How pregnant are you?

I think this question is dumb. There is no degree of being pregnant beside the fact that you are or you aren't. You cannot be "kind of" pregnant.  From the moment I conceive, I am full-on, all the way, 100% pregnant.

Now, it would be okay to ask, "How far along are you in your pregnancy?" That makes sense. However, I'd like to note that different stages of pregnancy affect people differently.



So, there are six or seven pregnant women in Brad's building, but the parking lot only has two reserved parking spots for 'expectant mothers'. I guess there was a quarrel because a woman who was farther along in her pregnancy (not more pregnant) was irked that a woman who was not very far along in her pregnancy (still just as pregnant) had parked in one of the reserved spots.

I DO NOT SEE A PROBLEM WITH THIS.

If the sign says, 'expectant mothers', and not 'expectant mothers in their third trimester", then no skinny mama deserves dirty looks from a big belly mama.

Yes, it is easier to earn sympathy when you actually look like there is a basketball under your shirt. But, let me tell you, my third trimester of both of my pregnancies (even after my due date)was more comfortable that either of my first trimesters. And that is why I will start parking in the expectant mother spots from the day I find out that I am pregnant.

When I am feeling dizzy, like I am about to puke or pass out, or both, I don't want to walk a mile across the parking lot in the heat (especially when carrying one or more other small children). When I am 41 weeks pregnant...I am going to be hot and sweaty regardless, plus I will want to force myself to walk as far as possible to get those freaking contractions started because baby is overstaying it's welcome in my belly! Does this make sense to anyone else?

I guess I am just saying that I don't think I deserved those dirty looks I got when I parked in the expectant mother parking spot in front of the NEX when I was 2 months pregnant with Sam(and 10 pounds lighter than before I conceived). The reason I was skinnier than normal is because I barfed up everything I ate. Trust me, you cannot judge a pregnant woman's discomfort based on the size of her belly. I also don't think that the woman at Brad's work should get sympathy for being farther along in her pregnancy. If she wants the spot, she should get to work earlier.

Not all women get sick in the beginning, and some stay sick all the way through. Everyone is different, but I don't think it is fair to say that one pregnant woman is more deserving of a parking spot based on the size of her belly, when there could be many other factors involved. First come. First served. Period.

Round Is A Shape

I have never before been ice skating without falling at least once. This is usually due to me thinking that I am a much more talented ice skater than I really am. Last night, I didn't fall once. Perhaps it was because I didn't try to attempt any 1/2 axles like I usually do. I did get to experience something else completely new at the ice skating rink last night, and that was sharing one of my favorite winter time activities with my two year old daughter. Jocelyn knew we were going to be ice skating in the evening, so all day she wouldn't stop talking about it, and how excited she was to go. Then we got there, and I was heartbroken when she refused to let anyone put the adorable tiny skates on her feet. This lasted for nearly an hour. Then all of a sudden, she changed her mind! We got out on the ice, and she didn't want to leave. She nearly cried when her skates were taken off. That's my girl. :)



Another plus for me, is that I am NOT sore at all today. This has never happened. Perhaps it's because I didn't fall at all, but usually just wearing skates and using those uncommon muscles will leave my ankles and legs aching for a day or two. I'm thinking this means that Boot Camp has made me a better, stronger body. No muscles went unworked in that class...and I think that prepared me better for an activity like ice skating! I cannot wait to start again in January.

The soreness from last Sunday's marathon was completely worn off by Wednesday, which was nice. Monday was awful, and I thought Tuesday would be even worse because usually day two is worse for me. However, Tuesday was not nearly as bad as Monday, and Wednesday I was nearly back to normal. My feet were not nearly as torn up as they were after the half marathon, and I am considering referring to myself as an actual 'runner' now! :) I think I have a little while to go until I am pleased with my physical appearance, but as far as being in shape and feeling in shape, I'm very impressed with myself. If you would have asked me at anytime in my life, up until about 6 months ago, if I would ever enjoy running, the answer would have been, "No way!" I am a girl who smoked for 5 years, the entire time I was in the Air Force. That whole time I was on active duty, I did my yearly PT test and not much more as far as exercise went. I might have looked better, but my bodily health was crap. It feels so good to finally feel so good! Haha.



