Disney Training

So, I've gone into training for my Disney trip. A few days ago Shawn and I went walking somewhere and I almost didn't make it - and it wasn't a long walk. I realized that even with the help of prednisone, I was going to have a hard time of it in Disney. So I decided to go into training. With about seven weeks, I should be able to build my stamina a bit. I put eight activities into a bag (walk around the neighborhood, longer walk around the neighborhood, longest walk around the neighborhood, walk through the non-existence strip mall, two trips to the gym, two 20-minute walks on the treadmill at home, an aerobic DVD and a 'break day') and every day I pull an activity to do. It's only Day 4 but I've done it every day this week. It's a start. So, with a seven-week training program (which also includes stretching at Noon), and prednisone, I might actually survive the trip (physically).

I got my hair chopped off last week - chopped and colored. It's way shorter than I wanted (and the idiot layered it! You don't layer curly hair!!) and much darker than I wanted (not the color we had agreed on!) I don't know if I like it enough. The cut is OK but the color is throwing me every time I look in the mirror. Maybe I just need to adjust. It should grow out enough by May so I can have it trimmed up and colored lighter - before we head to Greece. One thing is for sure; I won't have to try to remember what Disney trip I was on while looking at these pictures. 'Oh, yeah, that was the year I chopped off my hair and colored it brownish-red!'

Fab Dream - No So Much Fab Reality

So I had a wonderful dream last night about Shawn. I had to choose between him and some 'shadow' guy that wanted me. I realized it was no contest. So I am dressed in white, waiting on the deck of a boat (?) hoping Shawn will come for me. And he does, dressed in a white naval uniform. He doesn't say anything, just grabs me and gives me a very passionate kiss. It was a great dream and when I woke up, I just wanted that feeling of being loved by him to continue. So as I showered, I decided I was going to give him a passionate morning kiss (he was already downstairs) and treat him to an afternoon movie. I got dressed, fixed my hair and makeup and went downstairs.... where I was greeted with 'I found a pee stain on the carpet, those kittens knocked over a plant and made a mess, you need to find the paint for the bathroom and touch up an area, the cat waterdish can't stay in the bathroom, and the basement is a mess.' No good morning, much less a good morning kiss, passionate or otherwise. I just hightailed it to the basement where I spent an hour cleaning up the scrapbook mess we made (it's SCRAPbook; there are going to be scraps of paper!) By the time I was done, my makeup was smeared, my hair was in disarray and my dream of Shawn was long gone. Within three minutes of my going downstairs, he had set the tone for the day - and it wasn't sounding good. So instead of a fun rainy day with my husband, I will be hiding in the basement or the bedroom or here on the computer until he goes to play poker. I knew I should have just stayed in bed.

Night-Loving Nightmare

Ana was suppose to spend the night last night but I never heard back from my attempts to contact Kathey - so no Ana. However, I did have Felicia, Emily and Kristen. Most of the event was fun and productive - but those kids don't sleep at night. Krissy slept from 12:15 to 4:00, Emily from 12:45 to 3:00 and Felicia from 5:00 to 8:00. I got about three hours of VERY interrupted sleep! Then as the sun started peeking out, the girls decided it was time to go to sleep. I wasn't having any of that! I yanked their sorry tushes out of bed, threw them all through the shower/tub, got them breakfast and off we went to the park before it got too hot. We also scrap booked both last night and this morning and hit McDonalds on the way home. Krissy actually fell asleep at McDonalds. That will teach them. At least I know have a year before they sleep over again!

I don't know what got into me, but I looked up Hanz on Facebook - and I think I found him! Spelled 'Hans' now (though he once told me that's how he spelled it until the military checked his birth certificate and found the nurse had misspelled it on the certificate), the guy lives in San Fran and, though I couldn't access his Facebook wall, I did look through his friends list and a lot of them are in the Philippines. But his profile picture is of a guy's back, pointing off in the distance. All I really wanted was to see what he looked like and all it has is a back! And now I feel kind of guilty for looking him up at all. (And I know I'll look him up again to see if he changes his picture to a front image.) Blast from the past. I blame it on George having his 20th high school reunion this week-end and my upcoming birthday. Has me thinking of my younger years. I would never actually contact the guy (not looking like this!!)

Older in Lawrence

Shawn and I went to Lawrence this afternoon. I have gotten older and everyone in Lawrence has gotten younger. I could barely manage to walk Massachusetts Street. Some of it was the heat (95) but most of it was my physical condition. I can't do this anymore. I have got to get it together. There's no way I'm going to make it through Disney World in this shape, and we leave in two months. I have made the commitment to hit the gym every day until we go, slowly working my way up on the time spent on the treadmill. I realize the prednisone will aid in my vacation, but it can't do it all. I have to get off 10 pounds and get in some semblance of shape before we get on the plane. The trip is going to cost way too much to not be able to enjoy it and keep up with everyone. I can't believe I've allowed myself to get this bad. I am serious - I am in bad shape. BAD SHAPE!

Narnia!

I took the girls to Union Station today. We went through the Narnia exhibit and Science City, then crossed over to Crown Center where we had dinner at Fritz's (I think), where the food is served by model trains. We had a real grand time, the girls loved every second of it, it wasn't too expensive ($100 for everything - tickets, food, souvenirs and gas) and we all walked (or limped!) away totally spent and happy. It was nice to be able to treat them to such a day.

I found out they are about to lose cable (again) so instead of enrolling Felicia in the Leavenworth virtual school program, they are 'creating their own curriculum' again. I don't understand how parents who love their child could set her up for a miserable life. She will never pass a GED (which she will need to take if she doesn't graduate from an accredited school), she will convince herself she doesn't need any type of diploma, and she will end up living her mother's life. How can you do that to a child you love and care about? I don't understand it. I will continue to put away in her 529 plan but don't expect her to ever have need for it. I can't even begin to describe how disappointed, angry, shocked, appalled, etc I am over Susanna. Krissy is only 4 so there are many years left of my having to deal with my sister if I want to maintain a relationship with my nieces, but once Krissy has been destroyed, I will have no more contact with Susanna. I truly am finished with her.