Thursday, January 28, 2010

no title today

1. I relapsed. No, I wouldn't call it a relapse, more of a slip. I think it was last week, we were out to lunch at Strawberry Square, and it was packed and I was rushing to get back to the table. Without even thinking about it, I filled my cup with Cherry Coke, and downed it. It didn't even dawn on me until later in the afternoon when I was all hyper, and completely wired. It won't happen again, I promise.

2. Shell, to answer your question on the caffeine post, I did have pretty bad headaches for about 2 days, and then rather mild, short headaches for probably 2 days after that. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be!

3. My husband came home from work today with a bottle of Dr. Pepper that was still half full. He RARELY drinks DP, and I had to fight the urge to knock him and Emma out of the way to get to it.

4. The house has been on the market for 5 days and still no offers. Grrrr.

5. We are having an open house this Sunday. Someone better make an offer.

6. I don't have the patience for sewing projects. Wait. I don't have the patience to do sewing projects the right way. And it shows.

7. I am rediscovering the joy of reading books that I get to choose for myself. I'm not taking any classes this semester, and I'm really enjoying picking out my own books. I read the newest Dan Brown book, The Lost Symbol (in three days), and now I'm starting The Hunger Games, because everyone has been raving about it. Next is A Lion Among Men, to continue my Gregory Maguire obsession that started this summer. I have also learned that it is much smarter to buy my books at Sam's Club, because they are REALLY cheap!!

8. Earlier this week, someone slammed me for reading and enjoying Dan Brown. "Well, if you're into that sort of reading for a cheap thrill..." Ummm. Why judge me for what I'm reading?? Why does it matter to you?? And to make things worse, this particular person is a HUGE Twilight fan. Now, I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with the Twilight series. I haven't read the books. But from what I've been told, by people who ARE fans and who HAVE read them all, they are poorly written, and the movies were horrible. It's just a good story line, and apparently Taylor Lautner is hott. My point is, the person who slammed me for reading Dan Brown is the same person who dressed up in a black and red velvet cape, and wore white make up and fake fangs/blood to go to the early release parties for the books, and wore the same get up to the releases of Twilight and New Moon. And yet I'm the one who should be ashamed of chasing cheap thrills?? I just don't understand people.

9. Speaking of not understanding people, I just don't fit in. People who know me in person, especially my family, will probably think this is a weird thing to say. But, it's true. I'm sort of kooky in my own way, and I know there are people in this world who just get me. And I also know that there are a lot of people who just don't. And I'm sort of tired trying to fit in. So I've just decided I'm not going to, anymore. I've come to the reality that I don't have a lot of friends. Now, my college friends were wonderful and dear, but aside from a very small number of them, we don't really keep in touch, and we are pretty far apart geographically. So, between my best friend from high school, the few college friends in the area, and friends from church, PHS and other miscellaneous places, I have about 10 people that I can truly call my friends. People who really know me. It's so exhausting trying to make new friends, and I feel sooooo socially awkard trying to, so I'm just done with it. I can't take anymore people harshing on me, and judging me for random, ridiculous things that should not matter one bit. That's just one more reason I wouldn't mind moving away from this place!!

10. To end this post on a positive note, Emma is really cute. And today, she asked me for some Chess. She meant Cheese. But give the girl some props for getting that "Ch" sound! Also, she's started blowing raspberries on my belly, and just the other day started blowing raspberries mid-kiss. It's very funny and she's very proud of herself. We were also playing with a tape measure today and she about died laughing. She's so awesome:)

Saturday, January 23, 2010

For Sale

Well, the day has come. We are officially putting our house on the market as of today. So, who's buying??

Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Caffeine Free Me

Hello, my name is Alyssa and I've been clean for 14 days.

And when I say clean, I mean that I am caffeine free. It's been a struggle. Withdrawal was ugly. I had many nights where I was laying on the floor in convulsions, foaming at the mouth. And I developed a severe twitch for a few days, which left me with a wicked case of whiplash. I was also experiencing hallucinations wherein I thought I was a giant penguin, and I kept insisting that Mike sit on Emma, our little unhatched egg.

I kid, I kid. But seriously, I did have some wicked headaches for a few days. After that, I started to feel GREAT!! Now, the thing that surprises me most is that I wasn't a caffeine junky for long before I decided to give it up for my new years resolution.

Once upon a time I was a senior in college, and was student teaching, on the track team, and taking night classes to finish the minor that Education majors don't usually finish. Ummmm so I didn't sleep. I would get up at 4:45 am to snag a shower before the other 5 girls, who were also student teaching, got up and took over the house. And then I'd drive an hour and fifteen minutes down a STRAIGHT road in the middle of nowhere to a school just west of the middle of nowhere. Then I'd teach all day, and go straight to track practice. Of course, I'd get there late, which means that I'd stay late to finish my work outs. Then I'd try to sneak in to the dining hall for dinner before it closed at seven. Then 3 nights out of the week I'd go back to the weight room to get my lifting in. The other two nights I went to class. And then I'd go home and do lesson plans and coordinate my materials. And then I'd sleep for about 3-4 hours and repeat.

SOOOOOOO the point of that whole story is that to avoid driving off the side of the road on my ENDLESS drive down a STRAIGHT road with ridiculously boring scenery, I started drinking coffee. I know...my bad, my bad. But at that point, I thought it was best for my own safety if I could actually stay awake while driving. By the time I finished student teaching, I realized I was hooked, and cut myself off completely.