Anyway, I hope I can concentrate on the healthy aspect of what I am doing, instead of getting caught up in the, "I want to be skinny" aspect of it all. After ice skating last night, I was reminded that Jocelyn's single biggest influence in her life is me (at least for now). I need to be a model of good health, good eating decisions, and smart activity choices for my kids. I also need to avoid being too consumed with my looks, to avoid teaching them about body image anxiety issues. These are all hard things to do, but I have found that the smartest decisions are easiest to make when it involves the lives of your children, and not just you. Obviously smoking, sloth, and Smirnoff were much more easily put in the trunk once my world started to revolve around my kids instead of just me. Though sometimes it will be hard to make the right choices, or even know what the right choices are, I hope that I will find it easier and easier to strive to be an example for my children in all aspects of life.

Don't be afraid to hold me accountable. :)

Miss me?

I haven't blogged in a bit. To say that I've been busy would be a lie, but I have added some new things to my normal schedule. I have been running quite a bit since my last blog, training for the Honolulu Marathon (which is in 3 days, ack!). I have moved into a beautiful new house, hosted a couple parties, and decorated for Christmas since my last blog. I have been going to a Monday night women's Bible study for some time now, but Brad and I started going to the Friday night family version since my last blog. I have made some new friends at MOPS since my last blog. Also since my last blog, I have started doing boot camp classes Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 0715. I don't know if you remember this blog,http://happyteamhayes.blogspot.com/2010/08/fat.html, but when I posted it, I was signed up to start boot camp classes on September 4th. That didn't happen thanks to my appendix no longer wanting to reside in my body. I even posted 'before' photos in the blog right after that one. However, I'm pretty sure I looked exactly the same at the end of September, if not fatter (thanks to my post surgery laziness). After a month of no serious physical activity, I started running again in October, then started Boot Camp in the middle of November. The instructor took my measurements back at the end of August, and today I got measured again. Guess what, I lost some stuff! I lost some inches here and there, some pounds here and there, and some other junk too (I'm sure).

This is the before and after according to her measurments:

Weight:
before- 155
after- 146

bust:
before -41
after -38

waist:
before -33.5
after -31.5

leg:
before -22.75
after -21.75

arm:
before -10.75
after -10.25

body fat percentage:
before -35%
after -32%

Metabolic age:
before -43
after -35 (yikes!)

I didn't get to participate in the biggest loser competition this month because my original measurements were so old...but next month? It's on! I still have a long way to go to feel comfortable posting 'after' photos in that same swim suit from September.

In addition the the joy I feel with this physical accomplishment, I just feel so much more joyful as a person lately. I had some serious problems this summer finding joy in things. I would get mad at complete strangers for really silly things, and I was allowing myself to be consumed by anger and frustration regarding things that were completely out of my control. I thank God for my ladies bible study group, and the timing at which they decided to do a John Piper study called "Fighting For Joy". I have found it difficult sometimes to fight for joy in certain things, but at the same time I have found it easy to be grateful for all the blessings that I have. My most recent struggle involves all of my amazing blessings. I have been asking myself questions about the lost and the unreached, and how God has allowed them to become so lost. It is so overwhelming sometimes to think about how many millions of people on our planet have never even heard the name of Jesus, much less had the opportunity to hear the gospel and become saved. The past few days I have had some trouble finding joy in the fact that these people are the complete opposite of blessed while I am sitting here with SO MUCH! I have been so happy lately, between surrounding myself with wonderful Godly women who hold me accountable, and all of the happy endorphins I get from my increased exercising, that I have seemed to forget about those who don't have so much to be happy about this holiday season and always. I want to challenge myself to continue to find joy in all that I can, but also put a lot more effort into praying for and supporting missionaries who are spreading the gospel around the world. It has been placed on my heart to take part in a short term missions trip this year, whether it be the one I am thinking about right now, or some other one I can join up with, I really want to bring others the option to fight for joy in God.

Wow, strange blog, huh? "Yay, I lost a few pounds" turned into some pretty deep stuff pretty quickly. I'm sorry if this caught you off guard...but that's just me!

I honestly don't think I will get around to blogging before the year is up, so Happy Christmas and Merry New Year to all of you. I hope you are able to feel blessed this season, and find some way to share those blessings with someone who needs them!

Ten things I'm wondering about

10. Why did Jocelyn wake up crying for a half hour last night. Did she have a bad dream? Why couldn't she effectively communicate to me what the heck was wrong? Why did I have to feel so helpless to make her feel better?

9. Why are there husbands out there who cheat on their GORGEOUS and skinny wives...wives who work out, work hard, keep their houses clean, stay busy, look put together all the time, and are faithful and loving...while I am lucky enough to get a good looking husband who loves me and stays faithful to me even though I am not nice, gorgeous, skinny, hardworking, organized or even clean?

