On Aging

January 17, 2011kakakakaty 5 Comments

Lately M has been somewhat obsessed with aging, “being old” and the elderly. She talks about getting old and dying and acts like an “old person” during pretend play. Let me tell you there is nothing like a 4 year old pretending to walk with a cane to make you laugh! I’m not sure what triggered this; maybe it’s because the beloved dog of family friends died, or because she’s been looking at her baby book with photos of her and her now deceased great-grandmothers. Perhaps it’s just an age-appropriate curiosity about life-span. Whatever it is, it makes for some interesting conversation so I recently recorded a conversation we had on what it means to get old.

Tell me what do old people do?
Well, when you’re old you need a cane to help you walk. And old people fish. They fish a lot. And they hold a cane to walk to the lake like this [demonstrates walking, hunched over, with a pretend cane]. Then they catch a fish and eat it in a tent.
I have no idea where she got this concept or where this is going…

So, like they’re camping? What kind of food do old people eat?
Well, mama, they need soft camping food. Like marshmallows and fish. Then they go in the tent and eat barbeque. They live in the tents.
Can you just imagine a retirement campground? For some reason all I can think of is the campsite in Walking Dead. Can’t you see it: Zombies vs. Elderly!

How do you get to be very old?
You have to live a looooong time. A long, long, long, long time. Until you’re 100!

Who are some old people you know?
Well, Busia! She’s old. But she died. And Dziadzia! But he died, too. They’re both dead because you die when you get very old.
Busia & Dziadzia are my maternal grandparents. Busia died at age 91 when M was 8 months old. Dziadzia died when I was 5 – I barely remember him and M has only seen a few pictures so I’m shocked she brought him up.

Do you know anyone old people who are still alive?
Yes! Aunt Wid and Uncle Dave!
her great aunt and uncle who are both in their 70s
And Daddy! Daddy is very old.
since Mark is 5 years older than me I find this hysterical!
And me! [rocking in her rocking chair] I’m VERY old. Like 30 years old!

Do old people like rocking chairs?
They need to take naps in the middle of the day so they rock themselves to sleep. Sometimes they cover up with a blanket – all the way to their chin!
Can I be an old person right now, please?

They don’t take naps in their bed?
No! They need to sleep in their rocking chair. The bed is not safe for old people – they might fall out! Maybe they need old cribs to sleep…. a bed with tall walls. That would be very safe.
To keep out the zombies, of course.

And then she lost interest in the conversation and started talking about lions.
I don’t know about you, but as a decidedly NON-CAMPER I’m not looking forward to my twilight years. Fishing and living in tents? I’d rather go to a nursing home!

Good-Bye 2010

December 31, 2010kakakakaty 2 Comments

I can’t believe it’s time for another wrap-up post. When it comes to my adult life, 2010 just flew by faster than any other year I can recall. While I may not me the most prolific blogger or keep to any kind of schedule, I’m so happy I have this place to chronicle our life. I love this family to pieces and this year I feel like we are complete. So, here is 2010 in review:

Allowed my daughter to full-fill her ballerina dreams. A year later and she’s still dancing.
Had much angst over what order my son’s first and middle names would be.
Remained 100% confounded by RITA (Regional Income Tax Authority). I don’t think I will ever get it right.
Blogged political. Again.
Sat court-side at a few CAVS games.
Tried to soak in every final moment of being a family of 3.
Gave birth to the mighty MAD.
Knew without any doubt that our family of 4 was complete.
Took an infant and a preschooler strawberry picking. By myself. (where is my medal?)
Celebrated the 10th anniversary of marrying my perfect match.
Was lucky enough to become friends with some wonderful local bloggers.
Ate several meals from our favorite chef.
Saw my girl turn 4.
Wrote about a professional athlete on my blog. Ugh. Can’t believe I gave him space.
Cheered on my husband as he ran a 5K, a 10K and a half-marathon.
Tried to get back into a workout routine (I’m still working on that).
Started stressing out about M and Kindergarten. Already.
Laughed at something M did or said on a daily basis.
Finally visited Velvet Tango Room.
Marveled at the boy and how fast his babyhood is going by.
Had our family portrait taken. (Thanks Heather, for making us ALL sit in front of your camera!)
Marked 3 years of living in the CLE.

