Confession: I detest running

I really detest running. Do I need to? Yes, it would be good for my heart and weight loss. However, I find absolutely no pleasure in running. I never did, even when I was 102 pounds for many years. It has never “felt good”. Oh, I’ve heard the stories about getting beyond a certain point and then the chemicals/endorphins kick in, yada, yada, yada. Not me. I feel nothing good. I’ve tried good shoes, a positive attitude, ipods and music, hiring a physical trainer to keep me going, and guess what? I still detest running. I WISH it felt good and was something I craved. But I don’t. I will not ever enjoy running.

photo credit: andreweland

Confession: I have a bit of a mess

I fell behind in clipping my coupons. Determined to get caught up, I set aside last night to tackle clipping, sorting, and filing coupons. I assigned my two older kids tasks, which they did (grumbling).

 My youngest played toys, road her tricycle through the mess, and occassionally ran expired coupons to the garbage can (until that lost its appeal).

After a couple hours, we had made much progress. However, we decided to finish in the morning, leaving the mess where it is.

Hmmmm….this morning I couldn’t resist snapping a few pictures of the incredible mess that awaits me today.

What’s your messiest chore?

Confession: I love my caller ID

Isn’t caller ID great? I can hardly remember a time without it, when I’d answer the phone and actually talk to a telemarketer. It seems so arciac now. I pity the business or non-profit who doesn’t have a public name/number listed, as they will not get a hold of me. Ever. How about you?

Confession: I shut the window on a bird

Ok, before you get your feathers all ruffled, no birds were harmed in this confession.

I got up early this morning to work, made myself a cup of coffee, sat down at the computer, and admired the last of the cool breeze floating in before the humidity arrived. Before long, I noticed the birds starting to chirp, and I appreciated someone else being awake so early. And then it happened; I little bird with large lungs, a big attitude, and a chip on its shoulder landed right outside the window. He wasn’t blessed with the gift of song, as much as a high pitched scream-like chirp that resembled a two year old’s tantrum. Before long, I couldn’t concentrate and began wondering how long a bird can hold its breath to chirp like that. I secretly wished it would pass out. It didn’t, so I had to shut the window. He abruptly stopped his screeching as soon as he suspected his unwitting audience was gone.

photo credit: PedalFreak

Confession: I walked across hot coals for my love

Fifteen years ago, on our honeymoon, I walked across hot coals for my new husband. Well, it was more like hot cement than it was hot coals. And, if memory serves me right, he told me to put shoes on. Tomorrow is our 15 year wedding anniversary, and the following story is one that still makes me laugh each time we tell it, so here goes.

We went to Jamaica on our honeymoon in June, and the weather was HOT. One day we decided to check out a pool with a swim-up bar and water slide. I can’t remember why I didn’t have shoes on, but I must have decided to leave them in the room?

Anyway, we took off on a walk across the grassy lawn. I had a big floppy hat on, cute little sundress over my swimsuit, and my camera in my hand. Our plan was to get to the pool, find a couple chairs, and enjoy a quiet cocktail in the mid-day heat. I should also point out that we stayed in a quiet, couples-only retreat where noise and chaos ceased to exist.

As I approached the hot cement surrounding the pool, I expected it to be warm, even hot. The first couple steps were fine, until the true temperature registered with my central nervous system. By this time, it was equal distance to the pool or back to the cool grass. I decided to head toward the pool. I picked up the pace, but I knew I my feet were burning and I wasn’t going to make it. I took off running, and by the time I reached the water’s edge I was going too fast for the slippery pool. I fell into the water in a BIG kind of way. There was nothing graceful about the way I slipped and fell sideways into the pool, clothes and all.

I don’t know who was more surprised, me or the man sleeping on a floater in the pool. I woke him up, nearly flipped him, and filled his cocktail with pool water. It was like a comedy scene out of a movie. When I came up for air, I was soaking wet and my camera was dripping with water. But where was my hat? On its way down the water slide, of course! And where was my husband? Laughing. I don’t remember it being very funny then, but gosh I am glad it brings me such joy to tell that story now; 15 years later.

Happy Anniversary Steve!

Confession: I don’t like celery not even a little

I consider myself an adventurous eater. I’ll try anything. I’ve eaten what some people will never try: frog, sushi, squid, snails, liver, goat, etc. I’ve done quite a bit of traveling, and I always try the local fare.

But…

But, I really detest celery.

I don’t know what it is about celery that turns me off, but I just don’t like it. I will eat it, but if given the choice I’ll avoid it. No amount of cooking it, seasoning it, layering it with sauce, or dunking it in dip makes it better.

 

photo credit: little blue hen

Confession: I love duct tape

I love duct tape.

I’m probably the only mom on the planet who keeps milk, eggs, bread, diapers, and duct tape on her grocery list. I simply must have duct tape in the house at all times.

Today I used duct tape to fix my daughter’s doll stroller. The seat kept slipping off, causing her to scream and ask me to fix it about a dozen times a day. I finally grabbed the duct tape and fixed it for good. No, I don’t think it looks tacky. I think it looks creative and frugal. Why dump a toy in the landfill, when my daughter plays with it constantly and it can be fixed for pennies?

