Family Meeting with 13 day to go

Trying to find wellness and balance in life for me boils down to one question, What can I control? The truth is we don't have control over much, but we do have control over how we respond to the events occurring around us and how we let them impact the next event. As the wedding draws closer the excitement is building and at the same rate as the anxiety. When I was toward the end of my first pregnancy I remember being at the grocery store and buying milk. I had done this hundreds of times but this time I noticed the expiration date, December 1. That was after my due date. God willing, I would be a mother by then with a healthy baby at home. Everything would be different. The milk expired before my daughters arrival, I had to wait until the 5th, but everything was different and my daughters arrival was nothing like I had anticipated, but it all turned out alright in the end.
   Maybe a wedding should be the same, get the dress and the tux and wait and one day the pastor calls and says "meet me at the church." Would the shock of the surprise be better then the anxiety of anticipation? The details can be overwhelming. Does it really matter who makes a toast and in which order? Not to me but maybe to someone else. It is one day, but a really BIG day. An important day that represents the beginning of a new life, a new family is being born.
What if not everyone is happy about it? The family meeting was to lay out the events of the weekend, dinners, kayak races, hiking, two sundresses needed and botton down shirts, and the walk down the ailes with friend and family gathered together. Some are excited for ties, others are not. How long is the ceremony? Can I have two pieces of cake? Do we have to dance? Do we get to have our hair done? Do we have to be there?
   No one can control another person's actions or feelings. We can try till we am blue in the face. What is my perspective versus that of a child? I was a child, but my parents are still married, so I do not know what this day means to to them. I can see confusion, fear, excitement and joy on their beautiful faces all swirled together. All I can do is listen, be loving, be patient and have faith.

17-16-15-14...

  The good thing about being at the lake is the internet is shoddy along with cell phone service. The bad thing is internet and cell phone use is shoddy. It switches the focus away from technology for a few days but also causes a breakdown in what has become the way of communicating. I missed an email or was slow to respond to a text and I was unaware of the effects because I didn't know that it had happened. It has been years since I have given out the number on the land line even though it is there and the most reliable way to reach the cabin. Guess I should email it to the caterer, florist and rental company and plug in the answering machine. Final details need to be confirmed and all I want to do is go swimming. I miss Patrick. The summer is flying by.
   Bridezilla tried to make an appearance today but luckily my mother has a secret stash of York peppermint patties on hand and I know where she keeps them. The bridezilla moment (almost) came when I was trying on my dress and my son has put on my fancy new shoes and is clomping around, my other has my sash wrapped around his neck and my mother is trying to pock me with pins and their are four other people with strong opinions debating if I should have flower in my hair while we are all standing on the  6x6 landing at the top of the stairs. My father was smart and left the building to swim.
   Tennis is a great sport but learning it takes time and repetition. I through tennis balls for 2 hours today. My grandpa Put and Uncle George were my tennis partners and they taught me well. In two weeks family will be arriving to celebrate with me and Patrick as we start our new life together. This is exciting and a bit scary. We do play tennis well together.
   My son's friend came over yesterday for a short visit. Upon his arrival I said, "great you guys can play for a while before we have to leave." When I went to check on them I found them all playing their DSL's. According to them that is what "play" means. It is a beautiful summer day. We are surrounded by woods, there are toys and bikes and lego's and...you get the picture. What is play? I see it as hiking, kayaking, board games, doing puzzles, something active and interactive. I need to play more often. Life has become to serious. Laser Craze here we come.

No Coffee? Minus 18 days

Days at the lake can be a bit of a blurr, lots of activity, not a lot of down time. When coming to the lake we stop at the grocery store and after two hours in the car it is a power shop. How fast can we get out of here? So I forgot coffee. I have been cutting down, so no headache but around three pm the craving was pretty strong. Not strong enough to get me in the car. Instead I hopped in the row boat and took Quinn fishing.
When I can, I buy organic and locally grown food. Convenience is still an obstacle form me when it comes to shopping. The focus now tends to be on a wide variety of foods and flavors. Establishing good eating habits now in my children will help them in the future. Some get concerned about the cost, but I look at it as a long term investment. What someone eats effects their health. Better food, fewer doctor bills.
Power shopping list for the next 4 days: apples, grapes, cherries, watermelons, avocado, celery, carrots, tomatos, peppers, cucumbers, snow peas, purple and white cauliflowers, bananas, greek yogurts, eggs, milk, raisin bread, whole wheat buns, pancake mix, salmon, buffalo meat, chicken sausages, hummus, black beans, salsa and seltzers. $101.18
To hot to buy ice cream but maybe we can do S'mores.

