Happiness is...

 

a day at the pool!

You know you need time to yourself when...

• The song stuck in your head is only heard on PBS Kids.
• At 9:00am, you're ready for a glass of wine.
• Your dentist appointment and teeth cleaning feels like spa time.
• Curse words slip off your tongue a little too easily.
• You actually consider eating chicken nuggets with ketchup.
• It has been at least 3 months since you've been able to use the bathroom without interruption.
• The man in the yellow hat is the only adult you've talked to all day.
• You're mesmerized by Baby Einstein.
• Going to Mommy and Me classes are the highlight of the week.
• The only traveling you get to do is on the Dinosaur Train.
• You are beginning to think that Hard Hat Harry is sexy.

 Let's keep the list going...  YOUR TURN!

 

 

Half Marathon Training - Week 5

My Half Marathon training continues...

This week, I logged 11.69 miles.

6/22/10 Treadmill Run

3.02 miles 13:34 pace

6/23/10 Rocky River Reservation Walk

3 miles 16:00 pace

6/26/10 - Neighborhood Run

2.3 miles 13:15 pace

6/27/10 - Lake To Lake/Bagley/Front Run

3.37miles 13:27 pace 

And, I accomplished the goals I set for last week. 

• For my first goal of running 3 miles without walking, I did better than I expected!  I accomplished it two times!!!!!  YEAH me!  The first time was on the treadmill at the gym, and then yesterday evening, in between thunderstorms, I ran 3.37 miles!  I was THRILLED!  For a moment during that run, I felt "IT" - that "Yep, I know I can do this!" confidence and 13.1 miles seemed possible!  THAT was an amazing feeling!
• My second goal, of getting a stretching routine, I accomplished...but just barely.  Last night, I did a google search and found a series of stretches for runners that I liked.  Now I just have to use it.

And, since the goals worked so well for me - I am going to set goals for this week.

Goal 1:  Run 4 miles ~ No stopping to walk.
Goal 2:  Run at least 4 times during the week.

And to close...last Tuesday I mentioned that I joined Weight Watchers (again) and after one week of counting points and being more conscious of what I put in my mouth, I lost 4.4 pounds.  And if you'll indulge me for a vain yet quick celebration ....WOOOHOOIE to ME!!!!!!! 

Thanks ;)

Kids Make the Darndest Things...

Today I am participating in Kids Make the Darndest Things hosted by Jen at Buried with Children.

My eldest son's (age 4, at the time) favorite lesson this last year at school, was all about space and the solar system.  I was going through his artwork and found a book that he made while they were studying it...

The Earth

The Sun

Purple Comet

Blue Planet

This lesson happened way back in September '09 and he is still obsessed with the solar system, space, and...
Jimmy Dean commercials!

 

VIDEO for LittleHandsArtwork.com

Yippee!!!!!!
I am so excited to share the first video for LittleHandsArtwork.com
I made it today, and I'm pretty happy about how it turned out!
So, with no further ado...

Here is the Premier of
The Story of Little Hands Artwork!

Half Marathon Training - Week 4...Little Goals

This week I felt good about the time I have put in.  I have been logging all of my workouts on dailymile.com (which I LOVE...it gives me my stats, and pace + so much more!)  And this past week here is what I have logged.

06/14: Ran/Walk 1.5 mi

06/15: Ran/Walk 2.6 mi
06/16: Walked 3 mi

06/18: Ran/Walk 2.26 mi pace 13:16
06/18: Walked 2.26 mi
06/20: Rode 8.7 mi
06/20: Ran/Walk 2.6 mi pace 13:46

Overall it was a good week.  Except for a blister - which was simply annoying - I felt pretty good.  I am thinking that setting little goals for a week might be helpful.

So, This week here are my "little goals"...

1. Run 3 miles without walking.  Each run, I envision running for a longer distance than I actually do.  I find that I am winded, or achy so I stop for a walking breather - but once I walk, I am more apt to walk again, and again, and again...  And then my pace is slow and I get frustrated.  So much of it is mental and I just need to push past my urge to walk.
2. Get a stretching routine.  My run last night was hard.  I felt stiff the entire run.  Some of that soreness was because I went for a long bike ride (pulling a kid and a bike trailer) earlier that day - but it has happened other times too.  So, I know that more and better stretching would help a TONS!

