I used to remember absolutely everything. I never had to write down one single thing and had a memory like an elephant…whatever the hell that means? I balked at the idea of “mommy brain” mostly because it sounded so dumb. I mean, just because I was pregnant, why would that make me lose my mind and memory? Oh how naive I was! Unfortunately I remember that all too well.
What I don’t remember anymore is pretty much anything I don’t write down. I never thought this would happen to me, but here I am with virtual notes ten feet long on my phone, and constant calendar reminders starting with this:
Yes, it has TWO alerts because that’s how many reminders I need! And yes, I must use an expletive because as much as I loathe having to remember one more thing in my day, that stupid elf actually works in my house. The boys believe with every ounce of their being that Johnny Elf comes alive each night and reports their behavior – good or bad – directly to Santa. If I could have an elf for every month of the year, I would move that little fucker too. It’s worth my sanity and then some. However, all I do is move the elf. It doesn’t get into any kooky shenanigans or cutesy hi- jinx, it doesn’t spell anything out with candy and it doesn’t fish for crackers in the toilet bowl. It just sits somewhere…watching. #creepybuteffective
I almost forgot what I’m supposed to be writing about! On with The Rundown:
WEEK OF DECEMBER 1, 2014
RUNNING: Slowly but surely is my mantra these days. I hope the day will never come that I will need a reminder to run, however, I need to keep my pace in check if I want to fully recover this hamstring. I decided to play a little jedi mind trick on myself and use only time to dictate my runs this past week. I didn’t even want to know my pace, and instead run by how my hamstring felt. The only run I knew my pace was on the dread mill on Sunday and I kept it at an average of 7:40 with no pain. Ok, minimal pain but totally worth it.
Total mileage time: 4.5 hours
CYCLING: I finally bit the bullet and decided not to teach one of my two spin classes at the Y. With all I have on tap for 2015, something has to give. I absolutely love teaching (which is why I’m keeping one class) but I need to cut back on my commitments and spin class #2 had to be it. I’m assuming I will be on a bike at that day and time anyway, but I would prefer to be outside!…we’ll see how that shakes out.
SWIMMING: As you all know I’m loving the pool – antics and all – and spend a considerable amount of time wet these days. I finally figured out a good system for having my hair not be straw-like for the rest of the day post-pool (leave in conditioner!) but does anyone have a good suggestion about ridding my body of the constant chlorine smell? I can’t tell you how much my husband loves it.
CROSS-TRAINING: Since I’ve cut back on running, I’ve been cross-training with weights twice a week now. Doing body weight/weight and ab work bores me to tears! Honestly. I do it only because I know it’s helping my running, swimming and biking and I’m constantly reminding myself of that while I’m doing it. The only time I enjoy it is in a class format (when I’m teaching it – hahaha) after a 45 minute spin. When I’m alone it’s torturously slow.
FUELING: I made more yummy bars this week! I can’t remember where I got this recipe, hence the theme of this post, but it was amazingly easy, the boys helped me and now I can grab these babies and go.
RACING: I made an amazingly mature decision to not race the Santa’s Run this past Sunday. I know I don’t have it in me to not race, and do it ‘just for fun,’ so I decided to bag the whole thing. I typically place in my age group, have fun with my friends and get my annual ornament there so I definitely missed all of that, but I know I did the right thing. *sigh* My next planned race isn’t until the end of February. It’s an absolute killer of a half-marathon so I need to just focus on that beast!…and I have to remember to sign up.
THINGS I LOVE: The new Victoria’s Secret sports bra with HR monitor sensors! Since I put a divit in my chest last spring from wearing my HR monitor, I’ve been searching for a bra like this. I would routinely forget to put glide or Aquaphor on my chest where the monitor would rub and I cannot tell you how nasty of a scar I have there. It’s ridiculous.
If you don’t know, VS actually makes some really good workout gear. I know, I know, but they do! I have the cutest pair of cycling shorts I bought from their store in Vegas last year and one other sports bra that I love. The HR monitor bra is a little steep ($75) but to me, it’s worth every penny.
My husband is thrilled that THIS is what I want from Victoria’s Secret.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH: Showing up for an appointment, sitting and waiting for 15 minutes, becoming increasingly annoyed at the wait and then checking my email confirmation and realizing I’m two hours early for the appointment. Yes, that actually happened. #I’mamoron
READING: This House Needs A Mouse by C. Jeffrey Nunnally. It’s a unique children’s book that the boys will be reviewing here on Friday. You don’t want to miss it!
