Friday, February 11, 2011

Do it While You Can

My only self indulgence is a tumbling class that I take every Tuesday evening for one hour. Other than that, I don't do much else for myself.

What is tumbling you ask? Back handsprings, flips, and so on. Kind of like gymnastics, but without the equipment. My sister and I started watching gymnastics since the first time we got TV and always wanted to take a class. But Amish girls (and even after we weren't Amish) were not allowed to do that sort of stuff. The closest we could get to gymnastics was cheerleading. In high school, the two of us tried out for cheerleading without my mom's permission and without letting her know. We both made it and only then did we tell her.

Our squad decided to take a six week tumbling class. From the first class, I was hooked. We had always done flips and whatnot in our backyard as kids but to do this in a gym was amazing.

Since then, I've taken tumbling classes on and off but have always had to stop. Life has a tendency to "get in the way". There were three big reasons I had to stop. 1, I joined the Air Force. 2, Got preggo with Alena. and 3, preggo with Christian. Well I started back up when Christian was about 18 months old and haven't looked back since. I feel so great when I'm there. And knowing that I can still do it AND keep up with all the youngins' in the class is a big motivator. I am the oldest in the class by 10 years. HAH yeah, ten! What a way to make me feel old. I may be sore the day after and even the day after that, but I'm not letting that stop me. I look a lot younger than I am so I've had some people ask me why I'm taking the class. "Are you doing it for cheerleading or to learn something?"

Video of my tumbling here


"Uhh not quite. I'm just doing it for fun while I still can." And that's the whole point I'm trying to make. I'm sure there are things that you used to do that you've always wanted to keep up with but just haven't had the chance. What's holding you back? Get out there and DO IT WHILE YOU CAN!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

How Many Reasons

I was talking to my husband today and was saying a few reasons of why I wanted him home. So a great idea popped into my head! Why not write down all the reasons?

So here goes...

1. I can go shopping ALONE. -No more dragging two squirmy kids with me everywhere I go.
2. No more leftovers. -This is a big one since I'm not too good at eating leftovers and I always seem to make what would be enough for all four of us.
3. No more bedtime battles. -Wrestling both kids into pj's and bed in two different bedrooms and try to get them to STAY there and SLEEP is on average a 2 hour process.
4. A certain non mentionable act between the two of us. -You can figure it out. ;)
5. Having another child. -See #4. We would love a few more kids to add to the pack.
6. Showers. -I take them at nap time but with a four year old who is trying to convince me she doesn't need them anymore, showers are harder to come by.
7. CLEANING! -Daddy would be able to occupy them while I can actually get something done. Have you ever cleaned while the kids play? It's like shoveling the driveway while there's a blizzard.
8. Sleep. -It would be so nice to be able to sleep in once in a while.
9. I can actually have a face to face adult conversation with him. -Just having an adult conversation would be great!
10. Having someone to cuddle with. -My kids are NOT ones to cuddle.
11. No more sleeping alone. -I don't totally mind having the bed to myself, but on the nights where I have fears of someone breaking in, I can be more at ease knowing my husband would be there.
12. DATE NIGHT! -This doesn't even need an explanation.
13. I'll have my handyman back! -I can't even count how many times I've had to do a husband/man's job of building and fixing.
14. I won't have to answer these same questions nearly every day... "How do you do it? Are you sure daddy's safe? When's your husband get home?" and so on...
15. Confidence boost. -I never realized how much better I feel when I'm in public with my husband.
16. Getting out of the house will go faster. -Well, at least when he's home from work, but still.
17. Discipline. -I will not be the only bad guy anymore.
18. I'll have something to look forward to during the day. -Right now, I look forward to bedtime. I (and the kids)would be able to look forward to daddy's arrival home from work.
19. Bath time. -Gabe is so much better at giving them baths. I freak out over every splash that flings water out of the tub.
20. Dining out! -I can finally go to real restaurants again! Sorry, I don't exactly count McDonald's and such.
21. I'll have a reason to look pretty. -Some days, I have zero motivation to even look decent.
22. I can stop the constant worry. -I won't have to worry if he's dead just because he didn't call.
23. Driving duties. -Sometimes it's nice to sit back and enjoy the ride.
24. Finally being just mom again. -Being mom AND dad's not much fun.
25. I won't have to dread birthday parties and invitations to dinner so much. -I honestly HATE going to these without Gabe there to "back me up". If I don't know anyone, at least I would have him.
26. Weekends. -Without Gabe here, weekends just don't feel like weekends.
27. Happy kids, happy mom. -All around, everyone will be happier.
28. We can finally put the Army and deployments behind us.
29. No more 50/50. -So far we've spent half of our 5+ years of marriage apart.
30. Obviously the best reason would be that he'd be HOME! -Need I say more?

30 reasons...I'm sure I'll come up with more. But these are the biggest ones that I can think of right now. Got any more reasons?... Leave me a comment!