Hubs....did you audition for this?

NanaNana-booboo NaBlahBlahBlah!

Today's the last day! They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and since I've written at least that many this month, go here to see how I feel about making it through to the end.

And big hugs and thank-yous to everybody for coming over and commenting - I know I'dve given it up if it weren't for you! See you in December!

Run Badness, Run!

Yesterday started off badly. I woke Hubs up at 8:00 to see if he could watch the kids for a bit so I could go for a run. He said, "Sorry - but I've got to get to work." You can imagine my mood when he was still in his jammies at the computer when I left at 9:30 to take Princess to dance.

After dance I fed the kids in the car and drove to Vaughan Mills to get photos taken for Christmas. But first I had to buy matching white t-shirts for them to wear. (btw - Old Navy has lots of long sleeve t-shirts for babies and little kids, reg. $9.50 ea on sale 2 for $10) I changed them and did the Princess's hair in the middle of the mall. They looked very, very, cute. Just not in the resulting photos. The Princess jumped to be in front of every shot, and Badness kept crawling off the backdrop. After the photos we went to get a snack and 3 different places were out of chocolate milk. I was a wreck by the time we got back to the car.

Both kids fell asleep on the drive home, which meant I could listen to the radio and not Raffi, but they woke up UGLY. I went up and got changed into running gear, so I could exit the house the SECOND that Hubs arrived. I sat Princess in front of the tv while I cooked them dinner (KD -good mom, right?) with Badness on my hip. Hubs called, he was running late.

By the time Hubs got home it was 6:45, cold and pitch black out. Still, the second he'd changed I plunked the boy into his arms, leashed up the dog, and went out. I ran. For the first time in almost 2 years I ran. Not as fast, or as far as I would've liked, but still.....getting out of the house was half the battle. (I'd already decided to ease back into it slowly, because there will be no lolling between the sofa with an ice-pack and a nice hot bath if I over-do it and hurt myself.)

It felt great. I felt great. And I was a much nicer mom when I did get home. And today, I went out and bought myself new lipgloss.....I'm like a new woman already! Yay Me!

Good Times.

Y'all were right. He didn't sit still for the photographer either. Sigh. And if any of you happen to be talking to the Princess, Chuck E. Cheese burnt down. Back me up, 'kay? Sigh.

Where is that houseboy with my drink?

The Gospel According to Dora....

Ok, maybe I'm opening a can of worms here, but here's an old story, the back story, and a question. Old story first:

On Good Friday, I had to explain to the Princess (then 3 1/2) why there wasn't any school. "Well today is the anniversary of the day Jesus died.....do you remember who Jesus was?"
"No Mommy." Shit. Mother of the Year slips my grasp again.
"Well, I'll have to get some stories about him to read to you."
"OH! MOMMY! I'll get my Dora book! It has sooo many stories! Maybe there's one about Dora and Jesus in there!"

Don't worry, I already feel the shame. How could this have happened? The backstory:

Hubs and I were both brought up nominally Christian. Hubs went to the Anglican church as a kid, and then went to a Christian boarding school. Which turned him off religion forever. The story of the school's closing was recently picked up in the Globe and Mail - search 'Grenville'....they'll explain better than I can. (to clarify - Hubs was miserable there, and feels religion was used as a weapon, but he didn't suffer or witness the abuse mentioned) I have less excuse. Hubs is happy for me to take the kids to church....he wants me to, he just won't come. I suspect that he wants me to take them so that he can be alone with the television for an hour. I haven't taken them, even though the church is literally across the street and down two houses, because I am tired and don't want to add to the time I spend alone with my children. I like hanging out with Hubs on Sunday. I like leaving the kids in his care and lounging on the sofa with coffee and a book.

And that brings us to the question:

After the Easter incident, I bought a few books to read to the Princess, a story about Noah, and a children's bible, but she really wasn't interested. The question got pushed to the back of my mind. Christmas is bringing it back to the forefront. How do I educate her about religion? To be clear, my worries are educational and for her soul. She has beautiful manners and morals, you have only to look in her eyes to see that her soul is pure. If there is a heaven, she will go there. My own beliefs are tentative, un-formed - I don't want my children to follow in my footsteps, but to make up their own minds. However, I want them to have a background, a basic knowledge, of the bible and its stories....so much of literature assumes this of its reader that it is vitally important. If I can impart the right background, they will have what they need to decipher the metaphors around them and make their own decision about God. But....how do I do that? Do I need to take them to church? Every Christmas Eve I let the kids open a present - and it is always new pyjamas and a storybook. This year one of the books is the Christmas story. It's a start. What else can I do? What do you do?

Saving the Badass from a Fat Ass

So I was reading Shay's posts about running, and how proud she is of keeping at it (and you should be girl! You go! You inspire me!) and it made me realize how much I miss the days when I ran. When I could say I was a runner. I never ran races, not my thing, but 4 or 5 days a week I would lace up my shoes and run for at least an hour. I ran by myself, I ran with friends, I ran with our dog. I could sprint up the 100+ stairs from Davenport road to Casa Loma and not have to stop and rest. These days the stairs in my house sometimes leave me winded. (Well, I'm sometimes carrying the combined 60+ pounds of my kids up them!)

I haven't ran since I was a few weeks pregnant with Badness. I haven't run regularly since I was a few weeks pregnant with the Princess. It's funny how you get into and out of the groove. My favourite time to run is first thing in the morning. That's when I had the energy, the time, the motivation. By the end of the day, my motivation is for the sofa. During my pregnancy with the Princess I was violently ill every single morning (and afternoon, and evening) for 27 weeks. When it passed I walked, but I was too big and out of shape to run.

I miss it. I read Shay's post on Sunday and decided it was time to do it. (Flu be damned.) I ran upstairs to dig out some sweats and was immediately foiled - none of my long neglected sports bras were up to the task of supporting my still-nursing breasts. But I laced up my shoes anyway. I took the dog, took a begging Princess (in the stroller so she couldn't slow me down - this was for ME), and I walked. I walked with long, fast strides. I walked until my heart was beating loud and fast, walked until my muscles burned and my lungs were filling deep with cold, clean air. I walked until my mind cleared and my spirits lifted.

I'm going to walk again today after dropping the Princess at school and Badness at a sitter. And then I will go buy new gear. Tomorrow I will run. It has been a long time, and it won't be pretty. I will probably have to start with walking a minute, running a minute like at my first running clinic - but I will run.

This badass will be a fat ass no more. Thanks Shay.

Anything for freebies.

Two wonderful sites are offering the chance to win free stuff just for linking to them. So without further ado:

Go check out Sarcastic Mom's rack. I need me some new clothes.

And go check out Teeny Manolo. I need me some new books.

Ok, universe, do your thing!