by michellereitemeyer

9 months on, 8 months off

Yesterday I ran 3 miles. That seems to be the new distance now – 3 to 3 1/2 miles. The best thing is that it’s not the distance that makes me stop – it’s the time. I’m very slow, so it took me 40 minutes to run 3 miles plus a cooldown walk. I had to head home to take care of my other obligations. I know if I keep it up, my speed will increase, but I’m so impatient.

And if you really want to beat your body up, here’s a site to show you how. Bill modified the routine for himself and is doing most of it (I quote: “donkey kicks are dorkey.”). And he hurts. My goal is to be able to do a dozen pushups without looking like an idiot. I can’t do even one. Bill, ever one for good ideas, suggested leaning on the staircase and gradually moving to a lower step. I’m on step 5. I am practically vertical when I do them. I did 15 normal pushups, 10 wide arm and 10 diamond – not all at once. I looked like an idiot. And I hurt, but just a little.

Ah, but the best news of all – the weight I gained from my pregnancy is off. But I never did lose 10 pounds from Jenny, so I still have work to do.

And I wonder if the dress I bought a month ago for the fancy dinner will fit me at the make-up date in 2 weeks. It’s a good thing I can sew and can shorten the spaghetti straps if necessary.

03.07.06

by michellereitemeyer

great idea, poor execution, great results anyway

Ah, leave it to me, the non-crafty person that I am, to punish myself with an art project for the kids.

It WAS a great idea: placemats for the dinner table. Using Lenten purple construction paper and various holy images and Bible quotes to decorate it and using clear Contact paper to protect it from the elements.

The execution was poor. I am easily frustrated by my own ineptness and hence was short-tempered and impatient with the Contact paper with seems to have a mind of its own (closely resembling that of an obstinate donkey), so instead of peacefully, meditatively guiding the children in what could have been, should have been, a spiritual odyssey reflecting on the Passion of Christ, instead I was angrily fighting with this inanimate object that was thwarting my every move.

Oh, and I misjudged how much Contact paper I had/needed, so only 3 mats (out of 6) were “laminated”.

But the results are fabulous, and I’ll probably suffer through it again in a few weeks and make some for Easter. The kids had fun and will be able to enjoy the fruit of their labor for many weeks. Hopefully the pictures they covered and will see at every meal will keep them ever mindful of the season, and their sight might remind ME that a little bit of suffering bring great rewards.

03.06.06

by michellereitemeyer

Gotcha

Last night – 9 pm. All the kids are asleep…except Jenny. Bill and I are in the kitchen talking, cleaning up and prepping for morning. The baby monitor is on and cranked up to hear any noise above breathing. Bill might have thought that I was listening for the baby.

Oh no.

Suddenly, we heard some slight noise. I turned to Bill and said, “Now! Quick! Upstairs and get her out of the baby’s room!” He dashed up the steps and flipped on the hall light. There she stood like a deer in the headlights in the middle of the baby’s room. Pete was blissfully unaware of the impending wake-up call that had just been thwarted.

Her hands were covering her face – half because of the blinding light, half with the classic toddler logic of If-I-Can’t-See-You-Then-You-Can’t-See-Me. This saved her hide because Bill finds it to be so absolutely adorable. The old softy.

Her silently led her out of the room and back to bed where her threatened her with a tremendous spanking if she got out of bed again. She stayed put and went to sleep.

03.03.06

by michellereitemeyer

culture shock

Culture shock: the confusion that results when one person of culture tries to have a conversation with a person lacking culture.

Billy was trying to talk about one of his favorite stories, Treasure Island. An older neighborhood boy accused him of watching Dora the Explorer, which has a show with the same name. I had to explain to Billy that the boy apparently didn’t know about Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel.

03.03.06

by michellereitemeyer

Stations of the Cross

On Fridays during Lent, I like to pray the Stations of the Cross as a family. We light 14 candles and the kids take turns snuffing out one candle for every station. This will keep the attention of most children, even the toddler (ooo, fire!). Thanks to Monica for sending me the text for the children’s stations I posted below. I added the opening and closing prayers which I found on-line with much searching. There are many on-line versions of the stations, including this one for children with illustrations done by a 5th grader. Very nice.

03.03.06

by michellereitemeyer

Friday Stations of the Cross for kids

Opening Prayer: God of power and mercy, in love your sent your Son that we might be cleansed of sin and live with you forever. Bless us as we gather to reflect on his suffering and death that we may learn from his examplethe way we should go. We ask this through that same Christ, our Lord. Amen.