TV: The hubs was traveling last week and I caught Footloose on TV one night. I love watching “old” movies by myself and seeing them through my adult eyes. Footloose was one of those movies that I watched on an endless loop when I was a tween…I mean it was before people even referred to that age as “tween.” I wanted so badly to be Arial, who was a total badass and rebel. I shared her aspirations of getting the hell out of my small town and rebelling against the world though making out with bad boys, drinking and dancing. Watching it now, I was kind of seeing her preacher dad’s point of view. I also live 5 miles from the town I was so desperate to get away from when I was growing up. Ah, reality. However, the Kevin Bacon speech is as awesome as it always was – “Leaping and dancing before the Lord. Leaping and dancing!!” Right on McCormack.
“I thought only pansies wore neck ties.” “I thought only assholes use the word ‘pansy.'” Classic.
RANDOM QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “If finding a husband was that easy, I would not be here working. I would be married and in Connecticut. Wine drunk all day and working on my smug mom blog called “Diapers and Daydreams.” – Mindy from The Mindy Project
How was your week?
What do you need a reminder for?
Favorite quote from Footloose or The Mindy Project?
The bars look amazing! I’ve been so bored with strength training lately. Even with my loved P90X! So, for now, it’s running and yoga. If it’s not written down it won’t get done. My kids even leave notes for me on my desk if they want or need me to do something. Your elf ramblings crack me up 🙂
Have a wonderful Monday!
Thanks Jill – the bars are so, so good!
I just finally caved and bought a sports bra from VS and love it, too. Totally worth the money and glad I splurged a bit. And hell yes to Footloose and now all I want to do is watch it and dance this morning. Oh and can’t wait to see what your kids thought about This Gouse Needs a Mouse as my girls absolutely loved it 😉
I can’t wait to show it to them and see their reaction!!
The next snow day you should totally indulge and watch Footloose 🙂
I have to write everything down too! And now that you mention it, it probably did begin after pregnancy. You’re doing great holding yourself back with the running. I know how hard that is. But it will pay off!
It’s SO hard but I know it’s what I have to do if I want to achieve my goals for 2015. Oh the willpower!
I can’t remember a damn thing anymore. I hate it. I blame technology and a too full schedule b/c it CAN’T be age, right?
Chlorine…I swear I sweat it out of pores the next day even. This can’t be good, right? On the hair–if you wet your hair with tap water before getting in the pool it really helps, too.
I need to start taping the Mindy Project–it’s so good!
You have to start recording The Mindy Project – she is hilarious!
No, it cannot be age – I refuse to admit that when I’m not even 40 yet.
I wet my hair before getting into the pool and then I put in the leave-in conditioner – works like a charm. Thanks!
Hahahah your reminder, that is amazing! I forget things all the time, and I am only 26….so maybe I am losing my mind already….I sure hope not. Slowly but surely is a good mantra, and means you will get to your goals, and they will mean even more as it has taken so much time and effort to get there 🙂
I think it will all come together for you sooner than you think 🙂
Thanks Tina! I hope you’re right about my goals. As for the memory – I think it’s just TOO many things to remember and, now that you’re planning your wedding, you have a lot to remember!
HAHAHAHA I love that you used that Mindy quote because I legit immediately thought of you when she said that and I laughed and laughed and laughed. Related: please start a smug/drunk mom blog. Thanks.
That is so awesome. I laughed so friggin’ hard when I saw that and then I thought “I should just stop all this running nonsense and go with the smug mommy blog!” I mean, I have all the other things covered… 🙂
I’ve been the same way with reminders. Everything for me is filtered through my google calendar. I don’t know if I would remember my own name without it…kidding…somewhat.
Seriously!!! I feel you Hollie!
I can’t even remember what I did yesterday!
I don’t even remember to remind myself of things.
You’re excused.
I need that sports bra! I have a scar on my chest too. It’s my own fault though because I tried to open the darn thing with a key to change the battery and caused a jagged edge.
Ouch!!! I seriously cringed when I read that…
LMAO with your Elf On A Shelf problems. I have so much on my plate that I forget just about everything. Having to deal with that would probably send me over the edge. At least it works!
I’m telling you, if my kids didn’t really care about the elf, there is NO WAY I would continue to do it.
I am way past mommy brain. My brain is simply all melty ‘n stuff. This is my life.
I’m right there with you and my boys are only 5. I’m afraid for the next 10 years and beyond.
haha I love that quote from the Mindy Project. Amazing. I can’t even begin to tell you about all the lists and notes I have around the house to remind me to do things. I still get all cavalier and insist that I will remember something…and then I don’t. And the Elf on the Shelf – it’s CREEPY. Can’t do it.
I do the same thing and then I forget and get mad that I didn’t just write it down!!
I admit the elf is creepy but we’ve been doing it for 3 years now and that thing works. And I’m a fan of whatever works 🙂
Love The Mindy Project. And so smart to have elf reminders. Hope the elf doesn’t tell Santa about your naughty word usage.
Hahaha – that’s what my dad said!