2010 was a great year for many reasons. I’m sad to see it go but can’t wait to see what 2011 has to throw our way! Happy New Year!

(Want more? Read 2008 and 2009)

Merry Christmas

December 25, 2010kakakakaty 3 Comments

As I mentioned last year, we do our big family Christmas gathering before the day itself. Last weekend we were in Lima where M got to go crazy with her cousins and MAD got to meet his oldest cousin for the 1st time. While we were there shots were taken

cousins were met and adored

cookies were decorated

cracker houses were constructed

and the snow was played in

And that was just one day! More family came to visit on Sunday and we all came home exhausted but happy.

With family obligations out of the way, it gave us the last 2 days to just relax at home and make our own traditions and memories. One tradition is that we open gifts from my college BFF “Aunt Linds” on Christmas Eve. She spoils my kids rotten.

Last night Santa stopped by and loaded up the tree.

And this morning M was thrilled to find a stocking full of Christmas books (one of the things she asked the big guy to get for her) and tickets to see Toy Story on Ice

From us she got more books including a beautifully illustrated Nutcracker to mark her 1st year of seeing the ballet. And she also found a brand new musical jewelry box under the tree. She has been fascinated with the old beat-up one from my childhood so we decided she needed her own. She was delighted

MAD got several board books from Santa, much to his gnawing pleasure.

From us he got a “fill and spill” toy and… more books. We are a nerdy bunch.

Overall it was a wonderful holiday, which wouldn’t be complete without the obligatory pajama shot:

Too Fast

December 10, 2010kakakakaty 4 Comments

How did this tiny little thing

Become this big guy already?

How did he figure out how to do this so soon?

And this…

And this?

Someone tell him to slow down. It’s going too fast.

Guest Post: Work it Out (+ Giveaway for Locals!)

November 29, 2010kakakakaty 20 Comments

UPDATE: Congratulations to eleventh commenter Jessica for winning the session’s with Jen! Thanks to everyone for entering. Don’t forget – even if you didn’t win you can call Jen at 216-513-6989 for a free session and give her workouts a try.

(note: there were 20 comments but Allison asked not to be entered, so the winner was chosen randomly from the other 19 comments)

——-

During the second half of my maternity leave I went to the gym every day. I got a break from MAD, I got to sweat out my stress and I got to do something for me. I love group classes so I sampled everything they offered. By the time I went back to work I was in great shape. Then life hit.

Adjusting to the 2 working parents of 2 kids schedule was brutal. My gym (despite repeated requests) never offered any classes after the kids bedtime which is the only time I can workout, so I was curtailed to 2 weekend classes a week. I felt like crap.

Enter, Pauline (honestly, she’s my go-to person for knowing the best of what’s happening on Cleveland’s east side) who invited me to a group session with her trainer, Jen Arenschield. I was hooked. I love that I was pushing myself to the max, using the heaviest weights possible and feeling strong. Jen is the perfect mix of ass-kicking trainer and someone you’d love to grab drinks with. I’ve been working out with her for about 4 months and can honestly say that I crave her workouts. I look forward to them every week. And last week when M came home with this I knew I was teaching her something about the importance of being strong:

Without further ado, here are Jen’s thoughts about the holidays and weight gain plus a suggested workout to avoid it:

Avoid Holiday Weight Gain!

At this busy time of the year, there simply is often not enough time in the day to work out. There are plenty of days where I could use a lot more than 24 hours to get everything done. With the holiday season upon us, extra time is a precious commodity that’s hard to come by.

However, it was recently stated in a major media article that the average person gains seven pounds during the holidays (between Halloween and New Years). After some online research, it seems that the statistic is not entirely accurate. In fact, most people gain on average about one pound. Whew! What a relief!

Not so fast…the news is not all good. Just think: as we age, the average adult gains between 1-2 pounds. It stands to reason that this holiday weight gain could very well be the reason for an overall weight gain as we get older. Often, the weight gained during the holidays is not lost. The average person is gaining 12 pounds a decade. If you gain a pound or so over the holidays, there it is.