And it wasn't that bad. Over the years I've enjoyed Dr. Pepper and Wild Cherry pepsi, but never drank so much soda that I felt it was affecting me, keeping me up. And then when I was pregnant, I cut out all caffeine again. And I kept it mostly cut out, except for maybe once or twice a month, while I was nursing. And then I started training for my marathon, and was barely drinking soda at all. I occassionally had about 1/2 c. of Dr. Pepper before running, because I'd read in a running magazine that consuming a small amount of caffeine before running can lead to 26% greater return on the workout. So, for a long time I really wasn't drinking that much caffeine.

And then I finished my marathons. And then I, for some reason, started DOWNING the soda. The thought in my brain was that, HEY, I can live a little because I'm not training for anything, or pregnant, or nursing. And I mean it when I say DOWNING the soda. There were some days when I would get ready for bed, and realize that I hadn't had anything to drink that day but soda. And hey, maybe I should drink some water before bed?!? I'm not even kidding a little bit, here.

So, that was me from about mid-November til December 31. Dr. Pepper McGuzzler. And by the end of those 7 or so weeks, I FELT. LIKE. CRAP. Bloaty. Headachey. Irritable (before my first cup, heh). I seriously felt like it was a drug. I would feel like crap before I had some caffeine in me, but I would feel like crap when I was drinking the stuff. Ugh.

So, it just dawned on me. I was having lunch with my friend Dani on December 31, and I downed a cup of Dr. Pepper, and then refilled my cup before we walked out the door. We stood in the parking lot talking for a couple minutes about going to the gym together, and how we both kind of felt a little off since we haven't been going to the gym as much as we usually do. And then I looked at the drink in my hand and thought, this surely isn't helping.

And that was the last caffeinated beverage I've had. I have high hopes that I'll make it stick. I've been doing pretty good in keeping out most sodas. And I am drinking A LOT more water. I am hoping to go soda free by the end of the year!!

The weird thing about this all, is that my insomnia problems have become WORSE since I've given up the caffeine! ACK! I really don't understand it.

Oh, and I'd like to report that earlier today I was ready to commit murder to get my hands on a Dr. Pepper. But I didn't. Go ahead and pat me on the back.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Obligatory Holiday Post

So. The holidays came. And then they went. And now I'm sad. But it's ok, because now I can post about all the glorious fun we had. In short style because I'm tired, my pics took forever to load, and I already forget some of the stuff that happened.

Anyway.

My peeps from IA showed up, and we hung out and played in the snow, and then Taylor came to my house for a sleep over. We saw Did You Hear About the Morgans? and Old Dogs. It was pretty awesome. Then we went and hung out at mom and dad's house for a while, and then some people (but not me, and this makes me sad) went to Matt and Deb's for White Chicken Chili. And then we went to Christmas Candy Lane and ate Kettle Corn to avoid frostbite. And we also had the traditional table for a billion at Red Robin, where I ate far too many onion rings and even Chase got to eat them because they don't use egg in their batter anymore. And then Taylor slept over again, and then Bird showed up really late at my house and we stayed up really late and then we woke up in the morning and had pancakes. And then Taylor and Bird took off and then Mike got off work early and we headed down to mom and dad's for the annual Christmas Eve riot. And then Amanda flew in from Texas, and her and mom and dad Sage came to mom and dad Kilgores' and the whole gang was there. And there was music and Luke 2, and 3D-type bespectacles, and food. Lots and lots of food. And presents!

Chrysta? THANK YOU SO MUCH for the little wooden animal figures for Emma, and for the BEAUTIFUL pottery!!! And also for the stocking, and the stroller, and the lip gloss pouch, and the other stuff you sent for me. You > Awesome.

Anyway. Then we played games and Mike was politically incorrect. And then we went home and then it was Christmas. And we went over to mom and dad Sages' and ate some more and opened more presents. And I got some sweet, sweet stuff, but two particularly stood out. That would be my new camera (AWESOME!) which is why I don't have any pics in my slide show until after Christmas. And also? My ExpressRediSetGo. It. Is. Awesome. And then the next day we met up with Mike's cousins and uncle and then we went to Matt and Deb's but they weren't there because they were at Deb's families' house. But Sara and Jerry and all their kids were there, so it was ok, we weren't breaking in or anything. And then we ate A&M pizza after Monka sent Mike and Jerry to the wrong A&M for pick up, but that's ok because we got it eventually and Sara was really hungry. And she made guacamole which apparently was a little spicy for Lydia, so I just ate hers it was really really good. And then we played Guesstures and Catchphrase and it was good times for all. And then the next day Jerry and Sara and her crew came to play at our house and we played and had fun and ate and played. And then the next day Sam came in to town so we went to mom and dads and had more food and yummies from Martins courtesy of the people Sam works with/for. And we got to watch football and the guys got to listen to me talk about how I really hate Brett Favre for reasons that don't necessarily make sense. And then two days later we had Lydia's birthday party and I made a poke cake and a monkey cake, both egg free so Chaser needn't worry. And there was food, and presents, and fun, and hanging out and wonderfulness.

And then the IA contingent rode out on a saddle. Or, rather, a Nissan Quest. And then it was New Years Eve, and Mike and I barely stayed awake til midnight.

So it was good times all around. I had a lot of fun seeing family, and just being lazy. I only wish that Mike had more time off work so he could get to spend more time with us. But otherwise, it was a pretty perfect holiday season.

And then I made a two-part resolution. First, get rid of caffeine. Second, get rid of soda altogether. And then I got a lot of headaches and was feeling crappy. But now I feel better and less bloaty. Hopefully I'll be able to stick with it.

The End.