If I thought the Elf would work on teenagers I would totally do it. In reality though, it would probably be like the tooth fairy who kept forgetting to come and the Elf would sit in the same place night after night. I am overwhelmed by the holidays right now, but I am going to take two weeks off of blogging (not of working) over the holidays and try to get my life in order.
PS. Footloose was one of my favorite movies. I still like Kevin Bacon and the reality is I was probably more like Ariel’s friend than Ariel.
I plan on taking a little bloggy break myself since the holidays are killing me. There comes a point when you have to just admit you can’t do it all, right?
LOL! Totally love Mindy! That VS bra would be worth it. I just don’t like the strap around me. I’m constantly tugging at it.
Maybe you could use some baby wipes for the chlorine smell. However, you may just wind up smelling like a baby that just went swimming. Don’t know until you try.
The chlorine smell is so powerful that I don’t think a baby wipe would touch it. I’ll absolutely try it since I have plenty of those laying around… 🙂
I love Footloose – I played the cassette tape over and over. Let’s Hear It For the Boy was my favorite to belt out into my hairbrush. I watched the remake with Gwen a few years ago – it wasn’t as good. Entertaining, but it’s not the same without Kevin Bacon.
I refuse to acknowledge there is a ‘re-make’ of that movie. Why do they do these things? Greatness needs to be left alone. And the soundtrack? Amazing. I used to try and do the warehouse dance sequence since I was a gymnast. It never worked out too well 🙂
I LOVE the elf reminder! I have been doing ok remembering to move him but I am out of spots and am too lazy to do one of those pinterest elf things.
There is no way I’m doing the Pinterest elf things. I put him in the most boring places – this morning he’s in Miles’ stocking and tomorrow he will be in Vaughn’s – but the boys don’t seem to care. I think if I started doing some elaborate set-ups they would get suspicious!
Mindy is freaking hilarious. Diapers and daydreams, that could EASILY be the name of my blog LOL I am good and bad with reminders–most of the time bad 🙁 Those bars look delishis.
Isn’t that show the best? I just about died when she said that, and my husband was cracking up and giving me the side eye. How dare he!! 🙂
You don’t know how many if my friends and I have the same (well almost) alarm for that damn elf! The only incentive is that it works. I’m all about finding one for year round!
It’s a love/hate relationship. I also now have two of my friends reminding me. It takes a village 🙂
ha! Diapers and daydreams! Do you think that’s taken yet?
I can’t wait to read your review on the mouse book! Scarlet wanted me to read it again tonight and it’s not short!
And I love Footloose and it was discussed in “Guardians of the Galaxy” which I loved.
It was?? We haven’t seen that movie yet. I’ll have to check to see if it’s On Demand yet 🙂
So excited to share the book with the boys. I can’t wait to hear their comments…
Oh, I’m just like you – as little as 10 years ago I didn’t even need a grocery list. The boys and Chris could tell me stuff they needed and I would remember when I was at the store. Now I forget stuff on my list half the time!!!
I just watched Footloose for the first time 2 years ago (growing up we weren’t allowed to watch movies/TV/music…..) – I loved it and cried. I think I was crying partly over the movie and partly about the fact that I missed out all those years:)
OMG Kim that is so, so sad about Footloose!! But, the beauty is that you can now watch it anytime you want. It’s seriously one of the best movies ever.
And yes to the grocery list. I continue to astound myself when I actually have something on the list and STILL forget it. Awful.
We have had a really shitty 10 days, not going to lie. I’ve pretty much been down for the count with a bad case of bronchitis. I’m on antibiotics and inhalers, fun times. Well, the second I start to show an ounce of energy what happens? Double ear infection for Ryan and the SAME night, a fever, cough, and super irritable 3 year old for Reid. I haven’t worked out in 2 weeks and feel like a piece of crap. So frustrating! I had the same problem with my HRM this summer too and it’s really frustrating because I got the Garmin 620 to get the stats from the HRM and I can’t even wear it! I’ve never seen that VS bra, interesting! As for that fucking elf….fuck the fucking elf (pardon the language). I need to set a reminder on my phone and I haven’t yet. “Buddy” has already forgotten to move twice and I get a laundry list of questions when that happens…I just say he really really likes that spot 🙂
Oh Sue that is totally horrible!!! I’m so, so sorry. Everyone around here ran through a cold (including me!) and it’s the worst!! And, no need to pardon the language with the elf. He brings out the worst in parents…but the best in the kids. Hopefully.
Hang in there my friend!!!
I have to check out VS’s work out gear again! I remember I looked at it when they first starting producing work out clothes, and they were cheap and BLEH, but I am sure they’ve stepped up their game thanks to all the other WORK OUT CLOTHING LINES out there!!
It’s time for a re-check my friend. You will like what you find!