Not a Wasted Word

Weekend

It was a decent weekend. Good even! Here are some highlights:

On Friday I stayed at work instead of going for a walk and got so much done. Then I had dinner with some high school friends (that is why I was hanging around at work), which was nice. Finally, I made it to the pharmacy before 8pm and got an entire year’s worth of the 14yo’s birth control. She doesn’t take the placebo week, but they never factor that into the refill date, and it’s a giant pain every three months (which was why I had to get it last minute, because AGAIN there was an issue refilling it). Now I don’t have to worry about it for a long time.

On Saturday, the 11yo stayed for all four classes at the dojo, which means that not only was I NOT asking for time while I was there, I was giving my husband time! He was really tired by the end of the four hours, but he sat out for half of the third class and then turned his attitude around for the fourth class. It was awesome to see him make it through the whole set of classes!

It was good he stayed with me all morning, because I was at book club pretty much all night. I left at 6pm and wasn’t home until past 10pm! It was a really good time, with my best friends, and I very much enjoyed it. It might have been the best book club yet!

Sunday, we had a slow, do-nothing morning and then both kids got to see friends in the afternoon/evening. The 11yo went to a birthday party from 3-7pm and the 14yo hung out with a friend. The 11yo and I walked to the birthday party and the 14yo and her friend walked to Grocery Outlet and back, so everyone got outside in the sunshine! A huge win!

My husband still feels bad and is starting to get really frustrated by it. He was in a foul mood all weekend, but at least by the end of it he recognized what a pill he was being and apologized. I’ll take it!

We finished the weekend off with some episodes of Parks and Recreation, and the last one we watched was one of my favorite episodes where every gets the flu and Andy (Chris Pratt) stays, Leslie, I googled your symptoms and it looks like you have… internet connectivity problems. Chris Pratt is so good on that show.

Workouts

M: 30 min Strong Glutes Program: Week 1, Session 1

Tu: 30 min Bike Bootcamp: Core w/ Jess Sims (3/8/24) + some upper body weights

W: General class + High Belt (we did a side kick class and I was HOBBLING on Thursday and Friday) + 15 min hip mobility w/ Hannah Corbin (1/1/25)

Th: 45 mins on the elliptical + CG Dead Bug workout + 10 min foam rolling: Hips w/ Rebecca Kennedy

F: 30 min Strong Glutes Program: Week 1, Session 2

Sa: Sparring + Forms + High Belt

Su: 30 min Intervals + Arms w/ Tunde (1/10/25) + 10 min stability ball ab workout

My periformas syndrome already feels a lot better. I am so excited to be using this program to activate and strengthen my glutes. It was definitely worth spending the money.

Body

I figured out earlier this week that I have piriformas syndrome again. I’m not sure if that is why my hamstrings, hips, and lower back have felt so fucked up lately, but it’s definitely the primary source of acute pain. I spent a full 24 hours wallowing in this development – it took MANY months for driving to not be agony the last time I had this – but then I bought a glute program by the woman whose posts taught me about piriformas syndrome and helped me understand how and why such a small muscle in my butt cheek could cause me such distress. The program is specifically for people with periformas syndrome and lower back pain and I feel confident that it will help me feel better a lot more quickly than I did last time (it took me two full months to figure out what was wrong in 2022 – I am so glad I found this woman’s site). I am kind of flummoxed by how a failure to activate my glues is the root cause of the vast majority of my chronic pain. I really hope this program helps me to learn how to activate them when appropriate (I can already tell from just one session that I do NOT activate them when I should, I’m not sure how this deficit started, but I’m aware of it now and awareness is half the battle.)

Health

The shaky feeling has mostly passed, but I had some bouts of it yesterday. I still have whatever virus ravaged my family, but I’m coughing a lot less (and more productively) and while I still have sinus stuff going on, it seems to be improving (I might have an actual sinus infection, but so far it’s not too painful so I’m holding out on seeing someone – I hate taking antibiotic unless necessary). My husband, who originally felt bad last Wednesday, only just went back to work today. He worked a half day from home Tuesday and a full day from home Wednesday, but he’s been miserable. Whatever we got was the worst virus we’ve had in a long time. I’m trying hard to take care of myself right now; I’ve been going to bed really early, and resting during the day at work. I’ve also been doing a lot of hip mobility work, which keeps my anxiety about my chronic pain down. I just hope I start feeling really better soon.

