Lilly Pulitzer “Help Save the Wildlife Fund.” Sure, grandma likes animals, she’ll give to that cause as long as her grandbabies are dressed to the nines!

I challenged myself to a little competition. The goal was obviously to just slim down a bit, seeing as I was getting a little thick in the middle. I enjoy working out more when my lululemon looks better on me. Duh. I realize that is such a catch-22 because you have to workout in order to look good in your workout clothes that you look good in working out. :) I set up parameters and guidelines for myself only to see if I had the discipline to do it. That was it. Am I mentally tough enough to accomplish something I want? 

Here’s what I said I’d do:

1) eat only grilled chicken, brown rice, greek yogurt, cereal or egg for breakfast, veggies and fruit for one week. Go ahead and judge. I am not a nutritionist, by any means, but I am a lifetime snacker. I can snack like the best of them. My best snack-attack times are when I’m making lunch or dinner and I’m so hungry that I snack while preparing these meals. Another attack of the munchies comes at night when I’m watching TV. Remember, my goal is a mental goal. Can I do it?

2) run 2 miles every day. I am not a runner. I repeat, I am not a runner. I have run in the past. It is a great calorie burner, but 70% of the times I go running I’m wondering when it will end. Please make it end! Mental challenge. Running is a mental “game.” I enjoy games, not so much running games.

Here’s what it looked like: 

Monday: RIP class, 2 mile run

Tuesday: Singles tennis with Matt, 2 mile run outside

Wednesday: Tennis clinic, 2 mile run

Thursday: Tennis singles, 2 mile run, Tennis doubles outside,

Friday: Tennis lesson, Tennis singles with Matt outside, 2 mile run outside

Saturday: soccer with kids outside, but NO RUN! AGH! Am I mentally weak? 

Sunday: 5 mile run outside (should I mention that I completed this in 45:00, which is 9:00/miles for this non-runner?), more running around outside with kids.

Today: Cardio Tennis, 2 mile run, Date with hubby, which might include tennis under the lights!

Did I do it? YES!!! I did it! I notice a difference and I feel good. And I proved to myself that I am mentally strong. One run, Tuesday I think, I had Matthew and Natalie ride their bikes, Libby in the stroller and we just went around our block which is .5 miles. Matthew stopped after one loop and shot baskets while Natalie and Libby and I continued on. Natalie made it 1.5 miles with me and then she shot hoops with Matthew while Libby and I finished the last lap. No excuses! I did it!

Why in the world am I telling you about all of this? Because if it’s out there, I can look back on it years from now and say, “See? You even did it when you had three little kids, now git ‘er done!” and so that I can stay motivated to maybe even become a - wait for it- RUNNER! I am mentally strong. I had my two closest friends praying for me through this challenge and I spent my mental running time praying, praising, thanking God for the body that I do have and the physical things that I can still do. I am wonderfully made and God does give us strength to overcome our doubts and weaknesses.

What a great day. I woke up at 6:30, decided to go for a run. I thought I’d push myself a little since I didn’t run the day before, so I thought I’d do a large loop around our neighborhood. I thought it would be 4 miles, and I was up for the challenge.  The weather was perfect, so off I went. I was in the next sub-division over from home and I hear, “congratulations, you have completed your workout.” Well, no I have not, because I’m not home yet. So, as Forrest Gump did, I just kept runnang and when I did get home, I was at 4.7, so I thought I’d just keep runnang some more until I heard “5 miles” and then I stopped. 

Then after my sweet little bumpkins, as well as the kids, all wished me a Happy Mother’s Day, we headed off to church where we heard a great sermon about listening. It was not at all about how wonderful mothers are and how much work they do and how they are underappreciated and they are all beautiful and it needs to be all about me, but I get it. My ego did not need to hear how great it is, but rather to be quiet and listen. Thank-you for the reality check. I do need to be a better listener in all areas of my life. 

The rest of the day was very relaxing. I got a nap (complete with drool and “where am I?, what time is it? what day is it?” when I woke up). Then we played soccer and basketball outside. Oh, and Natalie wore her Super Girl costume from two? Halloweens ago and Matthew wore his Black Spiderman Costume from October. I loved every minute of it. And per the usual, I’m behind the camera instead of smiling for the camera. I wore a fabulous dress that I got at the BCBG/Max Azaria Outlet last December, but you can only see me in the picture as a shadow. Boo Hoo. I’ll have to take a picture tonight when we go out for dinner tonight.