I think if I can accomplish those 2 things this week, it'll be helpful!

ps...if you are on dailymile.com search for "Kim Cleveland" and friend me.  It's a great accountability tool!

Humble pie.

I opened the door and immediately I was humbled.  And, feeling, self-conscious and a wee bit embarassed that I was back...  But, it was time to face it and this was the place that I could no longer have any denial - not even an itty-bitty speck.

The last time I was there, I was feeling strong, capable, and confident. 

I thought it would continue. 

I thought it would prevail. 

But it didn't - I failed.  And facing this failure is a big fat dose of humble-pie.

And, I know I should feel good about returning...I'm just not quite there yet. 

But I'm back and ready to begin again. I am ready to do the work.  And next week, when I walk through that door, my strength and confidence will begin to reappear.  Because I know, when I step up on thatscale, I will lose...

and that will feel GREAT!

Best Job Ever!

It's moments like this...

That reminds me that I have the BEST job ever!

Important Health Warning...

Yesterday, I got an important email... 

LOL...it was too funny - I just had to share it!

Have a Happy Day!

Mommy's Spent

Silence is my dream
If the noise continues I am going to scream!

Stop the crying and irritating sighing
No brawling or name calling
No spaceship blasting off, Not even a cough!

And please NO
Whining or pretend coal mining,
Dinosaurs roars or beanbag wars,
Car zooming or truck vrooming

No talking - at all
No matter how small!

Mommy needs a moment
I am, oh so spent!

It was one of "those" days.  Thank God, tomorrow is a new day!

Half Marathon Training - Week 3 & Motivation

This past week was hard.  My week was crazy with the boys having their last week of school and related activities, plus getting ready to host a family luncheon on Saturday, and unfortunately the first thing that I dropped was running, and the second thing was eating healthy.  So needless to say, I lost a bit of my mojo!

Yesterday, I found some of my mojo and went for a run in the park, while the boys were my biking "pace cars" for the 2.3 miles.  And this evening, I went for a short run - only about 1.5 miles - but nonetheless, I got out there. 

I find myself struggling with motivation to simply get out and run.  So I decided to look for a few quotes for inspiration and here are three that "spoke" to me.

Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day. It asks you, “Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?”

- Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner

Movement is a medicine for creating change

in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states.
-Carol Welch

It's not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.

– Anon

What words inspire and motivated you?

A Grandma's Great Legacy

My husband's grandma recently passed away and this weekend we attended to her memorial service.  Her death, at the age of 96, really made me think about life, family, and legacy.

In her lifetime, she raised five children, buried two husbands, a son and two grandsons, was a part of fifteen grandchildren's lives, became a great-grandma over thirty times, and a great-great grandmother over ten times.

I first met her, when I was engaged to my husband and she, in her late 80's, was full of energy and love.  She greeted me with a huge hug, and even though she called me "Beth" (her great-grandson's fiance and about my age) more times than I could count, I felt genuinely welcomed into the family.

When my sons were born, she (in her 90's) would get down onto the floor cooed, talked to and play with them.  My baby boys were mesmerized by her.  As they grew, they were always thrilled when great grandma would come to visit, because she showered them with undivided attention.  As I watched her interact with my boys, I was always in awe!  It was wondrous and heart-warming to witness my boys experiencing her true, genuine, unconditional love.

At the memorial service, I heard time and time again, from her daughters, and granddaughters that she taught them "how to be a wonderful grandmother." 

And she was truly, a spectacular example of an amazing, caring, loving grandmother!

I'm not sure if I could think of a better legacy!

Thanks for...

Today I am thankful for the Bravo NYC Housewives...

for the laughter, craziness, and my little voyeuristic fix.

Great thought...

Be kind to your shadow.

~Rebecca Lawless

Average-ness

Right now I am struggling with my average-ness.

According to Yahoo Thesaurus Average means...