Goals

I still am no closer to articulating goals for 2025. I haven’t even done my January Must-do and Hope-to lists and that was one of the goals I wanted to make for this year (writing and posting them monthly). I hope I can get something up this weekend. But I will say, one of my goals is to respond to comments within 24-48 hours. I’ve been responding to every comment since the new year (I think!), and responded to many of them in the last week of December. I just wanted to mention that here, since some of you comment!

Kids

The 14yo swam twice this week and says her shoulder is doing a lot better. We are pretty on her to do her PT at least five times a week, and I’m so glad it’s actually helped. I really hope she nips this in the bud early and it doesn’t come back again. She missed the sign up for swim team at her school (because all the sports teams push out info ONLY on Instagram! WTAF!), but she emailed and it looks like she can still participate. There is a meeting tomorrow after school at 4pm (that my husband saw on Instagram) and she plans to attend. She is clearly nervous about swimming on her school’s team, but I think it will be a great way to meet new people and push herself physically. I really help her shoulder allows her to participate.

The 11yo really should be wearing deodorant and washing his face every day, and showering more often, but he is NOT interested in hearing anything about any of that. He got all the necessities for Christmas, but he chafes when I ask if he’s used any of them. The next few years are going to be so fun!

Speaking of fun…

I have a couple fun things to look forward to this weekend, and this month. Tomorrow I’m having dinner with some high school friends. I have three hours between work ending and when we meet, and I decided NOT to try to run, because I don’t want to start the weekend feeling shitty. Instead I’m going to go for a walk either with a work friend (if she’s available) or by myself. I’m proud of myself for making that decision.

Saturday is book club and it’s at a local wine bar. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone.

I’m seeing three Sketchfest shows over the long weekend later this month, two with my parents (a live read of Airplane and a conversation with Albert Brooks) and one with my husband (a newish comedian he really likes). I always love seeing Sketchfest shows and am looking forward to them.

Final note: I’ve been following the coverage of the fires really closely. Most of my college friends live in LA, and while none of them are in immediate danger, two of their parents have lost their homes and one of their sisters has lost her house. I spent a lot of time at one of those now-gone houses – I stayed for a week there with my daughter when she was a baby! – and I can’t believe it’s gone. This is the house of the parents’ of my friend how had the mental health episode two winters ago. They have had such a hard go of it and I’m devastated for them. I’m devastated for everyone in LA. I had no idea that they were not getting any of the rain that came through Northern California. We’ve gotten a fair amount of precipitation, and I didn’t realize that Southern California only got like five minutes of rain all fall and winter. I don’t really know what else to say about it, except that it’s in my thoughts a lot right now.

I didn’t mean to take a break, but now it’s January 5th and tomorrow everyone has to return to their regularly scheduled programming tomorrow. I don’t even have a staff day to start, like I usually do, so it’s a regular five day week for me. Sob! Just the getting up part is going to be so brutal. We’re all sleeping in until 8:30am at this point, some days I’ve not woken up until past 9:30am! My body gets better sleep from midnight to 8am, so I give myself that time when I can, but next week is going to be like a time change on steroids. Blerg.

The end of the break was kind of weird. I wasn’t feeling great. I’m still not, but things are not as dire as they were on Friday. For several days I’ve been kind of shaky, like my limbs are weak and I need to hold the hand rail when I walk down the stairs. Also my lower back and hips really hurt and and hamstrings my are super tight. I’ve been in considerable pain in the car especially, but doing any kind of sitting hurts. I have no idea what is going on. I wonder if it’s this virus we’ve all had? Or anxiety? I really don’t know what is going on but I’m not a fan. And I hate when I’m in pain and I don’t know what to do to get rid of it. I’ve been doing hip mobility work, and I’m sure my psoas is super tight, but I’m not sure what I’m doing that is creating such a drastic imbalance and making everything hurt. I’m so tired of my body doing this to me.

{The virus we got was major! It hit the worst like five days in, which was so unexpected. Just when you think you should be feeling better, and you spend a day feeling the worst you’ve been. We’re all still coughing, almost two weeks later. It was a doozy.}

Anyway, I’m not sure what is wrong with me, but I still managed to get some workouts in. Here is my workouts for the break (actually, this starts the Monday before the break started).

