Random thoughts during my self-inflicted torture

In no particular order, here are some random thoughts from my self-inflicted torture...AKA: Spinning With The Crazy Lady.

*My face is probably as red, if not more so, than that lady's bandana.

*She obviously is not an accountant because she certainly can't count very well. Every time she says, "just one more minute," or "we've only got one more song," she continues on and on and on -- well past one more of anything.

*I wonder if they make goggles for spinning? I certainly could use something to keep the sweat out of my eyes.

*I wonder if this sweat could count for precipitation? or condensation? It's certainly not evaporation...I guess it's just simply perspiration. (I had helped Cannon review for his science test prior to going to the gym.)

*Since my hair is soaking wet, I should have just brought shampoo with me. It would save me time at home.

*We all know money doesn't grow on trees. But, what was I thinking when I ate those three 100 Grand bars last night? Do I think 'If I eat it, it will come?" (I really could use S100,000) Greg would call that 'low-calorie' logic. Unfortunately for me, those candy bars probably weren't low-calorie....and eating three of them (mini or not) was certainly not logical.

*How can she say, "It's time to get in the game," when I am already exhausted? Perhaps I should inform her that I seemed to have lost the game about 15 minutes ago. Get in the game?

*Looking up, I see her raising both arms to the sky and pumping her fists in the air -- all while I am thinking, "Does someone need to spray their bike? Seriously, make that squealing stop. Oh wait, Is that ME wheezing? Or is the guy next to me?"

*As she yells out, yet again, "Get in the game...you've only got one more left," I think, "Maybe she's on drugs."

Flashforward to this morning:
In honor of the day, we dressed as Gluttons for Punishment and went back today for the Halloween Special. It was a 90 minute spinning adventure full of jumps, endurance, speedwork, intervals, hills and not one, not two, not three, but four fun-filled sprints.

It was a pre-emptive move. Knowing that four out of our five kids would be coming home tonight with sacks full of candy, it only made sense that we try to do something to combat the potential weight gain. So, we went back. For more sweat. More wheezing. More quad burning and more random thoughts.

At one point, I must have been hallucinating. As the instructor talked about "feel that mud underneath your tires. It's thick, it's mucky and you've got to get through it," I started thinking about our Mormon ancestors. The Pioneers who crossed the plains in 3 feet of snow with no shoes on. Seriously. Don't get me wrong...I certainly wasn't comparing my spinning adventure to what they went through. No way. Just crazy random thoughts. I'm pretty sure that thought was followed by, "good thing Greg knows CPR."

And, "I wonder if there is a way to recycle sweat?"

At some point during Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer," that is exactly what I was doing: Living on a prayer. As Jon and the boys belted out, "OHHH, We're half-way there, OHHH, LIVIN' ON A PRAYER," I was thinking, "Yeah, and my prayer is that I won't fall off the bike and that I won't choke on my water or spit it out while gasping for breath."

The fun (?) continued. For a good hour and a half.
And then....it was done.
Just like that.
We were sweaty (drenched is more like it), and smelly and a little shaky, but overall...good.

So, we did what anyone would do after a highly energizing and heart-pounding workout.

We went home and took a nap.

Talk about a thriller

Greg was in his element -- as you can see. Unfortunately, he had Jennie's kids so terrified they may never want to come to our house again. I didn't post a picture, but he had a giant speaker in the front yard - blasting Halloween music. If I never hear "Thriller" again, it will be too soon. We heard it all the way down our street and well into the next neighborhood.


Although she'll never admit to it, the title I gave Addysen's costume is quite fitting. She is a DRAMA QUEEN.

Let me show you a thing or two...

Two parties down, school parties to go...and then Halloween. Good thing we all went to the dentist last week.

What to do?

Apparently, we have a HUGE spider lurking in the basement.
At least, that is the info. I gathered from the three screaming children who were so terrified of the CREATURE that they nearly tripped all over themselves and each other in their effort to get out of the danger zone.

I have seen hand gestures indicating the size is somewhere between that of a tennis ball and softball.

Grrrrreat!

Being the good mom that I am, I didn't run downstairs to check it out.
Nope, not even with the Raid and 15 foot vacuum hose.
If the reports are to be believed...that bad-boy inhabiting our basement is WAY out of my league.