Fat loss can be broken down to simple math: Your body must burn 3,600 calories in order to lose one pound of body fat. With very hard work, a person could theoretically burn a pound of body fat in a week with four or more very intense workouts. At the very least, maintaining a consistent, challenging fitness program, even during the busy holiday season, will allow you to enjoy all the holidays have to offer without the guilt and weight gain that often follows.

Then, instead of being one of the many who flock to the gym to carry out their New Year’s Resolution (for three weeks) to undo the damage, you’ll be right on track to look and feel great for Spring.

Try this workout at home with your own body weight. I have always recommended interval training as a superior form of fat loss over steady state cardio. Interval training is essentially periods of hard work alternated with easier periods of work using one or more cardio exercises. This workout pairs two simple exercises to work your entire body. Do not be fooled, this is not for the faint of heart. This workout will get your heart rate up and burn calories like crazy.

You will alternate repetitions of Squat Jumps and Running Push Ups.

Squat Jump: With your hands behind your head, sit back and down into a squatting position. Explosively jump vertically, keeping your chest up. Try to land softly, immediately going into the next squat. Do not pause at the bottom of the movement. Progress the exercise by increasing range of motion in your squat and intensity in your jump.

Running Pushup: This is a Pushup/Mountain Climber combo. Do one pushup and two reps of Mountain Climbers in alternating fashion.

Mountain Climbers: In pushup position, brace your core and keep your body still. Bring your right knee towards your right arm, then back to the starting position, with feet only touching the floor in the starting position. Repeat with your left leg, that is one rep. Alternate legs with each rep. Progress the exercise by increasing speed and intensity.

Progression: Exercises can be progressed in range of motion, speed and intensity. You can also progress your work/recovery times. A good rule of thumb to start is:
Beginner: 10 seconds work, 20 seconds recovery
Intermediate: 15 seconds work, 15 seconds recover
Advanced: 20 seconds work, 10 seconds recovery

You don’t need a lot of time, an expensive gym membership or fancy equipment to get a great workout. The right exercises and a healthy dose of motivation are all you need to burn calories and enjoy the holidays guilt-free. About 30 minutes is all it takes to keep you on track throughout the holiday season while saving time, frustration and stress.

———————
Jen is awesome and when I asked if I could promote her on my blog she offered up a generous giveaway to my readers. Plus ALL potential clients can always do the first workout free. If you live anywhere on Cleveland’s east side, come have Jen kick your butt and see if it’s the fitness solution for you. Call her at 216-513-6989 or send her at Tweet @JenArenschield

Giveaway – Your Choice:
– Two individual training sessions with certified personal trainer, Jen Arenschield ($90 value) or
– Two weeks of small-group training with certified personal trainer, Jen Arenschield (six total sessions, $90 value).
Location is in Solon, Ohio.
Individual training to be scheduled at both the trainer/client’s convenience, group session times are as follows:
M/W/F: 5:45am or 9:30am
Tues/Thurs: 8:00-9:00pm
Saturday: 9:30am

Want to win? Just leave a comment on this post for a chance to win. For an extra entry follow @JenArenschield and tweet about the contest (come back and leave me a comment with a link to your tweet). Giveaway ends at midnight EST on December 5, 2010. Please don’t enter if you can’t make it to Solon for your workouts!

(Disclosure: I am hosting this giveaway on my blog simply because I love my workouts with Jen. I got nothing in return for this post).

Disney On Ice: Toy Story 3 in Cleveland + Discount Code

November 28, 2010kakakakaty 2 Comments

Last year we took M to a Disney on Ice show and she loved it. As in she’s STILL talking about it 12 months later. So when I heard that this year’s Disney on Ice show is Toy Story 3 I knew we would have to go. Toy Story 3 was the first movie we took her to see in a theater, so the combination makes for the perfect Christmas present. And just in case you want to take your own litte Buzz or Jessie here’s the information and a discount code for tickets:

Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 will be at the Quicken Loans Arena from JAN. 7-17, 2011

Disney on Ice Toy Story 3 invites you to catch all the heroic action at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland when Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie and the Toy Story gang escape from the rambunctious Sunnyside Daycare.