{I am still trying to figure out 2025 goals and even just January Must-Dos. I’ve been letting myself do not very much and I’m trying to be okay with that!}

M (12/16): Rest

Tu (12/17): Sparring Concepts + Sparring

W (12/18): Rest

Th (12/19): Sim’s 60 Pop (my first 60 min bike bootcamp!)

F (12/20): 50 min run (felt terrible)

Sa (12/21): 10 mins Arms & Shoulders w/ Rebecca Kennedy + 10 mins Glutea & Legs w/ Jess Sims + 10 min stability ball ab workout

Su (12/22): Hiking around in knee deep snow for three hours (seriously exhausting)

M (12/23): 25 mins of PiYo Scuplt

Tu (12/24): Rest (drive home + Xmas Eve w/ my parents)

W (12/25): 30 min run by my IL’s house (felt AWFUL, but ran into my dojo friend)

Th (12/26): Rest (realized Xmas day run felt bad because I was getting sick again)

F (12/27): 60 min Bike Bootcamp w/ Jess Sims (5/16/23)

Sa (12/28): 30 min Interval & Arms w/ Tunde (10/10/24)

Su (12/29): Rest

M (12/30): 40 min walk to dojo + 60 minutes of forms (I learned my whole form!) + CG Dead Bug Workout

Tu (12/31): 60 min run (probably actually ran 45 min) + 10 min stability ball an workout + 10 min Arms & Shoulders

W (1/1): Didn’t do a damn thing. Didn’t even put a bra on. Happy New Year!

Th (1/2): 55 min run (probably actually ran around 40 mins). After this is when I started to feel really bad.

F (1/3): 30 min Bootcamp: Bodyweight w/ Tunde

Sa (1/4): Sparring + Forms + High Belt class at the dojo + 15 min Hip Mobility w/ Hannah Corbin

Su (1/5): 30 min Intervals & Arms Ride w/ Tunde + 10 min Foam Rolling: Hips w/ Rebecca Kennedy

Well, my parents are taking our kids tonight, but my husband finally got what everyone else got, which means he’s super sick (because he always get it AFTER everyone else, and WORSE than everyone else). So I guess I’ll just be enjoying some time away from my kids, which honestly is fine. We’ll have to reconnect some other time, because it’s certainly not happening this break. Instead, let’s see how I did on my December Must-Do and Hope-to tasks.

CLEAN DOWNSTAIRS (Half check)

Ugh, this is becoming a thorn in my side! It was hard to do before Christmas because it’s where wrap and where I packed us for the snow. Then hard to do after Christmas because it’s where I was unpacking us from the snow, and putting the Christmas stuff as I started to put it away. It’s kind of done, but not enough. I crossed out the things I did manage to do. I think I need to actually host people down there for it to all happen at once, and the space to look pristine (or my version of pristine). Without that, I only manage to get stuff done in waves, and it never looks or feels really nice down there.

Tasks: Pick up main space. Pick up kitchen. Clear surfaces in bathroom. Clean all floors. Dust/wipe surfaces. Clean shower. Change sheets

FINALIZE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS (CHECK!)

Tasks: Inventory what we have for kids. Inventory what grandparents have for kids. Identify outstanding (what we still want to get). Purchase outstanding. Wrap and label. Sort by house (we spend Christmas morning at the in-laws’ and Christmas afternoon at my parents’ so I have to be strategic about which presents get opened at each house).

I had this all done a FULL WEEK before Christmas day. WOOOOT!

ORDER MOM’S STORYWORTH BOOK (FAIL!)

Why do I not want to do this? Seriously, I think there is some kind of psychosomatic issue surrounding this for me. I did NONE OF IT. I guess I need to find another present for my mom for her birthday.

FINAL DEPENDENT CARE ACCOUNT REIMBURSEMENT (CHECK!)

Tasks: May YMCA Aftercare receipt, Rec & Park camp receipt, Legarza camp receipt, Submit paperwork + receipts

I just got this done on December 31st, partly because I wanted to be able to check it off for this post.

HALLWAY CLEAN OUT (CHECK!)

Tasks: Find out what we can do with fridge (will Recology take it? – UPDATE: YES!). Schedule pick up. Get it outside. Bring clothing donation to Salvation Army. Clean out whatever else is behind the fridge. Put it out with fridge pick up. Add other items from house to pick up.

