyway) -- called Sidereal astrology -- looks to background stars and famous constellations as its guide. The branch of astrology that the horoscope writers turn to uses the zodiac (duh), which is based on our relationship to the sun, not the stars.

This makes sense now since I am sun-worshipper. However, though hubby and I are both Cancers, we don't put much stock in horoscopes anyway. I check mine out occasionally but Jim (shhh, don't tell him I told you) gets a daily Cancer Alert. When they are right on the money, so to speak, he forwards the email to me so I can see what we are up against for the day -- or perhaps what pleasant surprises are in store.

For some odd reason, they have been right on this week -- from work turmoil and changes to going away parties at bowling alleys (seriously).

Today is one we both liked: Get started on something new today, even if you haven't got the faintest clue what's coming up. Your energy is all about beginnings right now, and you can make almost anything happen if you want.

As usual, they do tend to state the obvious. But it's good to know the sun is shining down on our new endeavours. Whatever they may be.

I've got a few ideas but I'll wait until my horoscope suggests I share them.

Love-Hate Relationships

I guess life would be boring if we always had normal, uneventful days. So hooray for not being bored ... I guess. And hooray for finding some good mixed in with the not-so-good parts of a day...

I love that for the second day in a row I have scored some cake with very yummy frosting. I hate that today it was because we are saying goodbye to friends who will no longer be with us in the workplace.

I love that my job is mostly online but we didn't have Internet access for 4 hours today. OK, that was a sarcastic "love." I really hated it -- but did find I could help out with some editing and proofing on paper. So that was good.

Hubby and I drove separately today so he could stay late and attend a goodbye party at the bowling alley in Scandinavia. I love that he was able to do that (seriously, no sarcasm) but hate that I had to drive in fresh, slippery snow. I really hate that!

I love that I was able to get Carter to his last (maybe) regular basketball game of the year on time, but hated that we were so behind schedule that it ended up being almost 8:30 when we got home (and still had to eat supper).

I love that with hubby gone, I still had a date tonight at the game (2 of them -- my father-in-law and brother-in-law)... but hated (well, disliked) that they couldn't have seen a better game.

We were ahead by 5 at halftime and lost by 12 or 14. Carter had 2 fouls so at least he was somewhat aggressive. And I don't think he minded the loss. Regardless, he still had 3 girl friends (2 words) there watching him!

I hate that the roads were crappy and slippery on the way home and I slid around a corner... but love, love, love that I am home safely. AND hubby gets to drive tomorrow!

Hope you found more things to love than hate today!

Forward Thinking

After working amidst chaos and turmoil this week, it was good to hit the end of hump day with some positivity.

There was some unfortunate "right sizing" again. And even if it didn't impact me or my "team" directly, it still makes for a solemn (and uncertain) environment. Tonight, though, a few key conversations and invitations have me looking forward. And with some excitement, I might add. (The last conversation was in the produce section at Wal-Mart. You never know where you're going to find inspiration!)

Without going into the enticing top-secret details (that'll hook you), let's just say I'm looking forward to some girl time, scrap time, write time and run time. This is going to be an interesting week, month and year. Joyful, Glee-ful, maybe even painful at times, but always interesting. Looking forward to it!

Thank you again, God, for soul mates and soul sisters.

Would You Rather...

In the interesting game that never gets old... would you rather be Carter, laying in bed reading a book on Russian czars, or me, editing and proofing militaria articles for work?

Tough call, isn't it?

I just had to get stuff done at home because my work day was lost to meetings. Carter, on the other hand, is being a bit more proactive and actually doing research ahead of writing an essay. And by "ahead" I mean not waiting until the night before it's due!

With the regular basketball season almost over and the girls' teams now needing the gymnasium for their practices, the seventh-grade boys have had a practice-free week so far. The downside is that they are losing their momentum from the weekend. Just a little bit. The upside is that Carter has had plenty of time the last 2 nights to get his homework done plus practice the baritone.