8. Why have I had no feeling in two of the toes on my left foot for the past week? Did I drop something on it while moving boxes or furniture? Did they become desensitized because of my ill-fitting running shoes?

7. How is it that I have a one year old and a two and a half year old? I mean, didn't I just help finish building a JAWS themed homecoming float last week?

6. How is it possible to love my kids as much as I do?

5. Will Brad be able to keep up with me in 6 weeks as we run the Honolulu Marathon? Better yet, will I even be able to cross the finish line in 6 weeks at the Honolulu Marathon?

4. Who is going to want to wake up at 0330 to watch my kids that day?

3. Why do some girls have to be so stupid and drama-riffic? And, why am I not trying harder to avoid being one of those girls?

2. How can some people get pregnant one month post-partum, while breastfeeding, and yet I am one year post-partum, no longer breastfeeding and still not getting pregnant?

1. How, even with God's amazing grace, can I successfully fight for joy everyday, even on bad days? Why does it have to be so hard sometimes!


These are just thoughts that have crossed my mind in the last hour. I could make this a "100 things I'm wondering right now" list, but I'll spare you. :)

God > stuff....but oh man, do I like stuff!

Team Hayes went on a major shopping spree today. We spent a grand total of $3,627.96. That sounds like a lot, right? Well, consider this: In 2003, Brad bought the TV that we have right now. It is a 900 pound, 38", picture tube monstrosity that takes up about one quarter of the square footage of our family room. It was pretty much the last picture tube television ever made, and the only reason it wasn't bigger than 38", was because if they made a 42" high definition picture tube television, you'd need a forklift to move it around your house. Anyway, when he bought the behemoth, it came with a specialized TV stand, surround sound, sub woofer, DVD player, and Direct TV dish equipment. It was a package deal, and he paid $3,600 plus tax! Eek.

Today, for the same amount that he spent on just his TV stuff back in the day, we got a sleeper sofa, a matching reclining love seat, a coffee table and two matching end tables, a lap top desk, a chair for the laptop desk, a 42" LCD flat screen TV, a DVD/surround sound home theater system, a TV table, and two matching bookcases.




Everything you see pictured above was purchased today for the same amount of money that (seven years ago) purchased this:



Yeah, Brad might be "good with money", and he might have had the $3,600 cash to throw down for his TV and stuff back then...BUT, I definitely bring something to the table here. I know how to get MORE for my (our) money! ;) We make a great team. He saves the money, and I spend it...on deals!

Are you ready for the bonus? If you apply for a Military Star card, you get 10% off of your first day's purchases. Also, AAFES has a special right now...if you use your star card to buy furniture or electronics between October 1st and October 15th, you will not have to pay interest or even make a payment until May 2011. Hmm, coincidence that the only things we were buying were furniture and electronics? SO, Brad got a star card today. The limit was $3,700 (when we had already picked out exactly $3,629.00 worth of stuff, weird huh?). We will now only have to pay $3,266 for all of that stuff (10% off = $363 in savings), and we don't have to take a giant chunk out of our savings account to do it, because we can leisurely pay $600 per month and have the balance paid in full with ZERO interest charges before we even have a payment due. NICE! Credit cards can be a good thing...if they are used to SAVE money, instead of to waste money on interest charges!

Now I can head off to California tomorrow night (hopefully), satisfied with the fact that we have all of the furniture we need/want for our new living room. That's just one less thing I have to worry about when I get back, during those few days before we have to move.

Stuff makes me happy, but God makes me happier! I want to glorify Him, with my deals and happiness today. Praise God, and let me express how thankful I am for all the gifts He has blessed us with. He has indeed provided for us, by giving us the strength and wisdom to be financially stable enough to make purchases like this without fear of future indebtedness. Yay!

OCTOBERFEST (with a 'c'): Team Hayes Goes For Broke

Halloween is my favorite holiday. I always look forward to dressing up. I love decorating for Halloween almost as much as I love decorating for Christmas. I am a little sad about the fact that I will not be able to put my decorations up on the 1st of October as usual. However important I have deemed them in the past, decorations are very low on my to-do list in the coming weeks. This is going to be a very busy, not to mention expensive, October for Team Hayes!

Here is the plan so far:

October 1 - Housing pre-inspection. This is when the housing guys come and inspect our house to tell us what we need to return to 'move-in' condition before we vacate. Then we have to fix all of it before turning in the keys, or we get charged who knows how much. Also, we are going to a laser light show/family festival type thing that night to celebrate the new fiscal year, and more importantly Pearl Harbor and Hickam officially becoming a joint base. Free food and bouncy housing? Yes please.