I did this! But I missed some other items for pick up. I’m trying to put them in a Note on my phone so the next time I do a pick up I won’t forget anything. It honestly might be soon because our microwave broke right before the snow trip.

PLAN JANUARY FOR 1A & 1B CLASSES (Half check)

Tasks: Print planning calendar. Look at last year’s plans. Write out 1A plans. Write out 1B plans. Put Nov/Dec/Jan on Tri 2 planning document? (I really hope to do this, but it’s not necessary)

I did finally start looking at school stuff yesterday, but I’m still going to move some of this to January. I did plan the next three weeks of 1A and two weeks of 1B and I actually inputted about four weeks of both into the Tri2 planning document at school before I went on the break. But I have a kind of big work thing I need to get done before I go back, so the rest of this will have to wait. I also want to check some resources before I finish planning 1B (which is why I only got through two weeks).

PUT AWAY CHRISTMAS (CHECK!)

Tasks: Take apart kids’ little trees. Take ornaments off tree. Take lights off tree. Take down tree and put in bag in shed. Put ornaments in boxes. Cull old ornaments so new ones fit. Put everything in Christmas box. Take down door decoration and put in box. Put big box up. Wash Christmas clothes. Pack Christmas clothes. Put clothes box in shed.

This was not a December must-do but it should have been so I’m adding it. It took like two days and it sucked and I should have remembered I’d have to do it.

HOPE-TOs

Some of these are fully self-indulgent because it’s December and I want to enjoy one of my favorite months a little.

• Watch all of Silo with 14yo (we’re one episode away, mostly because we’ve been watching Severance).
• Watch Elf and Home Alone with the 11yo (he watched both of these elsewhere this year. Boo!)
• Rewatch Severance (we just finished season 1 last night, season 2 starts January 17th!)
• Clean out 11yo’s room and donate old toys (Hahahahaha! Did not even begin to attempt this. But most of his presents were clothes or PS5 related, so we don’t need to find space for new toys. Still, I need to do this).
• Clean out 14yo’s room and donate old stuff (LOL. Um no.)
• Hang all clothes on new non-slip hangers (I actually saw the hangers at Costco earlier on Monday and that was the first time I remembered about this. Maybe I’ll attempt it while my husband is sick?)
• Organize closet drawers (Blerg, I really do need to do this. Again, maybe before I go back?)
• Organize garage shelves (I was just thinking how the garage is driving me crazy. Maybe I’ll start this too. The garage is always a stress inducer for me, but it’s so easy to just walk out of that space.)

I guess I did okay in December. And now for January’s Must-do and Hope-to tasks. I hope to get those up before Monday.

SHU copied this format from Lisa, and I thought it would be a fun, because 2024 was actually a really eventful year for me. And while I was super impressed with Kae’s Rapid Fire Year in Review, I don’t think I could remember that much from each month (did she write those out as the year progress?!) and I wasn’t quite sure how to go back and recap the year. This will definitely help me.

1) What did you do in 2024 that you’ve never done before? My husband and I went on a six day trip to Mexico City without our kids. We’d never been on a trip without them before.

2) Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope, but very good friends announced that they are pregnant!

3) Did anyone close to you die? No, but a good friend lost her mother very recently.

4) What places did you visit? Well, we did some camping and some traveling this past year.

• Camping at Pinnacles National Park (this was actually the very end of 2023, but it started our attempts at camping)
• Grass Valley with friends for New Years 2024
• CDMX (Ciudad de México/Mexico City) with husband in February
• Camping at Joshua Tree in April
• Camping at New Brighton State Beach (near Santa Cruz) in June
• KOA in Petaluma (w/ 10yo’s friends) in June
• St. Louis (to visit extended family) in July
• Chicago (visiting friends) in July
• Maui (with friends) in August
• Camping trip in September
• Snow trip to Pioneer in December

5) What would you like to have in 2025 that you didn’t have in 2024?  A better system with my husband to make sure we’re both getting the time we need to pursue our interests.

6) What dates from 2024 will be etched in your memory forever? January 4th we celebrated our 17-15-10 anniversary. (17 years together; 15 years domestic partners; 10 years married). No other specific dates come to mind. Oh! And whatever day we saw Chappell Roan at Outside Lands! I think it was 8/11.