Nope. I didn't go down.
Instead, I texted Greg at work and said, "Time to exterminate inside and out. The kids are terrified and refuse to go downstairs. Of course that means I'm not going down either. :D"

Smart man that he is....he responded back with, "OK."

Yet, herein lies my dilema...I NEED to go down to the basement. Our food storage and separate pantry are down there. Our extra refrigerator and freezer are down there. We made cookies earlier and I ran out of brown sugar. No luck thinking the kids would have forgotten about "IT." Even Kenzie refused. (We made due with just a little less brown sugar than the recipe called for.)

I am making pizza for dinner and need some cheese. If I want that smart man to come home and take care of the spider -- wouldn't it be nice to greet him with steaming hot pizza right from the oven?

Probably.

And yet, in order to accomplish that goal...I need the extra cheese that is downstairs.

See what I mean? A true dilema.

Michael Fatali - Eat your heart out.

Our little piece of Heaven on Earth.

Helllloooo Laundry.

The best cheerleader of all...can't you just see excitement oozing from those baby blues?

Everyone had VERY strict instructions that under no circumstances were they to walk across my freshly mopped floor with their shoes or socks on.

This was taken prior to them all stripping down to their underwear in the garage. What can I say? I didn't spend 4 hours cleaning yesterday only to have it all undone in one mud-filled morning!

Showing off the oh-so-lovely dust collectors...I mean, trophy's.

Today was the last day of Fall soccer. In the Spring, the league tiptoes around the soccer fields. They cancel games for a drop of rain...or so it seems sometimes. (Which, is actually fine by me because I don't love sitting out in the rain trying to watch while holding an umbrella and a baby.)

Come Fall, however...it's rain, snow, sleet, sun...or any combination. (And, during any given day in Ohio - all of the elements are possible.) Unless there is lightening -- the kids play. We've had more than our share of cold and rain during the past 8 weeks...and more than our share of hot chocolate while we sit and watch.

Today was no different. Attending the games is truly a family affair - -one that I am always more than happy to share with Greg when he is not working. Cambrie did NOT love wearing her snowsuit and hat. Kenzie DID love running through the puddles of rain and mud. Brynnley just always seems to enjoy it all - -unless it is pouring and she's freezing. (That was the case 2 weeks ago when she swore off soccer forever.) Addysen and Cannon love most aspects of soccer -- except when it is TOO sunny and they get too hot.

As for me...I like the sunshine and blue skies kind of days.

I certainly could pass on the laundry that results when playing after days of rain.

Which reminds me, it's time to start another load of wash.

Round two for Cannon's pants...coming right up.

Sis. Lowry

It was with sadness in our hearts that we attended Sis. Jean Lowry's funeral tonight. She died suddenly of a heart attack last Saturday at the age of 64. She had served in the Primary for many years and was currently serving as both Addysen's and Cannon's teacher. Needless to say, her passing came as quite a shock.

Just last month, the kids came home from a primary activity with a bunch of clothes, games and other items that Sis. Lowry had given them. My last conversation with her before she died was in the bathroom (since I spend a good majority of my time in the bathroom at church, this seems to be where some of most heartfelt conversations take place!) She thanked me for the thank you card the kids had written and decorated. She said it really meant a lot to her and she appreciated their efforts sending it. How glad I was that we didn't procrastinate that card...unlike so many others.

Recently, I passed around a volunteer sign-up sheet asking for help with our December Enrichment (or whatever we're supposed to call it now.) Not to take anything away from the many, many, women who signed up and offered their help and services...it was interesting to note that Sis. Lowry was the only person who volunteered specifically to help clean-up. I appreciate everyone's willingness to help and her example has been a good topic of conversation with my kids this week.

Tonight on the way home, a teary-eyed Addysen said, "I didn't think I would cry so much. And, I would like to grow up to be like Sis. Lowry. People said some really nice things about her."

We didn't know her well, but she touched our lives for good...and for that, we'll always be grateful.

We've got ourselves a president

Addysen and Cannon were thrilled to report that Addysen won the election. She will now serve as the Student Body President for the 2009-2010 school year. It was an exciting day around here -- topped off with not one, but two trips for ice cream to celebrate. (Greg got home earlier than we anticipated - and didn't want to miss the celebration. So, even though I had already treated the kids to ice cream, Greg grabbed his mom and treated again. We firmly believe in loading our kids with sugar just prior to bedtime!)

If you've got some good ideas for activities, services projects, spirit days, etc....feel free to send them our way.