October 2 - We will be headed up north for TSGT Zach Weaver's promotion party. Woo hoo! But, before and after the fun, we will start working on getting the household non-essentials boxed up, and attack some of the things that we will have to improve before our final inspection (taking down curtain rods, replacing the bathroom towel rods that I removed, etc). Did I mention that we have to grow grass in our backyard before we move out?

October 3 - Pack for California! This particular Sunday is going to be a busy one. We will have to empty, clean and deflate the pool in the backyard, roll up and clean the tarp, and then plant grass seed. I will also have to catch up on laundry, and get myself packed and ready to mobilize to California the next day.

October 4 - I will begin the hunt for a space available AMC flight on this Monday. Amanda Foxworthy is getting married on Sunday the 10th, so I should be able to get on a flight with plenty of time. This is going to be a brand new travel experience for me because I have never before traveled with two full size car seats! So, my travel system will need a little bit of buffering and fine tuning.



October 5-8 - These are ambiguous days for us because we will either be playing the standing-by-to-fly game, or arriving in California, procuring a rental car, and heading to Salinas/Sacramento. Who knows!? It's always a little bit of an adventure for us. I would love to go for a walk with Cori and Kate on the morning of Thursday the 7th. I really hope I make it to Travis AFB at least by Friday afternoon so that I can join Jodi's bridal bowling excursion that evening (that will be bridal bowling experience number two for me, in as many weeks). Ideally, I'd get on a Tuesday late night flight, land at Travis around 8 am on Wednesday, get a rental car around 10 am, pick up a platter of Chick-fil-A nuggets, and head for Nine Months and Beyond, to meet Stacey and Ginger for an impromptu celebration of their impending non-pregnant-ness (aka baby celebration). Also, I need to see Glen McDowell to check out our family photos, and settle the bill with him so we can finally change the picture at the top of this blog! Yay!



October 9 - If I haven't made it to Salinas by this point, then I am likely in Hawaii, pouting about missing Amanda's wedding and kicking myself for being too cheap to buy a plane ticket. Hopefully, though, I will be shacked up at Kylie's...maybe even enlisting a babysitter so she and I can go out to enjoy a bit of our favorite pastime (karaoke!).

October 10 - Amanda get's married! Yay! I'll be leaving the kids with Aunt Kylie, and heading to Carmel, dateless, to witness the vows of one of my favorite people to one of her favorite people. Aw, I'm tearing up. I love love!

October 11 - The fight for a return flight begins! I love that I have family close by to deal with me and my kids when we get jerked around by the AMC system. I need to make it clear that I hold no ill will for the AMC system because of how it "jerks me around". I am actually SUPER grateful to have access to the opportunities that are provided to me and my family by the AMC. I guess I am just spoiled from all angles!

October 12-15 - Hopefully arriving back in Honolulu by Friday the 15th. If we get stuck in Farifield for a day or two, maybe another free tour of the Jelly Belly factory will be in order....or maybe this time I can catch the newly engaged Kaysie Herrera (soon to be Pino) for dinner in Concord.



October 16 - Navy Ball! Yay, dress whites for Brad and another reason for me to get prettied up!. I really hope that I make it back from California in time because the tickets are $60 a piece this year, it might be the last Navy Ball I get to go to with the Paines, AND the Weavers are coming! Also, Melynda just might wear my bridesmaid dress from Stacey's wedding! I was really skinny then, but not THAT skinny...and I am taller than her, so I need to take it in, put a new zipper on, and hem it between now and then. But, I can squeeze that in somewhere, right? Nothing makes me happier than spending time with friends, except for saving my friends money!!! Ha ha. If only I could wear this dress to the Navy Ball this year!



October 17 - Count down to move...4 days! Eek. I need to look for a drop in day care to hang onto the kids for the 18th, 19th, and 20th, so we will be able to pack up and be ready to move on the 21st. Yikes, I'm getting excited and anxious, but I'm sure four days is plenty of time to pack for a move.

October 21-24 - MOVE. Rent a truck, fill it up, drive it around the corner, unload, repeat. That sounds relatively easy and stress free! We plan to just load up one room at a time, then set up the room as it should look as we unload. It should go as smoothly as I am planning, right?

October 25 - Inspection on old house and turn in the keys. Good bye 1944 Nye Place!
Hello, 2725 Gordon Street!