7) What was your biggest achievement this year?  I tested for my high blue belt. My 20 years of teaching was acknowledged by my district. I did a big re-organization of my home.

8) What was your biggest failure? I didn’t keep my home organized.

9) Did you suffer from illness or injury? I injured my knee pretty badly in late February. It was my first major injury and it required an MRI and PT and had changed the way I can move. It’s been a hard adjustment to be sure.

10) What was the best thing you bought? Hmmm. Despite the fact that the first one was broken, and replacing it was a giant PITA, I really do love my Dyson v12 Detect Slim because of the hardwood floor attachment. I had no idea how much gross shit is on my hardwood floors until that little green light showed me.

11) Where did most of your money go? Travel. And that is because we stopped paying for aftercare in the fall. Woot!

12) What did you get really, really excited about? That trip to Mexico City. Except I was also really stressed out about getting my house ready for my in-laws to stay there before we left.

13) What authors did you discover in 2024? Wow, I really don’t keep track of what I read at all (and after reading about NGS’s spreadsheet I know just how much I COULD be keeping track), but I’m pretty sure I didn’t really “discover” any authors, because I can’t think of a book I read because I liked another book written by that author. But some of the books I really liked this year were:

• Momfluenced by Sara Peterson, which led me to the first season of the podcast Under the Influence which I really enjoyed. (Turns out I don’t like to be on social media, but I like to read and listen about social media.)
• In the Dream House; A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado (book club)
• Nuestra Parte de Noche by Mariana Enriquez (Our Share of the Night in English)
• The City and the City by China Miéville (super weird, listened to this in Spanish while my husband read it_
• The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (great audiobook)
• Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera (please listen to this, so good as an audiobook)
• You could make this place beautiful by Maggie Smith
• Curdle Creek by Yvonne Battle-Felton (the audiobook of this is great – I loooved the first half and like the second half – I read this because my husband got it and it looked interesting

Honestly, I have no idea what I even read this year. I know there was more than this, but I can’t search my checkout history on Libby or Boundless so I’m not sure. I might keep better track this year.

14) What do you wish you had done more of? Getting good sleep? I have seem to have no control over this on though.

15) What do you wish you had done less of? Arguing with my kids about screen time.

16) How did your spend Christmas? We got home from the snow on Christmas Eve, spent that evenign with my parents, Christmas Day morning with my in-laws and evening with my parents.

17) What was your favorite TV program?  Hmmm. I’m not sure. Maybe I’m also not sure what I actually watch? I LOVED rewatching the first season of Silo with my daughter. And the first season of Severance. Our family like Monarch a lot. I don’t know if I have a favorite TV program from this year. Actually, it was probably season 11 of Vanderpump Rules. 🤣

18) What did you want and get? A renewed commitment to martial arts and the dojo. Also a ticket to see Chappell Roan at Outside Lands. 😉 Oh, and my good friend was able to join us in Hawaii this summer.

19) What did you want and not get? For my husband to support my time away from home.

20) What was your favorite film of 2024?  Deadpool & Wolverine. Fucking loved it. Would watch it a million times.

21) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Went out to dinner with my friends, which is when they gave me the ticket to Outside Lands! Oh, and I turned 44.

22) What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Better communication with my husband.

23) Who kept you sane? My cats. And my friend at work.

24) Who did you miss? My college friends. I only saw one of them this year.

25) Who was the best new person you met? The woman who helped me with my back.

26) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2024.  It might take a long time, but you can heal.

27) Show us one of your favorite photos from the year.

Here is the part where I confess that the this break has been very…bleeg. It has not been great. The snow was okay. The 11yo was sick and that really tainted the whole thing. Christmas Eve and Day were stressful. I have been kind of sick since we got back and the 14yo had been quite sick (sinus blockage and crazy coughing). My husband and I have not been getting along great. We’ve all been with each other 24/7 and it’s starting to wear on us.

The hot water attachment for the bidet failed and scalding water shot all over our bathroom. I had to crouch in front of the scalding water to turn off the attachment and it hurt and I got soaked. There was a half inch of water on the floor. This was after a small leak on the attachment at the toilet end (that was so infrequent we didn’t notice it), accumulate enough water in the floor boards that it was leaning into the garage. I think fixing that leak is what caused the attachment to fail under the sink. I guess our water pressure was too high for it to handle (this is not the first appliance our high water pressure has ruined). So we will have a cold water bidet.