Hi. My name’s Chubba. My mama’s chubba, My Dada’s chubba, even my goldfish is chubba. One day my mama said, “Chubba, …”
Remember these old jokes? The kids and I were laughing so hard the other night when I was telling them “Chubby” stories with my face like this.

Yea! Early and totally unexpected birthday gifts are the best! Thank-you to my best friends!

I was tagged by both The Youngest Housewife on the Block and Sincerely Yours 22.

This tag is to get to know the person behind the blog better. As with any tagging game, there are rules:

• Rule 1: Post the rules.
• Rule 2: Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then make 11 new ones.
• Rule 3: Tag 11 people and link them to your post.
• Rule 4: Let them know you’ve tagged them

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself as a personal taxi for my three active kids, playing a lot of tennis, mentoring other wives of coaches.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish by the time you die?

Oh great. If I type it and it’s out there, I have to do it. Here it is…run a half-marathon.

If I told you there was a private plane waiting to take you anywhere, where would you go?

I’m pretty simple. I would like to fly right down to Marco Island, Florida. 

Do you dream in color? or black and white?

Both. But mostly color. 

What’s your favorite TV show?

Right now I like watching Impractical Jokers on TruTV with the Hubby. When it’s just me, I love The Biggest Loser on NBC.

What’s your favorite childhood memory?

When I got what I wanted for Christmas! All I wanted was the Hungry Hungry Hippos game. When I unwrapped it and saw what it was, I jumped up in the air and slammed on my knees. Oh wait- you said “childhood.” This was last year. JUST kidding.

Who’s a celebrity you’d wanna trade lives with for a Day? Why?

Anna Wintour. So that I could hire one of my best friends in a prestigious position in the fashion industry. 

If you could live anywhere, where would you want to live?

Even closer to family.

What’s your favorite sport?

Tennis. But that’s a newfound love. 

Describe yourself in 5 words

Sweet, 

Do you prefer Summer or Winter?

I love a beautiful snowfall, but summer beats out winter.

I have been so busy since our whirlwind trip up to Michigan last weekend. What have I been doing? No idea. So, I tried to remember what’s had my attention, and the answer, besides the obvious “kids” answer, is that Mother’s Day and Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up and I’ve been running to Walmart picking up photos, Pier 1, Big Lots, Hobby Lobby, the Forsyth Post Office (note to self: get a picture of the Forsyth Post Office), and Forsyth Library, and back to Walmart (twice, both days) all while doing work-out classes, tennis, picking up kids, and cooking, cleaning, laundry, cutting the grass, running 2 miles each day in the neighborhood, and playing with kids.

Whew! Good thing I’m not working and coaching anymore.  Of course, that explains why Matthew’s teacher didn’t get anything last year and my mothers probably got a card. Well, that doesn’t mean that I loved them any less, that just means that I get to shower them with love this year because I’m allowing myself to take the time to do it. That, and Libby loves going “chopping” with mommy (shopping). She likes to wear dresses and blow kisses to the store clerks. No joke. 

I took a picture of my view during my run this afternoon. It was nice to have that distraction, considering I was running into 80mph wind. 

The second picture is of the girls “needing” their nails painted. Libby picked out Water Street Blue and Natalie was Watermelon Ice. This is the second time Natalie chose this pink glittery nail polish because, well, did I mention it was pink and glittery?

Great workout this morning! Refreshing shower. Then realized I didn’t bring deodorant, a brush, or make up to the gym.
#au natural

At the park continued.

When we picked Matthew up from school yesterday, he asked if we could go to the park. Yeah sure. It was a beautiful day. So I gave them their instructions of what to do when we got home so that we could head right out to the park (potty, change clothes, socks/shoes). I haven’t paid close attention to what Matthew put on, but as we pull into the park Matthew says, “Mommy, I just love my Angry Birds shirt.” My response: I know, because you wear that ugly thing every single day! That’s good, honey. I’m glad you like it. 

The big kids were on the swings and I went over to Natalie with my phone ready, and I said, “Hey Natalie…” and she looked up at me, which was how I got a non-posed first picture. When she noticed I had the phone on “camera” the second picture is what I got. I mean…I have no words.