Friends,19 days to go.

 I never got to my stretching yesterday. We only moved a mile, but that put us in the middle of a kid friendly neighborhood. And yesterday afternoon all the kids showed up here. Add water and it was an afternoon of making friends and laughter. I miss seeing my friends in the summer. Who is where and when?
Friends from Highschool, College and now are making the journey to come to Patrick and my wedding. Family is coming from all over as well. Today I am meeting with the caterer to make sure all these wonderful visitors get fed. This is exciting and the final details are coming together, this is also where I will need to fight the urge to say, "What ever", just to get something crossed off the list. Stick to the vision. I know it is only one day, but I have no plan on doing this again so I want it to be good. I want those that are traveling to know how much I appreciate their efforts.
We are headed back to the lake and I want to work on toning my arms and walking daily. While the kids played yesterday, I organized my studio and found my favorite stretching book by Bob Anderson. I will be putting that to use as well. It covers all types of stretching needs, if you sit all day or if the plan is rock climbing.

July 16th - 20 days to go

All I wanted last night was a good night sleep. What I got was one puking dog at 1, 2 and 3 am. My other dog, who is wearing the "cone of shame" spent the night banging into door frames as she wondered the house looking for a bed to crawl under. I have already been through years of sleep deprivation and now I like my sleep. I love sleep, 8 hours a night. But I am also a night owl. I have been skipping TV and reading before bed, turning out the light by 10:30 for the last 12 days and feeling much better when morning roles around. This morning came too early. I would have likes to wake early, make a kale, cucumber and pineapple smoothy and stretch but instead, at 6:50am the lumber truck roared up the driveway waking me. Construction is now underway. 
Why is sleep so important? 
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-health-10/sleep-benefits?page=1
I will now do my stretching and then take a trip to the vet. If your dogs paws start to smell, check for infection. I am not sure what is going on with Cookies paw but what I thought was a hot spot is now bleeding and smelly.

Old Habits

Day 24

I have this habit when it comes to lunch. I grab a cookie and enjoy it while I am making lunch. Its not a substitution or to delay eating. This is a habit that started when I was little. My job was to make cookies for my dad. Now I make them for my family. My breakfast in High School was two cookies and a diet coke, so changing this is changing a part of who I am. Homemade cookies have been a way of life. I can gave up potato chips but I rarely ate them growing up so that was easy.

   Wellness is about making life changes not just changes for 30 days. I need to set goals along the way to keep these changes attainable. Today I have no cookies in the house but I do have time to make them but no kids to eat them. Should I make them anyway? 

I do not have time to paint the walls either but I do have time to hang curtains. It makes all the difference. Having one room “finished” is settling. It designates a place to hang out. I have one major project and so many little ones, so am going to start crossing them off my list.

Bills, done.

Walk with dogs and a friend – done.

Vacuum – done.

Mend Patrick’s pants – done.

Check on the pets and move Peanut down stairs – done.
Date night - DONE!

PAIN and 21 days to go

I started reading Born To Run last night. Why? The same reason Christopher McDougall wrote it, my feet hurt! I ran twice in the last three days and now I am hobbling around the house. When I woke up this morning I would have traded my heel pain for a Tequila hangover reminiscent of college. My 96 year old Great Aunt Betty would have looked more graceful coming down the stairs. I love running but this is getting out of hand. Last year I injured my right calf, did 12 weeks of PT and have run on and off since. I was feeling good, working toward Wellness so I thought it was time to start running again. Now my left calf hurts. I am QUILTY of not stretching. Apparently that is important now that I am getting older? I can walk all day, no pain. Run the 10 miles up and down Mt. Snow, no pain. Even walked on the dirt road barefoot because my shoes where causing pain, no pain. But three miles around the neighborhood and PAIN. I have to make a plan for tomorrow so I don't stop my progress but this is so discouraging and frustrating.
Shakespeare was at the park today. Well actors doing Shakespeare, it was fun. My daughter was in hysterics as they did Romeo and Juliet in the style of What's My Line? It as a nice break from unpacking and thinking about the wedding plans. Did I mention that construction will be beginning at the house tomorrow? Should only take about three weeks!