Out of the mouths of babes...

So my Little Man, 6 years old going on 30, wanders into the master bedroom while hubby is ironing some shirts...while hubby does housework, he watches CMT because it's entertaining but not too distracting...so Little Man walks in to have his homework signed and says (have you seen the video for 'Brand New Girlfriend' yet? No? Well then you might not get this), "Daddy, his new girlfriend looks like a giant Barbie!"

Same child only weeks prior when confronted about eating only the marshmallows out of his Lucky Charms, "I try not to pick out just the marshmallows, but they're just so good! I can't help it."

When asked what it's called when someone has difficulty digesting vitamin D, "Lactose untolerance" (I wonder if the child even knows what intolerance is)

He makes me laugh every single day.

OLTA update

Yes, I'm up too...up 2 lbs, and I can't explain it.

I'm working out 3 days a week for 45 min to an hour, and we go dancing on Friday nights like clockwork. My clothes don't feel any looser, but they don't feel any tighter either...I'm starting to get frustrated...I feel like I'll have to stop eating all together in order to lose any weight at all. (Don't worry, I'm not even disciplined enough to do that if I really wanted to, which I don't.)

I guess I need to add one or two workouts a week to my routine...and try to stay away from the popcorn at work.

Been busy as hell this week at work. I've had to take over my boss's job while he's deployed, so I'm doing his work as well as my own...and I don't really know what he does. It's a pretty steep learning curve...hmmm...maybe the added stress and lack of sleep have something to do with my weight gain...oh well, nothing I can do about those things, except try to manage them.

On marriage...

My husband and I are in therapy...marriage therapy...it doesn't embarass me in any way; in fact, I'm proud that we are...at least we didn't just quit. It had come to a point early this year that I was ready to walk out. He simply would not listen to me when I told him that I was unhappy with our marriage. It really all boils down to respect. You see I'm the primary bread-winner in our home, which has at times been difficult for him. I understand that...our culture does not easily accept a man as primary caregiver...and without income. But, in our home, that is the way it has to be...I don't just have a job...I have a career. He has about 15 credit hrs of college. I can retire in about 8 years, and we will receive my retirement check every month after that...forever. Money isn't everything, but it sure is hard to make the mortgage without it.

But he was working in the fast food industry (management...but still the pay isn't that great)...then he got laid off. Things went downhill from there until I got my commission. (Now, he can stay home with the kids because we can afford it. And I've finally convinced him that it's ok for him to go back to school...we have the resources now.)

Anyway, I was working full time; he was working full time; and we were raising 3 kids. The stress was enormous, and our family hardly ever spent any time together. It ended up that I was doing all the housework except the yard. (He knows that if it is my responsibility to get the lawn mowed, the neighbor's teenager is going to make about $25.) I was resentful because I would ask him to pitch in, but he refused. He thought that his job (on his feet) was so much more taxing than mine (desk job) that he shouldn't have to contribute to the housework...and that view didn't change much after he got laid off. (I firmly believe that was due more to depression than anything else, but that wasn't how I felt at the time.) I felt like he thought that what I was doing wasn't valuable, and that I was overpaid (because he resented that I made more money than him). But I couldn't make him listen...until I decided to leave...

It was one of the most painful decisions of my life...so I agreed to try therapy with him. And glad that I did...we are so much healthier now. Our marriage isn't perfect, and I'm still angry (wish I could shut that off)...I'm angry that it took me leaving to get him to 'give a damn'...but at least now, he does give a damn. He's been treated for his depression, and he's started back to school...and doing quite well at that. I like our marriage now...I like our relationship...and I like our family...but I'm still afraid...afraid it will go back to the way it was...afraid that if it does I won't have the courage to stop it...afraid that if I try but fail, I may live the rest of my life alone...I hate being afraid...

OMG! I have a comment

And it's from Attila the Mom. I read "Cheaper Than Therapy" every day, well, every weekday anyway. She has insprired hubby to save save save on groceries too. We shop at the military commissary, so it's not as easy to get the percent savings (they have a contract that makes them charge cost plus 5%, no coupon-doubling here either), but we routinely save about 20-35% now just with coupons.

