Did you know that I make notecards, announcements, and invitations? I’ve done it for years, ever since my life became way too busy for scrapbooking. I love crafting cards out of paper* and cool embellishments: it’s relaxing for me. (Well, except when I decide to make way more than I need “since I’ll be doing it anyway”…that’s just ridiculous. When will I learn???) I’ve done baby announcements, save the date cards, engagement and graduation party invites, and of course, birthday invitations. I love stretching myself creatively to come up with something that surprises people. A few weeks ago, I made some holiday notecards (blank inside) to sell at the salon.…
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If The Quality Of A Birthday Is Any Indication Of How The Next Twelve Months Will Go, I’m Gonna Have An Awesome Year.
A couple of weeks ago, Jim asked me if I was getting excited about my birthday coming up. I said, “Eh, not really.” It wasn’t that I was dreading it (I wrote about my thoughts leading up to it in my last post); I was looking forward to our family dinner out and evening at an improv comedy show, but I couldn’t say that I was jumping for joy about the birthday itself. The day started off great and only got better. When I opened up my laptop for the first time in the morning, I had a flood of well wishes from my Facebook friends. I put up this…
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Amazing Moments in Parenthood
Whenever I speak with the parents of really young kids, they almost always comment on “how lucky” I am that I don’t have to change diapers anymore or do any number of assorted tasks related to having really little ones. In an attempt to be encouraging, I say things like, “Don’t worry, your kids will gradually become more and more self-sufficient as they grow. In fact, once they can make their own breakfast in the morning, you’re on your way!” (That’s when whomever I’m talking to usually sighs as their eyes glaze over at the happy thought of what I said.) It was a huge milestone in this house, when…
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Call Me Selfish, But I’m Keeping Zumba Just For Me.
Believe it or not, I was not active as a younger person. Unlike my sister, who began playing soccer as a child and continued into college as I recall, I never participated in any sports other than the occasional trip to the bowling alley. I was more of the Couch Potato variety. When Jim and I moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin, I was 24 and decided that I should start exercising. I found a little women’s-only gym, got a tour from the owner, and signed up. I remember vividly how I used to be very jealous of the ladies who would get on the stairmaster for a full thirty minutes: whenever…
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I’m Showing You What I Did So You Can Imagine What I’m Doing
It is early (5:30 a.m.) and I am already dressed in my black workout pants and black sponsor t-shirt: Midwest Mania begins today! The Mania is a fitness conference that is full of workshops and lectures for personal trainers, instructors (that’s me!), and others in the fitness industry. (For me, it’s nothing like BlogHer, because MY fun at Mania is actually going to the sessions. Wocka wocka wocka!) Last year I worked the conference (it’s a cheaper way to get continuing ed credits I need for recertification), and at the staff party, I won the choice of either going for free this year (and not working) or working part time…