Tonight, for added entertainment, he also did some shoveling, cleaned the litter box and even learned to use the electric can opener under Daddy's tutelage. That was amusing. When Carter wasn't pressing down hard enough to puncture the lid, Daddy says, "You gotta put a little a-- into it!" Apparently that did the trick because he got the recycling cans all taken care of.

Like good little parents, we are always proud of Carter for learning something new -- especially when this means we don't have to do it in the future!

No wonder the highlight of Carter's night revolves around Russian czars.

Have you decided yet if you'd rather be him or me? I can tell you this much... Based on our subject matters, I can guarantee you we are both going to sleep well tonight!

Avoidable Tragedy

We were in such a "safety bubble" at the basketball tournament Saturday that it wasn't until late that night that we knew anything about the shooting rampage in Arizona. Since then, the details have continually been revealed, each new one more tragic than the last.

As a mom, I just want to cry when I think about the poor 9-year-old victim shot and killed. Born on Sept. 11, 2001, the most tragic day in recent U.S. history, I'm sure her parents saw her as a sign of hope. A new beginning. A chance that something positive could prevail.

But it didn't. And my prayers go out to her family and friends.

Today, after the nation observed a moment of silence for the victims of the rampage, Representative Giffords' brother-in-law shared some words on the radio that really hit home.

"As I look out the window, I see a very beautiful planet that seems very inviting and peaceful. Unfortunately, it is not. ... These days, we are constantly reminded of the unspeakable acts of violence and damage we can inflict upon one another, not just with our actions, but also with our irresponsible words... We're better than this. We must do better."

Amen to that. We are better than this and yes, we must do better. But why don't we?

As with everything else, I guess it starts at home, doesn't it? Learn to respect others, help others, tolerate others and love others. Then, as parents, teach your children to respect others, help others, tolerate other and love others.

I am nowhere near perfect, but I can tell you that when I was a kid (well, even now) I wouldn't have dreamed of talking back to a teacher or any authority figure. I didn't poke fun at the elderly or handicapped. In fact, my sisters and I would often sing for them and play games with them. I wouldn't have physically harmed anyone on purpose (well, except my twin, but that is what sisters are for, right?). And I wouldn't hate someone for believing differently than me. (Lord knows I certainly have learned to tolerate Packer fans over the years.)

That is what I learned from my parents and that is what I am trying to teach.

Unfortunately, we now see bullying starting at or before grade school even. We see kids disrespecting their teachers and thinking nothing of disrupting an entire classroom. We hear of teenagers so angry or depressed they lash out at others with harmful words -- and sometimes with bullets. They feel like they've run out of options and they're only what, 15 or 16?

I don't like where this is going. Or where it's already gone.

We're better than this.

We must do better.

Un-Decking the Halls

I realized today there are several reasons I dislike the "un-decking the halls" process.

One is the obvious -- Christmas is over! I always say I am going to spend a lot of my holiday season just relaxing and enjoying the tree and the decorations.

But I don't.

Suddenly the season is over and I wonder where the time went! This happens every year. The only reason I really kept an eye on the tree this year is because gradually almost all of the lights on our pre-lit tree burned out! So then I'd have to throw on a quick string of 100 lights to fill in the gap. Today when I un-trimmed the tree (yes, I can make up words), I noticed we are down to one little strip around the bottom that works still! Dang. For now I packed it away for next year because it's too late to get one on clearance. The stores have moved onto Valentine's Day.

The second reason that un-decking the halls is not fun is because it becomes a one-person job. My enthusiastic helper who loved decking the halls with me is nowhere to be found. Now why is that?

Probably because he is smart enough to know it is a pain to put all of these ornaments back in their correct containers, plus put those lights away in the correct fashion so we don't drag out tangled messes next year. Doesn't that sound fun to you?

When the last ornament and bent-up hook is put away, I can see why else I hate to see it all come to an end. My house looks naked! Sure, it's nice to have some of the "Christmas clutter" gone but it looks kind of bare with no signs of the season around.

Oh wait, I see I've got enough eggnog in the fridge for one more glass! Fa-la-la-la-la!

