Goals...I gots one

Alas, it is not all princess dresses and Disney trips in the Dee house, but it is a good life most days :-)

So much so that in honor of an upcoming milestone in my life (4-0!) next Spring, I've committed myself to struggling through participating in this....Disn3y Princess Half Marathon.

Mind you, I'm not going to actually RUN in the marathon, hells no. With 38G breasts, running and I do not get along. I'm going to walk it--but hey, I do have to keep up a 16-minute mile pace in order to stay on the course and not get pulled from the race.

My training commenced on Sept. 8th, 6 months to the day the marathon takes place. I've got 6 months to prepare and get serious. This is the second week and I am feeling great. I've been walking three to four days a week, anywhere from 3.6 to 4 miles each outing (clocking around a 15-minute mile). I've also cut my sugars and carbs way back to, like, almost nothing, and have upped my protein exponentially. Down three pounds so far, more to come I imagine.

Losing weight is not my motivation in this endeavor. Getting healthy and fit is. Reality smacked me upside the head last week when I realized that, theoretically, my life could already be halfway over. Wow, just, wow.

I'm inspired, and happy, and looking forward to challenging myself. I'm going to be 40, me! (holy crap, how did that happen?!), and perhaps in the best shape of my life by the time it rolls around in March. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do. I've set my mind to it, now I just need to make it happen.

Any big goals you've set for yourself recently? Or am I just crazy? No wait, don't answer that.

Growing pains

Tomorrow, Miss J leaves for her first trip without Mommy & Daddy.

First thing in the morning, she is heading to her aunt's house and joining them for a three-day jaunt to Disn3y W0rld. It will be her second trip to the park (we went for Xmas last year) but it is the first time she will ever be on a trip without us. Talk about a weird feeling.

Surprisingly, I'm not worried. As a matter of fact, I'm excited for her. I think she's going to have a great time. Besides, as many of us know firsthand, your kids are always better behaved for someone else.

I'm trying to wrap my mind around the fact that my 'first' baby is 3 years old (okay, she's 3 years and 3 months) and my 'baby' is 19 months old. Last week, the "baby" dressed up in the princess dress that J wore for Halloween last year...and it fit, perfectly. Witness the picture of both D and J (below right) taken just last week...versus the picture of J on the right, taken last year October. Wow. They really do grow up quickly, huh?

And now, she's going off for a weekend without us. Sigh. Next thing I know, I'll blink and she'll be leaving for college.











For now, though, this weekend, A and I will be parenting only one child. Whatever shall we do with ourselves?