"Being of no special quality or type: common, commonplace, cut-and-dried, formulaic, garden, garden-variety, indifferent, mediocre, ordinary, plain, routine, run-of-the-mill, standard, stock, undistinguished, unexceptional, unremarkable."

When I was growing up I seemed, well, average. 

• I graduated smack-dab in the middle of my graduating class - a solid C or C+ student. 
• I wasn't popular - but I had friends and was likable enough.
• I didn't excel at anything in particular...I tried out for track, but instead of running, I was asked to be the team manager.  I was on flagline, but not a captain.  I played the musical instruments, but was in concert band, not symphonic.
• I wasn't in honors classes - but I did not have to take remedial courses... (I could go on...)

And I embraced my average-ness.  I became good finding my place somewhere in the middle - in between the wondrous shining stars and the in-different f-ups of the world.  I feel comfortable being behind the scenes, and am skilled at blending into the background.  When faced with a situation when I need to be in the spotlight, I manage and am successful, but feel relieved when the heat of the light is gone.  I know enough about a lot, but not too much to be an "expert" about anything. 

Because I defined myself as average.

I'm not so sure if I want to embrace my average-ness anymore.  I think, perhaps, I am hiding behind it.  And, that it is holding me back from more. 

But, you know what?  ...It seems to be so ingrained in who I am, that I feel completely, utterly, clueless about how to proceed. 

So, I guess, for now, I'll just take the time to live in and experience this place - the space between the realization of a flawed definition of self and the revealing of a new me.

Half Marathon Training - Week 2 & Race Day Jitters

Training this past week, actually, went pretty well.  I logged 12 miles including a race yesterday - the CIC Run/Walk for Humanity.  It was a 3 mile race on Catawba Island - which is in Ohio on Lake Erie.   It was a windy day, but the temperature was in the low 70's, so between the weather, the boats, the views of Lake Erie, and the beautiful houses, it turned out to be a fun run.  I ended up finishing around 37:30 - which, considering I ran/walked it, I was pleased.  My husband also ran...and he kicked some major butt, finishing in just over 24 minutes.

Since yesterday, I have been thinking a lot about race day jitters. Or, perhaps a better term, for me, would be "race day loonies!"  I am absolutely no fun to be around within an hour or so before a race (just ask my husband...).  The morning of the race, I was hopeful that it would be cancelled (since we had horrific thunderstorms and tornado warnings earlier that morning), and when I realized that the race was "on", my stomach got queasy, I got crabby, and well...I had a bit of the runs.  It was not pleasant.  As my poor husband and I walked to the race starting area, I whined, moaned, and groaned about my stomach, the port-a-potty, the wind, the ten drops of rain that hit me, and everything else I could think of.   As the starting time got closer, I predicted that I would be the last runner to finish and complained about feeling fat, and out-of-shape.  I looked around and saw all these athletes, and in my head I heard the tune, "One of these things, is not like the others.  One of these thing just doesn't belong." and I thought, "What in the HELL am I doing here?"

But, since I have done a few races before and experienced these same feelings, I knew that all of "that" - those feelings and grumpiness - was simply anticipation and adrenaline and after about the first 100 feet of running, "that" would go away.  And, it did.

After the race, while my husband and I were cooling down, I said, "I need to figure out how to not be so crabby before a race."  To which my hubbie so kindly said "Yes. You. Do!"  And that made me consider that perhaps there is  better way to deal with the anticipation and adrenaline.  So this week, while training, I am going to think how I can make my "race day loonies", not so loony!

How do you deal with your race day jitters?

THE BIG REVEAL...LittleHandsArtwork.com

Yesterday I blogged about my harebrained idea...and I am SO excited for
today's BIG REVEAL of my new online business!

(drum roll please...)

Introducing...

 LittleHandsArtwork.com

Where your child's Artwork is the STAR!

Turn Your Child's Artwork Into:
• Notecards • Notepads • Greeting Cards • Postcards • Canvas Print Mosaic • Calendar(Coming Soon!)

And...here's the good news for you! 

All folks, who place an order by June 18, 2010 and mention
In Search of Me in Mommy receive

10% off!