I really wasn't expecting anyone to read this. I just write to clear my mind (read: vent). I guess it's a place I feel safe just letting it out. Anyway, thanks for stopping by.

And since it's Monday, my own OLTA (completely stolen from Nikki (see link to Bite My Ass in my sidebar)). This morning I weighed in at an astounding 160 lbs. I have this neat little scale that uses electric pulses through the feet (no pain involved, I swear) to estimate body fat...it told me, this morning, that I'm at 30.5% body fat. That's down half a percent from when I started this adventure. And yesterday, I put on my size 10 jeans (ok, so it was the loosest pair and they were 'a bit' snug, but still). When I can get back into my Rockies, I'll be happy. You can't imagine how disheartening it was to hear the sales lady say "They don't make Rockies in your size."

I've been somewhere around the same size since 1992...well, until 2006 anyway. (This does not include periods of pregnancy and post-pregnancy (I have 3 kids after all).) Over the course of the first half of 2006 I managed to pack on over 15 pounds...and I wasn't happy with my weight before! Now I just want to get back to where I was...I started OLTA at almost 165 lbs...I've lost almost 5...just 15 to go...I CAN do this...

TGIF

It's Friday once again...thank goodness. This week has been one of those weeks. While I've gotten a lot done and had a satisfying week, I'm also exhausted. Going out to dance tonight with hubby is a must, but lord I'm tired. Friday night dancing really recharges my battery. I will once again be able to face the masses and smile.

I moved into my own office today...an honest to goodness office. I don't have to squeeze into a cubicle no bigger than my half-bath at home...well, for the next few months anyway. When my boss gets back, I'm pretty sure he'll want his office back. I'm thinking of decorating in pink, so he won't want it when he comes home...but then I'd be nauseated...

Well, the inspiration just isn't striking me today...maybe I'll be more in tuned with my need to write after a great night on the dance floor...good night blogosphere.

You ever have one of those days?

Ok...so there were more issues before curtain. One person is pregnant, another has a meltdown, yet another has an assignment. But the truly remarkable thing is, that despite things going horribly wrong, the job got done...ok, it wasn't seamless, it was smooth sailing...but it got done...and I didn't stress over it. Someone said to me, "Wow, you must be really stressed!" My only reply to that was, "No, not really." For whatever reason, I just rolled with each new incoming jab, and we (me and my troop) got the job done. Yes, we had to come in on our day off (I'm giving him a comp day); yes we had to call in a bunch of other people on their day off (nothing I can do for them...maybe I'll bake them a cake); but we did it...and it feels good to have been put in a hard situation and fixed it up...the boss is happy...and we look like gods.

It's been a while since I posted, but that is because I've been so busy I haven't even had time to log on. Being busy is a very good thing. I have a lot of job satisfaction when it keeps me busy. Today, I love my job. Tomorrow...well, we'll just have to wait and see about tomorrow.

But other things are going well too...I learned a little piece of magic this week...how to avoid an argument you never intended to start. I said something to hubby (don't remember what it was that I said, but that isn't the magic) that really ticked him off. It was trivial to me, but it really made him mad. He expressed his anger with me, and I told him that I was sorry, sorry that what I said had hurt his feelings; that was never my intention. He wanted to stay mad, but really what could he do? It's not the saying I'm sorry part that is the magic either. It's that when you can step into another person's shoes and recognize their hurts; well, then it's easier to say I'm sorry...and mean it...and that's a connection. I may never have to have another knock-down-drag-out-fight with hubby...and that would be nothing short of a miracle.

Update on OLTA: 161 lbs this morning, and 31% body fat. I'm not doing that well I guess, but I had a horrible chest cold last week, and this week has just been too busy for me to really workout (though I am watching my diet fairly well). I have a Dr.'s appt tomorrow morning, but I'm getting back to working out tonight. (I hope.) And at least I haven't gained this week.