Servant To A King

A few months ago I finally got motivated, I mean really motivated to get in shape.  Because there is nothing more embarrassing than meeting someone for the first time and watching their expression as they learn that my husband is a personal trainer.  Their eyes look me over from head to toe. 

I do this a lot.  I get really motivated and then my body breaks down and I have to take a “time-out” to recover.  During the time off, I immediately revert back to my regular eating and drinking patterns. 

Take for example the time I got in really great shape for my wedding.  I mean I looked fabulous.  I looked even better at the swimming pool in Puerto Vallarta sporting my little hot pink swimsuit – drinking margarita’s.  My downfall this time?  Those stupid margarita’s and the fact that I didn’t work out the whole trip. (And no – those kind of workouts don’t count – I know how you people think)  So by the time we were done with our trip, I’d gained a little weight. 

Have I ever mentioned how much I like enchilada’s and margarita’s?

Then, after The King was born, I was determined to lose all the baby weight (40lbs).  I was motivated, lost it all and then some.   I even started running.  I remember I couldn’t make it to the corner the first day we started.  I HATED it.  Truly hated it.  But I went again and again.  Then I started to like it.  But, something happened and I stopped.

I don’t remember why I stopped that time.  But I quickly reverted back to my eating and drinking habits.

Luckily, I didn’t gain ALL the weight back.  Only some.  Once I realized that I really, kinda, sorta, okay maybe more than sorta, missed running – I started up again.  Only to wake up one morning unable to walk due to some weird pain in my ankle.  After an MRI and a shit ton of medical bills, I ended up in a walking boot for 2 months.  Guess what happened?

You’re right.  So now where are we?  I’ve been sitting on my ass for the past 2 months nursing a knee injury that won’t go away.  I’ve been self medicating with wine, cookies and enchilada’s. 

And I feel horrible.  I was supposed to run a half marathon last weekend.  I had a goal. 

What am I having now? 

A great big giant pity party.

Rolls Royce

Ha ha ha…. 

I can’t even imagine, nor do I really want to know, what it would be like to have enough money to actually purchase a Rolls Royce.  I mean having a few extra dollars would be great and yes I’m a sucker for some lottery tickets, but that’s because I know I’m not going to win.  Besides, have you ever seen those shows about the people who do win the lottery and how f’d up their lives became afterward?  Crazy. 

In all reality, this is how I roll.  Much more conducive to dirt and sticky substance abuse.  

Subaru Outback

I remember being in high school back when Crocodile Dundee did the commercials for the Subaru Outback.  I think they were fairly new vehicles at the time.  I remember thinking they were the ugliest cars in the world.  I swore I would NEVER drive one.  Me? Driving a station wagon – I wouldn’t be caught dead in one.  Until now. 

My Subaru has proven itself to be not only a reliable car, but one that proudly shouts, “I am a mom.” (my favorite role)

Except when dad drives it. 

What about you?  How do you roll? 

For more creative spins on roles, rolls and rolling – head on over, or roll on over for that matter, to Sprite’s Keeper.

I was really looking forward to trying this stuff out.  Mainly because I’m a hippy wanna be.  I really enjoy trying new “earth friendly” products but can never seem to get totally into the whole movement.  I think I’m too closed-minded when it comes to certain things and have a tendency to be stuck in my ways.  You know like using paper towel and paper plates way too often.  But I try, I really try.

Anyway, the box arrived last Wednesday and I immediately opened it.  Instantly my house was engulfed in the aroma of jasmine, gardenia and coconut butter.  It was almost overwhelming at first.  Each item that I had purchases was carefully wrapped in compostable paper like you might get at the butcher with a cute little butcher type sticker.  Everything was biodegradable.

I put them in the bathroom to use the next morning.

Except The King was totally consumed by the new products.  He loved the smell.  He wanted to touch them, use them, pick at them, molest them.

At over $9 each, he’s not laying his little piggy’s anywhere near these puppies.

The next morning I eagerly showered and got to it.  The shampoo lathers really well and smells fantastic.  It seems to clean really well too because my hair has yet to feel greasy or even overly dry.  It has a built-in conditioner and could probably be used solo.  Only, I’m too afraid to try.

The conditioner is a little wierd to get used you.  Since there is nothing to pour into your hand and nothing to lather, you have to slide it across your mane.  It’s almost like combing your hair with a big crayon.  At first I was a little concerned that I wasn’t going to like it.  I’m so used to having slimy conditioned hair that my fingers will easily run through.  Not with this.  And you know what?  It’s okay.  Because the one thing that I’ve realized is that my normal conditioner was weighing down my hair.  With this new stuff, my hair is so dog on curly.  It’s absolutely wonderful.     Now I will admit, the fragrance is something to get used to.  It’s potent.  The first day I actually got a headache.  But I am sensitive to smells.  I don’t wear perfume for the same reason.  But now, a week later, I can’t even smell it.  Except in my bathroom.  And even there, it is a welcome scent.