October 26 - relax

October 27-30 - Organize, finish moving in, clean, DECORATE (normal house stuff and Halloween decorations), do some major grocery shopping, prepare the house and make a cake for Sam's Halloween Birthday Party...not to mention celebrating Sam's actual birthday which will be on the 28th. I can't believe he is almost one already!

October 31 - Sam's Halloween Birthday party! Costumes, candy, food, friends, and fun! Plus a little set up and clean up. Trick or Treating is going to be a fun way to end this month! :)

So, that will be our crazy October!

Now, I can't get carried away with thinking that far into the future. Here are somethings I get to do BEFORE October even arrives:

-Clean and organize for housing pre-inspection
-Do about 14 loads of laundry
-buy new furniture
-sew my lion costume and Jocelyn's Dorothy costume
-alter dress for Melynda
-get new brake pads for the van installed, and brake fluid leak fixed
-go see Beauty and the Beast at the Blaisdell Center
-get dressed up for 'formal bowling', followed by karaoke and half price Sansei sushi! <-- I'm really looking forward to that this weekend :)

You know, I was sitting around doing nothing today, and still felt overwhelmed with what the next 5 1/2 weeks has in store for me. I thought that if I wrote it all down, that it wouldn't look like quite so much, and maybe it would relieve a little bit of stress. Oops. Now all I can think about is how much all of this is going to cost...



* Honolulu ladies formal bowling, including bowling, sushi, drinks,etc = $60
* Beauty and the Beast ticket = $40
* fix the van = $100 deductible w/warranty (not too shabby, especially after the free oil change I got today!)
* new couch/love seat/end table/coffee table/tv table/tv and surround sound/computer desk/pillows/throw blankets/wall hangings/lamps/etc = $4000-$5000
* three round trip plane tickets from Honolulu to San Fransisco = $0 :)
* rental car for approximately one week in California = $200 + $500 credit card hold
* Sacramento bridal bowling = $40
* Chik-fil-A nugget tray = $50
* Glen McDowell's tab = I think it will be close to $500
* new hair straightener from Sally's = $100
* Amanda's wedding, including gift, drinks, baby sitting etc =$200
* Jelly Belly factory tour = $0 (yeah right, you know I'm going to spend $20 on fudge!)
* Navy ball tickets = $120
* child care for Navy Ball = $0 :)
* Uhaul rental = who knows, I've never rented a Uhaul before...$50, $100???
* babysitting during move = probably close to $300
* Oh, and the insurance on the van is due by Oct 22 = $318.10

I am afraid to add up the numbers I have listed above. Haha. I think we are nearing $7000 for the month and that doesn't even include groceries, gas, our bills (water delivery/netflix/cell phones/internet), or spending cash. Hey, but guess how much I'm going to be spending on diapers? Yeah, major savings!

I am looking forward to November. Though I will be hosting a ladies luncheon on November 14th, and then Thanksgiving dinner a few short days after that, I do not plan on doing anything else in November. I'm going to be a hermit. Oh wait...I have Christmas shopping to do! :)

Poor Brad. At least he will have some quality time with his birthday present while the kids and I are in California!

The pitter patter of tiny feet

I have a habit of staying up late, using the computer. Actually, it is less of a habit, and more of an addiction. Brad almost always goes to sleep before me. I'm just kind of a night owl.

Anyway, throughout the last couple of weeks I have been considering changing my night owl ways due to something that totally creeps me out. There is a rat, mouse, squirrel, giant gecko, or other creature of that sort living in my ceiling! I'm pretty sure it's 'nest' is under the floorboards of our upstairs hallway, and DIRECTLY above my computer desk.

Eek. I can hear it right now, scampering around. As I type this, I am having to go back and fix all the typos that I'm creating because I keep getting chills and cannot type easily with shaking hands.

Ick. Last week, our rodent guest was hyper and was running around so fast that it was running into things and making other obnoxious sounds in addition to the creepy tapping of tiny claws. I was freaked out. When I finally went upstairs to go to bed, I couldn't sleep. I was up ALL night, staring at the ceiling, listening to the critter in the silence.

I have heard it nearly every night since, and cannot figure out why I have yet to call housing to let them know about it. I haven't been sleeping well. I have even had dreams of this creature keeping Jocelyn company in her bed as she sleeps. YUCK! However, when I wake up in the morning I seem to forget about it, then every night when I am reminded, it is too late to call the housing office.

I really need to start going to bed earlier! It's 11:00 now, and I'm going to head up to bed, but probably won't be able to sleep until around 1:00. :(

*shiver*