Bara-Boo :(

We are back in the swing of basketball tournament action! Now that the regular season is wrapping up with just two games left, we move onto many weekends in January and February on the road to gymnasiums in small towns in central Wisconsin.

Today, we trekked down to Baraboo. I have never been there but always thought is was fun to say! We had no time to check out the town either. We caravan-ed from Rapids beginning at 8 a.m. and got home tonight around 8:30. Gone 13 hours and in that time, watched 4 exciting basketball games.

We lost our first 2 games (a close one to Auburndale and a not-even-close one to Baraboo) then won our last 2 games (over La Crosse and Wisconsin Dells) for a fifth-place ribbon. Boo.

I will say the boys, who were incredibly tired out by day's end, did not take it too bad at all. I think it helped to go out on a win! That helps carry some momentum into the next tournament in 2 weeks.

Since we squeeze in so many games in a day, Carter gets plenty of playing time to spell the starters. He did just fine today. Had some good rebounds and steals on defense and didn't make any mistakes on offense. That's always a plus.

After the tourney was done, there were 6 of us families who stopped to eat dinner at Famous Dave's BBQ in the Dells. Oh wow. That place always serves up good food -- and a lot of it! Love the cornbread muffins, too. I was so full I couldn't even look at the dessert menu!

It sort of made us forget about the bad parts of the day. And heck, if Carter is OK with his fifth-place ribbon to go along with his earlier third-place one, then we can be, too. It just means he has plenty of room in his collection for first and seconds!

Song Books

I was moving some stuff around in the basement tonight when I came across my high school "junk." I have a few small boxes I peek in occasionally when I'm feeling nostalgic. But this time I looked in a bag that had some notebooks in it.

I thought perhaps it was from some class (don't ask why I'd save something like that, but it's not unheard of). Instead the notebook I pulled out said "SONGS -- written down by Robyn Hedberg" -- as if I wanted to be clear that I didn't write the songs, just wrote them down!

So I page through it and just had to chuckle. These were lyrics to songs I must have had to listen to a dozen times on the radio to piece them all together, then write them down very neatly in this SONG book.

I had everything from Air Supply's "All Out of Love" and Survivor's "Search is Over" to Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust." Most times I wrote down the artist. And sometimes the year. Sometimes I don't think I knew who sang the song but I liked it and heard it enough on Casey Kasem's Top 40 Countdown to figure out the lyrics. For example, for the song "Suddenly" -- sung by Olivia Newton-John and Cliff Richard -- I just identified their parts as "woman" and "man." (I wonder if it's too late to fill that in now?)

Today, all a person would have to do is go online and type in any part of the lyrics -- not even the chorus -- and they would be matched up to dozens of websites that can tell you in an instant who sang it along with every word to the song and, of course, an opportunity to buy it and download it immediately! What fun is that?

I feel sorry for this generation and the ones to come. They never really have to work for their information -- whether it's song lyrics or historical facts once found only in big, dusty, musty encyclopedias -- so they never will feel that same sense of satisfaction when they finally find it!

You can bet that once I was pretty sure I had the whole song pieced together that I was ecstatic the next time I heard it on the radio, followed along and realized yes, I had another complete item to write down in that blue spiral notebook. What a sense of accomplishment!

Yep those poor kids today are missing out. And don't get me started on taping songs from the Countdown onto cassette tapes. I'm not talking about the tape deck in your stereo. I mean the good ol' fashioned "hold the microphone up to the speaker and press Record" system. You ain't got nothin' on me, iTunes!

Ahhh, time to go brush up on some REO Speedwagon... Perhaps I'll send out a long-distance dedication to you!

Epiphany

I was hoping today for some sort of epiphany. And it didn't take long to find one. Just had to look at the calendar and see it! Now for sure the celebration of Christ's birth can just continue in our hearts -- and the artificial tree can come down.

But not until the weekend. I'm still hoping for some sort of an epiphany. Some striking observation that suddenly makes itself clear to me...

Will any of these count?

It dawned on me I may be spending too much time on my Netbook when my hubby chats with me from the next room... just to say "Go tuck your son in!"