CODE: MOM2
DISCOUNT: Flat $11 discount on ALL performances
RESTRICTIONS: Not valid on Front Row or VIP seats; no double discounts; limit 4 per order
CLICK here to purchase tickets and see showtimes

Disclosure: I was given 4 tickets to Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 by Feld Entertainment, Inc.

If the Shoe Fits

November 24, 2010kakakakaty 4 Comments

I have at least a half dozen pairs of shoes in my closest that never get worn. I swoon over gorgeous pumps just like any other woman and have a few killer pairs. Killer does not just describe the looks; I say that because wearing heels kills my feet. I even bought a pair of You by Crocs thinking they would be more tolerable. But even that squishy Crocs foam is no match for 3 ½ inch heels. I can only wear them for a few hours.

For several years my go-to shoes have been my beloved Danskos clogs. They are the most comfortable shoes I own and are what are on my feet most often in the colder months (warm weather = flip flops). But, while Danskos are awesome on your feet they are pretty ugly. So awhile ago I tried out a pair of their heels. But they aren’t the same as the clogs and I ended up selling those on Ebay.

Enter my foray into ballet flats. A few months ago I finally broke down and bought a pair of simple black ballet flats. And I do love them. But they are boring and kind of old-lady looking. And there are so many cute pairs I see on the toes of my co-workers. Jewels! Bows! Flowers! All these cute embellishments! To remedy my boring shoe situation I’ve been scouting the shoe racks in search of some more fun and youthful flats.

What have I found? I’ve found that I just can’t wear the cute embellished shoes like these. I just can’t help it, but when there is anything on the vamp of the shoe I see this when I look down:

Even a simple, flat flower has me wanting to kick the shoes right off for fear of looking like a fool. Shoes like these which look darling on others and cute in the box end up looking like clown shoes when they are on my feet.

I can’t be the only one. Does anyone else have this ridiculous fear of embellished shoes? And, more importantly, give me some suggestions for cute flats!

Shopping Daze

November 17, 2010kakakakaty 2 Comments

Usually by this time of the year I’m just about done with shopping. You see, I would rather walk on hot coals than go to any sort of shopping center between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I hate crowds, I hate the forced cheerfulness, I hate the glut of it all. Two days ago I made a quick run into Trader Joe’s and came out in a bitter mood. The place was jam packed and I know it’s just a sign of things to come.

But this year, due to the fact that my maternity-leave pay got screwed up things are kind of tight for another few weeks and this means there has been no shopping. And, I don’t really know what to get the kids which is making it no fun.

We’re a “one big gift, 2 medium gifts + stocking stuffers” kind of family but this year I really have any ideas of where to start. For MAD, well, he’ll be 8 months at Christmas so he doesn’t really need anything. Plus we still have all the toys from M’s babyhood and the last thing we need is more plastic crap in this house. I’m at a total loss. I want him to get something special, being his first Christmas and all, but I’m stumped.

As for M she already has so. much. stuff. 2 years ago she got her doll house, last year it was the trampoline. And honestly there just isn’t room for any more physically big gifts. My mom is taking her (and I!) to the Nutcracker in December so that may count as her big gift/memory from this year. Of course we’ll get her a special nutcracker to commemorate the occasion. I’ve toyed with the idea of getting her a Leapster or some other gaming device but….gah…she’s only 4. I’m not sure I want to go down the path of video games just yet.

I have a feeling this will be a pretty low-key year. New books, a couple of puzzles, maybe some new clothes and a DVD or 2 (all purchased online, natch) . I’m already feeling kind of bah humbug about it all because I’m not done.

What about you? Are you excited for the holidays? Done shopping? Haven’t even thought past next week? Do you live for Black Friday? And if you have any great gift ideas for an 8 month old and 4 year old, please pass them my way.

One Week in Cleveland

November 14, 2010kakakakaty 5 Comments

Cleveland get crapped on a lot. Especially about our weather. And while it can be cold and grey, it can also be spectacular, if fickle. Here is one November week in Cleveland:

Snowmen on Saturday