Our two nights away from the kids at the end of this week is cancelled because my dad had been really sick for almost a week. We can’t even do anything tonight when the 14yo is at a sleep over because my MIL is sick too so they can’t take the 11yo. I guess the good news is we didn’t have anything specific planned. It would have been nice to spend some time together reconnecting after how poorly we’ve been getting along but it is not to be.

I ran today and felt awful. Well, the first third felt okay. I stopped less than on any other run! But then I had a weird coughing fit (like something was caught in my throat) and then I had a massive side cramp covering my whole right side for the second third and then I felt just regular shitty for the last third. When I came home I could’ve even do my favorite 10 minute Arms and Shoulders class with the weights I usually use! My lower back has been hurting again and my knee had felt weird ever since snow. I just don’t feel good physically at all. Which is exacerbating how bad I feel mentally.

I feel like I have nothing to look forward to this break except going back to work. Which of course I don’t look forward to at all.

It’s just not a great way to end 2024. But I guess this year has been a dumpster fire globally, so maybe it’s an apt way to end it. I was looking back at a post at the end of 2023 and I wasn’t looking forward to 2024 (mostly because of the election – god if I’d known how it was going to end up back at the start of the year, I’d have been devastated).

So yeah. I’m not in a great space mentally or I guess physically (even though I have no idea what is wrong physically). I hope things turn around in the five days before schools starts again.

At least I got the Christmas stuff taken down and put away. That had been stressing me out and now it’s done.

I’ll be posting a recap of my December goals and then maybe some thoughts for 2025 later this week. At least I hope to. We’ll see if it happens.

(And yes I realize these are all first world problem and yes I’m grateful for everything I have (which is so, so much). I’m just in a wonky head space and it felt disingenuous to post like I was feeling fine, when I’m just not right now.)

It is Friday right? I honestly have had no idea what day of the week it is, which means my mind really has been taking a break! But I feel like, as I come out of the haze that is Christmas week, my mind is starting to get into gear again. Mostly, it’s stressing me out with to-do lists and other stuff. Here is stuff I hope to get done in the next week. (I’ll admit, this is mostly an exercise for me, so make sure I feel positive about my time off at the end of it.)

PACKING UP AND PUTTING AWAY. I know this will get done, so maybe it’s silly to write it here, but I’m feeling the itch to put away the snow and Christmas stuff. I started putting the snow stuff away, and I’ve packed all the Christmas clothes that are clean. We’ll all wear Christmas sweaters to WinterFest tonight and then I’ll wash them and pack them away too, and all the Christmas clothes will be done. I’ll probably take the tree down early next week. I might wait a little longer on the lights in the outside entry way. Mostly, I just want to get the house in order again. It’s felt cluttered and frustrating for a long time, and I don’t want to start the new year that way.

PLANNING + GOAL SETTING. I need to plan for work for the next two months (to the end of Trimester 2). I’d love to get all of Tri2 in a planning document, but that might not happen over the break; as long as I get it on paper I’ll be fine. I want to set a few goals for 2025, but I’m honestly pretty shitty with goals. Did I make any for 2024? I honestly have no idea. I guess I’ll go back and check on the blog to see. (UPDATE: I did not make goals last year, in fact I categorically rejected them. Ha!) I think I’ll make some goals for the second half of the school year (first half of 2025), because August feels like a lot more of a “new year” for me than January.

CHILL TIME. I want to finish my current (physical copy) book, Tu sueño imperios han sido and most of my book club (audio)book, Remarkably Bright Creatures. I want to watch the first season of Severance with my daughter (we started last night and are on episode 3), and The Matrix as a family. I hope to hang out with friends at least once, and enjoy a two night staycation with my husband (while the kids stay with my parents).

KIDS. I want my daughter to do her shoulder exercises 5x a week. I want my son to start reading at least an hour a day. I want both of them to see some friends. I want us all to hang out some, but not a ton, because we’ve been doing that for a week straight.