Granted these products aren’t for everyone but if you’ve ever wanted to try, I would highly recommend them.    If you’d like to try some, leave a comment and you could win a solid shampoo.

*Please know that the folks at Lush have no idea I exist or that I was planning to write about their product.  Just thought I’d pass along some good info.

I have a terrible memory when it comes to quotes.  Whether in movies, books, TV shows or simply quotes from history, I suck.    Ask me if I’ve seen X movie and I will not have a clue.  There are however a select few that I do remember but that’s because I’ve seen, read, watched or heard them several times.

So when Jen over at Sprite’s Keeper mentioned that this weeks Spin was focusing on quotes, I had a minor panic attack.  But over the course of the past few days, I have compiled a short list of my favorite movie quotes (or something close to quotes): 

1. Armand, why don’t you let me be in the show? Are you afraid of my Guatemalan-ness?
2. Get some sour cream and onion chips with some dip, man, some beef jerky, some peanut butter. Get some Häagen-Dazs ice cream bars, a whole lot, make sure chocolate, gotta have chocolate, man. Some popcorn, red popcorn, graham crackers, graham crackers with marshmallows, the little marshmallows and little chocolate bars and we can make s’mores, man. Also, celery, grape jelly, Cap’n Crunch with the little Crunch berries, pizzas. We need two big pizzas, man, everything on ‘em, with water, whole lotta water, and Funyons.*
3. An accident? An accident? Do you realize it’s snowing in my room goddammit!
4. Sandy, you just can’t walk out of a drive-in!
5.  I carried a watermelon.
6. If I could only have one food for the rest of my life? That’s easy-Pez. Cherry-flavored Pez. No question about it.

I realize some of these are really easy.  It pretty much depends on your movie preference and in some cases age.  I love each and every one of these movies for different reasons.  How about you?  Have you seen any of them?  Can you name them all?

For other great quotes, some much more highly intellectual than mine, stop on over to Sprite’s Keeper.  Because I said so!

*In all honesty, the line in the movie that follows this is really the funniest but not necessarily PC for all.  You can watch it here if you want.

The family and I have big Earth Day plans this Sunday.  Our local community will be hosting a celebration at a local park with music, vendors and all things reduce, reuse and recycle.  I have washed my cute little shirt with the recycle symbol on the front just for the occasion.

Fact: Earth Day is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in held on April 22, 1970 and is celebrated in more than 175 countries every year.

We feel it’s pretty important to teach The King the importance of maintaining a healthy environment.  He’s become familiar with using the recycle bin and except for the incident in the car the other day, he’s pretty good about putting trash in the correct places.  (He tried to throw trash out the window of the moving car – Argh).

As a family, we try to do our best to be earth conscious.  Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of additional things we could be doing (like composting) but are limited in our current situation.  In all honesty, I’d love to start composting but don’t have a yard or the space to set up a bin.  (Is that a lame excuse?)

When The King was little we used cloth diapers for a while.  It wasn’t nearly as “gross” as I had thought it would be.  In fact, the only time it really got gross was when he got bigger and his poop got bigger.  TMI?

We’re also really obsessed with BPA free items and tend to avoid plastic whenever possible.  In fact, on the recommendation of Camille over at Archives of Our Life, I went ahead and recently purchased bottle free/solid shampoo and conditioner from Lush. I’m still waiting for it to come in the mail but will let you know how it works once I get it.

There are other things we do but I’d like hear from you.  What do you do to reduce, reuse, recycle?  Do you have any plans for Earth Day?

This week’s Spin Cycle assignment = Words. So when you’re done here, stop here.  I’m just saying. 

I have a potty mouth.  Granted, I’ve recently begun to tame the beast within.  This due in part to having a small child that repeats EVERYTHING that I say.  I’m pretty proud of my progress.  But every once an a while something slips.

I realize a lot of what I say is a direct reflection of me as a person.  Ever so often I have that “stick my foot in my mouth” moment.  Sometime, I really wish I would have chosen my words differently, not said that swear word. 

But I’ve never done anything quite this bad. (watch the video – Beware of swearing)

http://www.someecards.com/card/3489

Hold me back….  Two posts in a week.  This just after retiring and then making a come back.  I feel sort of like Brett Favre. 

Anyway, we’ve been busy having fun lately.  Here’s a quick look at some of the stuff we’ve been doing!

The King and I at the Lodge.