Here is the story...

I am a stay at home mom of two preschool boys.  Each day after school, my boys are thrilled to show me their newest creations! I love to see all their artwork and we display the items proudly. If you have young ones like me, you know - while you love the artwork - it becomes overwhelming. I myself didn't know how to manage the piles of colorful, cumbersome, awkward shaped, painted, crayoned, cut, glued, and glittered goodness. Some of it was clearly harder to manage than others, but many pieces were way too adorable to just throw away! I wondered, without adding an art gallery onto our home,

how do I preserve, enjoy, and share all of their charming artwork?

So, one day I contemplated this conundrum, while sorting through their fancy creations and I came up with a brilliant idea (if I do say so myself)! I scanned and photographed some of my favorite pieces and made wonderful artwork note cards. This allowed me to better manage the mounds of "stuff" and provided perfect gifts for the boys’ grandparents, teachers, and others. The gifts were a huge hit! So, I thought that others might have the same challenge with their children’s "art-or-love" and might also be interested in turning their child's masterpieces into some wonderful gifts and keepsakes.

And, that is why I started LittleHandsArtwork.com

A Simple Wish...

My biggest wish, since becoming a mom, is relatively simple.  I have asked for it for my birthday, Christmas  and even Mothers Day for at least three years.  As each occasion passed without my wish granted, (sing with me) I kept on wishin' and hopin' and thinkin' and prayin' that one day it would be mine!

But, just over a month ago I decided to take things into my own hands!  I realized that my one wish, did not need to be a gift - no, perhaps, with a little bit of money, I could make it happen. 

The only big obstacle...the green stuff, dinero, buckeronies, cha-ching.  And last I checked, SAHMs do not rake in the cash.  A dilemma, certainly, but overcome-able...Right? 

I considered getting a job - but I really enjoy being a SAHM and the whole childcare cost doesn't really lend its self to a part-time gig.  I also considered monetizing my blog - but I don't have many followers so that seemed unrealistic.  Then there's the street corner - but it's not really my thing, and there's that whole I-could-be-arrested factor, so that was out.  And, while I am still planning to write a book, I am guessing that a publisher is not willing to shell out an advance to an unknown, unpublished, wanna-be-author.  And since I want my wish to become a reality, sooner rather than later, that won't work either.

So...one day, while doing some important SAHM mom stuff (going through two, five foot high piles of preschool artwork, worksheets, and scribbled papers), I came up with a harebrained idea.  And, the more I thought about it, the more, I thought that maybe...possibly...perhaps...if I can make this crazy-idea work, then maybe...possibly...perhaps...I can make a few bucks. 

Plus, and even more important, I am so stinkin' excited about this lunatic idea that regardless of whether or not my wish comes true, I am determined to it see through!

So, while I am crossing my fingers for my simple I-want-a-cleaning-lady (or man - I wouldn't want to be sexist) wish to become a reality...

I am jumping up-and-down in anticipation, exhilaration, and excitement about sharing what my idea has developed into!

But...I can't, just yet.

Tomorrow...

Construction dreams...

Skid steer, bulldozer, and front-end loaders

Asphalt, dirt, and nasty odors

Blueprints, building plans, and engineering

Hard hats, gloves, plus reflective gearing

Construction sites I love to see,

Pass by one, I scream with glee.

I want to build and assemble stuff

Out of Lego's, blocks, even marshmallow fluff.

Building is a huge passion.

Knowing how-things-work is my fashion.

Some day I will grow to be

A big bad builder, guaranteed!

May in Review

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

As with every month, for me, reflecting back on the past month is incredibly helpful.  During May, I gained so much, including...

• Realizing that my language and mindset about motherhood is powerful!  I am not "just a mom" - I am a skilled, qualified woman who is a Mom - and motherhood has added to my skill set!
• Being reminded to about the importance of gratitude and taking the time to appreciate my world (here, here, here, and here).
• Becoming more sure of who I am and what I want to do (here).
• A bigger appreciation for YOU and your willingness to take the time to let me into a little piece of your world (here)!

Ready or not...June!!!

What did you learn in May?