It has become obvious to me that we are brainwashed in the Midwest when it comes to temperatures. If it's not below zero and the sun is out, it's a "nice" day!

I have come to dislike and be quite annoyed by that phrase, "It is what it is." I think because part of me wants to say, "Yes, but we can change IT!" Of course, the other part of me admits, "I hate that I have no power to change IT!" Grr.

It is indisputable that nothing is greater than love. To love someone so much you cry when you think of your life without them in it... that's powerful. (When an almost teenager has this epiphany about his parents, that's even more powerful!)

It's obvious that soul mates are one thing and soul "sisters" who understand the importance of GLEE, Cricuts, a good book and great hair are something else.

It has dawned on me that I can't live without either one.

I realized I will not be able to adore this new Schwan's man as much as the old one -- especially after he showed up empty-handed... without my Peppermint Stick ice cream (which will not be available for 10 months -- but who's counting?)!

I realized my New Year's "healthy eating" goal will go much better than last year... without Peppermint Stick ice cream.

I also see that without goals (not resolutions necessarily), we aren't going anywhere, not changing anything. This doesn't mean I can't be happy with who I am. It means I should be ecstatic about who I am! And see what I can do with these great gifts God has given me!

Now there's an epiphany.

Bouncing Back

When your day starts off well below zero, you're pretty much guaranteed it can only go up from there, right? At least the temperature will. Hopefully everything else along with it.

Carter managed to bounce back into good health after his brief "episode" (or did they just call them "spells" in the old days?) He said he and his stomach were fine all day, which is good since he had confirmation tonight plus a stop in at hoops practice. Glad he's back to his normal, pre-teen "I don't want to shower" self!

My work productivity bounced back a little today, too. Not a lot, just a little. But enough to bring a little sense that I'm making headway. With the new year comes some changes. As usual every year around budget time, we're not sure how things are going to pan out for hubby and me. So I did a little work tonight on "preparing" myself for the worst-case scenario. Whenever that may occur. Just in case. (It's always scary in this economy having 2 out of 2 incomes coming from the same place!)

My back is also bouncing back into the land of less pain. It still has been killing me but today I had a half-hour chair massage on lunch break and I think that helped. I've gone 6 hours without need for ibuprofen or ice, so I'm pleased with that little investment!

I still will probably hit the hay early tonight. I've got a Christmas book I need to finish so I can officially get on with the New Year -- which is supposed to include much more writing than reading, write? I mean right?

Write.

Technical Difficulties: Please Stand By

My day at work can be summed up in two words: technical difficulties. (If I had said one word, it would be: Hell.)

Just one of those days where the web sites I needed to work on and the ones our customers see were all either broken or sluggish or mysteriously presenting error messages. Needless to say, I didn't even get past the first item on my long list of things that MUST get done Tuesday and Wednesday!

I told the guys at work they are lucky I am coming off a long break and starting with a zero stress level. Otherwise, I might have screamed today -- or at a minimum, knocked the computer around to show him who's boss! Ugh.

So we were looking forward to some hoops action tonight to take our minds off of that and other troubles brewing at work. Carter doesn't play until Thursday so tonight we got to watch our nephew Colin play. They didn't win, but it was nice to sit with the Austin clan and cheer him on.

Between the JV and Varsity games, Carter played in the pep band. Well, he tried anyway. All of a sudden I look up and he's not on the stage. I look at hubby and say, "Uh-oh." I ended up meeting Carter in the hallway by the stage. He looked a bit pale and said he didn't feel well at all and that his stomach hurt. At least he didn't faint!

We sat down on the bleachers a bit but then he really wanted to go home so we left. (Jim will get a ride home with his sister after the varsity game is done.) I had Carter shower and go to bed.

I don't know what the deal is. I fear this is becoming a head game where Carter is just afraid he'll pass out and embarrass himself so he gets himself worked up and almost does! He has played in pep band a few times already and loves it so it's not like he has stage fright. I don't know. I just think he's psyching himself out. But I'm not sure how to solve that. (I don't exactly have credentials in the mental health area. Ha.)