We have a tradition in our family on Easter morning.  Since we’re not real big on all things church, we head out to the mountain and go snowboarding.  It’s been our tradition for at least 4 years.  Some of the best snow has been Easter weekend.  Plus the place is fairly empty in the morning since most people aren’t like us and actually attend church.

This year The King actually got on a snowboard and ventured down the “hill”.  He really enjoyed it and I think next year will be in a position to actually take a lesson and do more than sit in the lodge and drink hot chocolate.  Which in all honesty is fine with me.  The hubby and I take turns making runs down the mountain and just between you and me, there is something wonderful about sitting inside where it is warm drinking cocoa and listening to the hustle and bustle of the crowds.

We only spend a few hours out and about.  By lunch time  church has let out and more people start to converge on the slopes.  That’s our cue to head home.  Miraculously while we were gone, the Easter bunny had come to our house.  He hid our eggs all over the yard and left a basket for The King. 

The excitement at finding out the Easter bunny had arrived.

Some loot left behind in the basket.

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The weather here has been like me, sort of bipolar.  It hasn’t decided if it wants to snow or be 70 degrees.  Just last week we had a few nice days then a few crappy days.  In fact, just last Friday I got home from work and the boys were outside playing.  The hubby was enjoying a game of “tree well” golf with the neighbors and The King was playing with his buddy across the street.  I ventured over to chat with the mom.  She kindly offered me a glass of wine and we sat and chatted for a while. 

At one point the boys decided to head into the side yard to play.  We kept talking and talking.  After a while we realized that it had been VERY quite for some time.  And we all know what happens when kids get quiet, right?  So we thought it best to see what they were up to.  Just as we rounded the corner our eyes fell upon the funniest thing in the world.  The boys had found an Elmo sprinkler system, had connected it to the hose and stripped themselves of their clothes.  They were having so much fun.  It was the funniest thing.  Two little naked boys running around laughing and shrieking.  We took pictures but I obviously cannot share them on the WWW.

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On Sunday, in honor of the Masters that we were not watching or giving any thought to, we took The King miniature golfing.  He really enjoyed it.  Here is his hole in one pose.

Notice his awesome golf hat?

But his favorite part of the adventure was when he got to drive (all by himself) the race car.  We almost thought he wasn’t going to be allowed to do it because he struggled to reach the pedals.  But after some crafty readjustments he was off. 

His determination was contagious!  He did a great job driving.  Almost too good.  But I still don’t think I’m going to let him get his license until he’s 25.

That was short lived, huh? I know I’m not suppose to be posting.  But this shit is like crack.  I think I’m addicted.  Even if only in small doses, right???

Like Lora, I am also addicted to Pandora online radio.  I customize my own “station” and listen to a variety of songs while at work.  So I’m jamming and singing out loud rocking the old school stuff the other day and it occurred to me that my parents were NUTS!!

The summer between my freshmen and sophomore year of high school, my high schools girls basketball program hosted a trip to Australia and New Zealand.  Those of us who wanted to go held fundraisers and all that good stuff and ventured out on our own for three weeks with a few chaperones. (that’s a whole nother story for a different day).

But prior to my leaving for the trip, my mother bought me a new tape that I wanted to take along on the trip.  I wasn’t allowed to open the celophane until I got on the plane.  That tape was Bel Biv Devoe.

Kick ass, right!  So now at 35, I’m listening to those songs from the Poison album while at work.  I mean I’m really listening and understanding what they’re saying.  Let me just tell you – THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I SHOULD HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS AT 15. 

Holy crap, what were my parents thinking?  Granted, I don’t think I knew what they were talking about but my goodness.  Just listening to it makes me feel like I need a shower. 

On another note, I’m going back to using Kingsmom as my comment name.  Just to set me apart from the other Erin’s in the world.  Your comments to my bipolar post about quitting made me realize that I can post even if it isn’t everyday.  So, keep me in your reader and check back everyonce and a while.  Who knows….

Updated:  Athough I cancelled my URL subscription renewal, I can technically still update through June, which I may do depending on time.  However, I have opted to go back to using Kingsmom as my name to set me apart in your comments.  So there!

I’ve decided to become another blog statistic.  I just can’t justify the time needed to be consistent with posts.  Plus with summer coming, I have a feeling that I’m going to want to spend a lot of time outside.  Not inside in front of a computer.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still be stopping by your sites and checking in.  I value the friendships I’ve made and don’t want to go away completely.  I just won’t be posting here anymore.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by now and then.  I appreciate all of your comments and support.  Keep an eye out for me in your comments sections.  I’ll be there…

Much love,
Erin

No, I’m not dead.  Just very busy.  I hope everyone has a very Happy Easter.