Family Archives - Page 68 of 113

Apr 7, 2009

I Won’t Leave You Hanging

I’m sure you probably weren’t waiting all weekend to find out how I did on my exam, but in case you were curious, I passed! And if I might brag (which I can, seeing how this is my blog), I passed by quite a bit. 95th percentile. That makes me feel a lot more relaxed about taking my license exam this summer, since the questions are very similar.

In fitness news, the whole Hot by BlogHer plan is still going strong for me. I’m down 8 pounds total for March, and while it doesn’t feel like much, thanks to the 30 Day Shred I know that I am getting stronger and smaller. Apparently I have a waist again. And my hips have shed a few inches.

(However, let’s all have a moment of silence for my C cup boobs. They had a pretty good run, mostly thanks to two pregnancies and children, but sensing their unemployment might be long-standing, they were forced to turn in their surplus for the greater good. B cup bra shopping, here I come.)

I’m still using the 30 Day Shred DVD and My Fitness Coach. I’ve moved to Level 2 of the shred, and while the first day left me on the floor with my feet elevated to bring some blood flow back to my lightheaded brain, I’ve managed to make it through Level 2 without dying.

However, my knees are getting progressively worse, so I’m limiting the shred to only once or twice a week now. I decided that it might be fun to try some of The Biggest Loser workouts, and lucky for me Time Warner has them on-demand right now.

My first new workout was Level 1 of Cardio Max with Bob. First impression: loved it! Bob is very different from Jillian. He’s goofy, he runs up to the camera and talks to it, and his workout has fewer jumping motions. My knees still hurt, but now I don’t feel the need to reach for the ibuprofen bottle right after the workout. In fact, after I finished my first Cardio Max workout, I felt great and wondered if maybe it was too easy?

The next morning, however, I felt the results of that workout. Who knew it was possible to overtrain your butt? My butt and the upper back of my thighs burned with every step. And yet the only thing I could think of was Hey, cool, my ass will be smaller!

So I’m going to keep up my mix of activities. Over at the Shredheads blog, participants have split into Team Bob and Team Jillian, but I’m holding firm with a foot in each camp. I can’t commit to one style – I appreciate Jillian’s disciplined approach, and I also love Bob’s more gentle, warm&fuzzy approach. The current plan:

– work out 5x a week
– lots of water
– Weight Watchers for diet

I’ll do another round of photos mid-month to document any further changes. While my first comparision photos were dramatic, I doubt the next ones will be quite as dramatic. But I’m still hoping to rock a sundress in July. With a push-up bra, of course.

Filed Under: daily life, me me me · Tagged: Hot by Blogher

Apr 3, 2009

Haiku Friday: Test Stress

By Christina ·

I’ve been MIA
these past few days because of
major test stress

Today at noon I
will take a comprehensive
graduation test.

If I pass, I will
be able to graduate
nursing school in June.

(That is assuming
I pass my class this quarter
also – not a prob.)

Please wish me luck – I’m
a little stressed, and hope I
can pass the first time.

The test I’m taking at noon is called the HESI, and it’s a comprehensive nursing exam that is required for graduation. I also have a class this quarter, too, but I’m not all that worried about passing it, because this exam is far more threatening. Imagine needing to have two full years of medical information crammed into your head, with the possibility of any detail being brought up on an exam question. Yeah, you can see how I’m a little nervous.

Of course, one reason we have to take this exam is to prepare for taking the NCLEX exam after graduation. (The NCLEX is also known as “boards” or the licensure exam so we can officially be RNs.) The two tests are very similar, and passing this with a high score generally implies you’ll do well on the NCLEX, too. I have three tries to pass it, but I’d rather pass it on the first try and then focus on other concerns for the next 10 weeks.

Hopefully I’ll pass this exam, and be less neurotic and more capable of writing interesting sentences next week. If you don’t hear from me by Monday, well…send chocolate and good alcohol.

To play along for Haiku Friday, follow these steps:

1. Write your own haiku on your blog. You can do one or many, all following a theme or just random. What’s a haiku, you ask? Click here.

2. Sign the Mister Linky below with your name and the link to your haiku post (the specific post URL, not your main blog URL). DON’T sign unless you have a haiku this week. If you need help with this, please let me know.