I suppose I better go check on him, 'cause that's what moms do! When our children are experiencing "technical difficulties," we still have to stand by them... even when we can't fix things!

Just Say No

There is a magnet on my fridge that says: "Stop me before I volunteer again." I need to read it and remember that in 2011 if I want to keep my sanity.

I am a tad stressed and exhausted after an early and long day back at work, then helping with homework tonight. Standing by themselves, neither were that stressful or laborious. But together, with a few other "chores" thrown in there for good measure, I am spent and not blog worthy.

Welcome back to reality, I guess!

If I can just say "no" occasionally, I will soon realize the world will not come to an end. People can learn to stand on their own. That way, their successes are their own -- not mine -- and their failures are their own, too.

Then I can move on with my list of things to do! First thing, bed...

Many Happy Returns

They say all good things must come to an end. And so it is with our Christmas vacations. Hubby and I return to work Monday after more days off than I dare say and Carter returns to school after 10 or so days off.

It was wonderful! It was just nice relaxing but still getting a few projects done. And it was great to see family and friends, too.

The good news is that we are ready to go back. Call it the ADD in me, but I need some structure and busy-ness back before I turn into a slug. Not that I would mind being a scrapbooking slug, but a person doesn't get paid for that. Plus, I realize that "work" didn't come to a halt while I was gone, so I have plenty to do to catch up. It's best to get back at it!

Carter enjoyed his last day off having his friend over. Carter had to acolyte at 10:30 church so Harry and I sat up front with him. They behaved very well and did not sit and talk about football or giggle about girls!

Came home and had lunch and those 2 headed for the basement, where they simultaneously played Monopoly and watched the Drumline movie. Had to squeeze in as much last-minute fun as they could, I guess! I took Harry home in the mid-afternoon, about the time the Vikings were wrapping up another loss. I shouldn't admit that I wasted 3 hours on my last day off watching that debacle!

The rest of the day was spent wrapping up loose ends, so to speak, and getting prepared for the week ahead. Carter is playing his baritone while I type this so he can claim that he practiced over break. I just got off the treadmill so I can claim I've done something since New Year's. We're a pair, alright!

Now it's getting to bed early and setting an alarm for the first time in ages. Oooh, a cold, dark, early morning awaits... Yay.

I guess.

Seeing Red

A typical New Year's Day goes something like this.

1) Sleep in -- especially if you were up past midnight (which I was not).

2) Change out of sleepwear only if you are leaving the house. Otherwise change into your comfy couch-lounging clothes -- preferably red ones if you live in Wisconsin.

3) Proceed to move off your couch or chair as little as possible while you watch as many bowl games (even some simultaneously) as you can -- preferably the Rose Bowl if you live in Wisconsin.

4) Eat as much junk food as you can stomach.

5) Be grateful tomorrow is Sunday so you have a day to recover.

That's it in a nutshell and it doesn't really change that much from year to year unless the Badgers are playing in the Rose Bowl. Then, like today, you cannot skimp on the red wear or the junk food (read: cheese) either! And this year we all need that day to recover from either drowning our sorrows or licking our wounds, or both.

As it went today, I did have to change out of my jammies into comfy clothes at least so Carter and I could got to Stevens Point and pick up his friend. Harry is one of Carter's Iola Kidz Camp friends who he still keeps in touch with during the "off season" and who he coincidentally went out East with on Spring Break.

Initially Carter was going to have Harry over for New Year's Eve. But then our growing boy graciously accepted a babysitting job -- his first ever -- watching a 4th-grader and 2nd-grader. (That went well, by the way.) So we decided he could have his friend over today instead to watch the Badgers in the Rose Bowl and then sleep over.

I made enough required munchies for an Army (or 2 teenage boys) so we were in the right mindset. Too bad the Badgers couldn't completely get in theirs.

That was a tough loss to take. Then to top that off, I lost 2 out of 3 card games to hubby! I think I better get to bed before I have to paint a big loser "L" on my forehead!

I'm pretty sure this new year can only get better, don't you?