Last week I duct taped my mailbox. Yes, you heard me correctly. After the last snow storm, the snow plow hit our mailbox and broke the 4×4 inch thick post in half. Since the bottom half was cemented in three feet of solid snow and ice, there was no removing it for repair. I didn’t feel like standing on the road in the ice with power tools. With the box sitting in the snow bank, the mail lady wasn’t able to deliver our mail. So I did the next best thing. I duct taped the two halves together. It is holding up great!

What have you duct taped lately?

Confession: Appearances can be deceiving

Guest Confession by Kristina Neild: June Cleaver and Carol Brady would be aghast, but contrary to what my invited guests might presume is an immaculate abode, reality is, if you were to stop by unannounced you would get a much clearer picture of what my house ‘really’ looks like. (On second thought, Carol Brady’s opinion really doesn’t count; after all, she had good ol’ Alice at her beck and call.)

Mine is a home where occasionally, like something out of an old Clint Eastwood Western, dust bunnies tumbleweed across the ceramic and hardwood floors. If you were to step onto one of several area rugs you might find yourself hip-deep in enough cat hair to make a creepy (yet warm) fur coat.

Venture into the kitchen and you’ll probably encounter last night’s pots soaking in a sink full of cold, stagnant dishwater – you know the kind where orange blotches of hardened fat float aimlessly around as if lost at sea? (Did you know that baked-on lasagna residue requires at least two days of submergence? Seriously.) Ultimately, the aforementioned pots will sit idle and dirty until some brave soul gives in and reluctantly plunges their trembling hand into the murky depths to pull the plug and begin the cleaning process anew.

My family room is guaranteed to contain at least three pairs of dirty socks whose owners have removed and subsequently abandoned them under various pieces of furniture. They are stuffed in between couch cushions, thrown behind the television, kicked under the coffee table and once, surprisingly, craftily hidden behind a collection of Disney DVDs on the bookshelf. Locating a matching pair is kind of like hunting for eggs at Easter, only smellier and not quite as rewarding.

Let’s not forget what I affectionately refer to as ‘Mount Laundry’, a mammoth hill of clothes, bedding and towels that teeters precariously on the brink of collapse. Its bulging girth encroaches into the hallway, threatening to expose itself to unsuspecting passersby. To one day be able to conquer its tower of hampers is something I can only fathom is akin to scaling Everest.

As you can imagine, I am not one of those people who gives my family and friends a standing carte blanche invitation to ‘stop by any time you want’. I guess in a way I’m kind of like a convenience store…No shirt, no shoes, no phone call, no entry!

Kristy Neild: Kristy is a Canadian domestic goddess extraordinaire with three cats, two kids, one husband and zero desire to grow up. She is a former legal secretary and daycare worker (not at the same time) who has rediscovered her love of the written word and is currently working on her first novel. You can visit Kristy’s blog at: http://khaosbecomesher.blogspot.com/  or to follow Kristy on Twitter, go to: http://twitter.com/KristywithaK

Confession: I like lots of lights on

I remember being hounded as a kid to shut the lights off. The trouble is I have come to realize that I have an adversity to the dark. It stresses me out. I like the lights on, but much more than you’d think.

The most important place to have lights on is when I’m eating. I hate eating in dim lighting. Yeah, I’ll tolerate it if I’m out to eat and can’t find their switch on the wall. However, you can bet your bottom dollar that if I know where the switch is in your house when I’m over for a meal, I’ll turn it on.

Why?

Light relaxes me; fire especially. I guess I’m a descendant of the cave man who invented fire. I love having additional “mood lighting” on, the fireplace lit, or the occasional candle on the counter.

In case you are wondering, yes, the TV counts. On the rare occasion my husband is away on business, I treat myself to sleeping with the lights and/or the TV on. I find it comforting and relaxing, and the funny thing is I’m not alone. I’ve found a few other people who also relax with light or love to sleep with TV on for the BEST night’s sleep EVER.

Water on the other hand makes me tense. Running water, trickling waterfalls, fish tanks, etc. What element is your favorite?

Confession: I let other Mom’s cook for my family

Guest Confession from Jackie Kaufenberg: As a mom who works full-time out of the home and has three kids ages four and younger, I do not have much free time. At times I would find myself getting home from work, instantly having kids asking me for snacks or throwing tantrums on the kitchen floor, all while I had no idea what I would make for dinner that night. I have always been a a bit of a foodie, but with kids, a foodie can suddenly find themselves emerged into the easy world of hamburger helper and macaroni and cheese.

About a year and a half ago, a friend had forwarded me a video that was on a local news station, about a group of mom’s who had started a local cooking club. The idea seemed brilliant: 8 moms, one evening a month, cooking 10 meals for each family, all that can be frozen and cooked as needed during the month. The idea of this really excited me because it seemed like such a time saver. I want to provide healthy meals for my family, but without losing the family time to cooking or eating dinner at 7:30 at night. Luckily, Cindy at Tidy Tightwads who started the cooking club on the news video, was also able to help me start a cooking club.

Now my freezer is stocked with delicious meals, side dishes, and breads. I have started new friendships and reconnected with old friends through cooking club. I have a little more time with my family and less time worrying about what I am going to whip up for dinner. I have made recipes that I would not have made on my own, and have even learned a thing or two about cooking. As a bonus, we have developed a great relationship with our local grocer, who gathers the groceries on our list each month, and gives us a discount off the total, saving us some money too. It is a relief to know that a delicious meal is only a thaw away. So, even though a different mom may have cooked our meal of the evening, we enjoy every bite.

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