3. Pick up a Haiku Friday button to display on the post or in your sidebar by clicking the button at the top.

REMEMBER: Do not post your link unless you have a haiku this week! I will delete any links without haiku!

Filed Under: Haiku Fridays, me me me, school ·

Apr 1, 2009

Crossing Interests

By Christina ·

If you’ve been following along on Hot by Blogher, you know that I’m starting to see some real progress in my fitness goals. Muscles are getting stronger, weight is coming off, and I’m feeling pretty good.

Years ago, when I was in better shape, I walked in a 2 mile charity event. Even with being in good shape, my legs ached from the fast paced walking. I was expecting to do the same with the Autism Walk back in October, but it was more like a leisurely 1 mile stroll – not very challenging.

So when I saw Heather’s March for Babies widget the other day while I was also thinking about new ways to work out, it clicked in my head: combine two of my interests into one!

The Columbus March for Babies is April 26, a little less than a month from now. It’s a 5 mile walk and the money raised goes to support the March of Dimes in their goals of reducing the number of premature births and birth defects, and finding new ways to improve the outcomes of preemies.

Now, I don’t think I’ve ever walked 5 miles without stopping. I can barely make it through Level 2 of the 30 Day Shred, and that’s only 20 minutes. But I’m excited to do this walk, and while it’s not a race I still want to push myself to get the best time I can get. My legs are going to ache, but it’ll be a good ache. I think I’m going to love doing this. (I’m excited about exercise? What strange being has possessed me?)

If you’re interested in being a participant in the March for Babies, there are walks going on in hundreds of locations across the US. And if you want to donate, I’m taking donations on my March for Babies page. (I set a low $$ goal due to having less than a month to get going on this!)

Filed Under: big issues, me me me ·

Mar 31, 2009

Beetle-Mania

By Christina ·

You’d think we time-warped back to the 1960s in my house.

Cordy’s newest obsession is the Beatles. This happens every few months. She’ll find something new to fixate on, and it will become her go-to conversation starter, or excuse, or comfort phrase when she’s over-stimulated.

And while an obsession with John, Paul, Ringo and George wouldn’t be so bad, the truth is they aren’t the Beatles that have infested her imagination.

It’s these:

This obsession was triggered over one friggin’ commercial. She happened to see a commercial for The Wonder Pets Save the Beetles while watching Noggin, and suddenly her world revolved around four bugs with bowl cuts.

Do you think the beetles will come to my house?

Will I see the beetles soon?

Mommy, the beetles are trapped!

Are the beetles stuck in a cave?

Don’t forget lunch for the beetles, too!

After days of this, I searched to find when the damn show would be on and Tivo’d it, thinking that she would watch it and then lose interest.

Nope.

They’ve now gone beyond the show to their own world. She has names for them, she draws them, she creates wild stories about them. They appear in her dreams, they keep her safe, they apparently like PB&J sandwiches and they get trapped in caves a lot. I hear something about the beetles at least once every half hour.

But some variation of When will I see the beetles? is now her verbal filler. She uses it whenever she has nothing else to say, or doesn’t know how to respond in a conversation. And Aaron and I have reached our point of frustration most days. You can only take so many questions about the beetles until you want to throw yourself into a pit of flesh-eating beetles just to end the auditory assault. I’m not kidding – it’s worse than the preschooler Why? question.

So until this obsession ends, we tell her she’ll see the beetles in her dreams and we let her watch Wonder Pets Save the Beetles every other day. I’m hoping her love for the beetles will fade like boy-bands from the 90s and I’ll gladly delete the show from Tivo.

Although the past two days, I think I’m seeing a hint of the next obsession coming soon:

Mommy, how does the TV work?

I think I’m going to call up Time Warner and let them explain that one. For what I pay for cable, their customer support from India can satisfy my four year old’s curiosity over and over again.

Filed Under: Autism, Cordy, daily life, kid logic · Tagged: TV

Mar 25, 2009

What Are The Odds of Two Children Looking Towards The Camera At The Same Time?

By Christina ·

Answer: pretty slim. (WHY? Why will they never look in the same direction at the same time?)

Which is why I give you two carousel photos today instead of one.

These were taken before the carousel started. What you don’t see are the photos of Mira attempting to strangle me as she tried to get off the horse while it was moving. I’d like to state for the record that it was her idea to ride.