WORKING OUT. I want to focus on the bike, and not running, because I’m sick of feeling awful when I run. Also, today I went to log into the bike and was informed that the account associated with it had expired. I was then prompted to up my subscription to Peloton All Access ($44/mo) from my App Plus membership ($24/mo). I also had to pay $99 to re-register my bike! I guess since it was used there was some account still associated with the bike from the old owners, and I was able to use my Plus membership to do Cycling and Bike Bootcamp classes on it for just $24/mo, but once that account expired I could no longer use it that way. I remember Sarah mentioning that it was $44 a month to use the bike, and I was so thrilled when that seemed not to be the case. Anyway, I’m spending quite a bit more to use it now, so I want to be on it. Having said that, it supposed to be sunny next week, and I’m sure I’ll run at least once. I just want to feel good when I run again. It’s been soooo long.

Annnd, I’m finally posting this at 9:48pm my time. It’s already Saturday on the other side of the country! Oh well, better late than never.

Here are some pictures from WinterFest today. Going was part of why this post is up so late.

Another Christmas tradition that I cherish (even though every year I’m so relieved to be done with it) is our Elf on a Shelf. Her name is Heart, and she has a reindeer named Toots (both names given by my children), and she has never been some snitch sent by Santa to spy on my kids. Instead, she is the distributor of advent calendars. Every day she is found in a new spot, with Toots and two little stockings with small surprises.

The little presents aren’t much. Each kid gets an advent calendar for the year and each day they get that present in Heart’s stocking. On the weekends they get a little something extra, like lip gloss or hand cream for the 14yo or a sweet treat for the 11yo.

As the weeks pass, Heart puts on different shirts. On the weekends she usually wears her robe. She also has a sled and an airplane that make appearances.

Last year I was worried I was deceiving my children, and while I made sure they now-14yo knows I’m Heart, I’m not sure the 11yo does. (When I was looking for a post with pictures of where I place Heart and Toots, I couldn’t find one, but I did find a post from 2017 where I lamented the fact that it was probably the last year my daughter would be believe in here. HAHAHAHAHAH!)

I even took Heart and Toots to the cabin with us this year. It felt too sad to miss the final three days with them, and I hadn’t unveiled her cute new monster sweatshirt yet.

Merry Christmas Eve to all who celebrate. I hope everyone has a wonderful day today, no matter what you celebrate.

No Weekend + Workout Recap today, because I need to get a quick post up about our trip to the snow (which took up the weekend). I think I’ll post a “Winter Break Workouts” at the end of the break, to see how I did while I was off.

The snow trip has been… fine to good. Probably a 3.5/5 stars. Instead of doing a day by day. I’ll do some highs and lows for the trip.

LOWS

We hit a lot of traffic on the way up and it took a couple hours longer than anticipated.

The 11yo was sick the first night. He threw up multiple times, looked awful and was running a low fever. I was worried for him, the trip, and all of us (possibly getting what he had).

The 11yo felt better on Sunday, but not great. He went to the sno-park with us, but spent most of the time just lying in the snow where we were playing.

Our sled kept deflating and the snow tube I got from the Stockton Costco on the way up wouldn’t inflate with our pump. I was super bummed about the snow tube. I really wanted to try it.

The 14yo ran the sled into a tree, but luckily bailed out to the side into the branches instead of plummeting head first into the trunk. She was fine, but her face got scratched up pretty badly.

HIGHS

There was plenty of snow. I was worried there wouldn’t be much snow at the parks because December is early in the season, but there was plenty.

The 11yo stopped puking and no one else started. All the appendages crossed that the not-puking holds.

The cabin we’re staying in is cute. There are two twin beds for the kids (instead of a bigger bed they have to share). Four logs in the fire stove keep it warm all night long.

We built a snowman, well actually a snow bunny (a la Hundreds of Beavers, the super random movie my son and husband love).we also had a snowball fight.

Yes. She has boobs. It’s from a movie. We were going for this…

The weather was beautiful. It was never too cold or too warm. It never snowed during the day and we didn’t have to put chains on the tires.

I finished a book I just got from the library. It was short, but still, I had a lot of time to read.

I packed everyone and didn’t forget a thing! Everyone had what they needed and all the snow clothes fit and did what they were supposed to do.

We had fun sledding in two different spots. We found a spot to catch air at the bottom and that was fun.

All in all it was a fine trip. It could have gone so much worse! And it distracted the kids for the days before Christmas, which was the whole point. The price of the cabin was also lower because we came right before Christmas. The kids had fun and scratched their “snow” itch. I think I’ll round my original rating up to a 4/5. The kids had fun and we made some fun memories. Also, I’m ready to go home and start celebrating Christmas tomorrow.