3 Blogs for the price of 1

There has been so much going on that I haven't had time to sit and blog about any of it. Now I'm back blogged and don't want to post three different blogs; so try and keep up!

#1- "I Need a Doctor!"

#2- "Out with the Old, in with the BOLD!"

#3- "Up in the Gym just Working on my Fitness"

I was recently told that Dr Pepper is an OKIE drink. Well, I'm an Okie I guess because I have become very addicted to Dr Pepper and other caffeinated beverages. I usually have to drink coffee by 10 am and a Dr P with lunch to avoid a massive headache. If I am having a rough day I can drink a Dr P and I feel much better-more able to cope. It is like a drug; too much and I can't sit still, not enough and I can't move. I have realized that being addicted to caffeine is a bad thing. I don't really know how harmful caffeine is alone, but I know that all the sugar and calories are not good for me, not to mention I can feel my teeth turning yellow when I drink it. So, what's a girl to do? I quit! I have not had ANY caffeine since MONDAY! Today is Saturday. WOOOHOOO! I had headaches off and on all week. Yesterday it was a migraine for sure-which leads me into another blog altogether.

How do you cure a migraine? Seven Ibuprofen was not enough...and I hate to take any kind of pills, but they weren't working so I kept popping! (guess I'm trading one addiction for another!) So it was date nite last nite and the last couple of times we went out, we didn't really have much of a date. So we decided last nite would be better. We went out for some good Italian food. It was dimly lit in the restaurant which was good for my headache. Our dinner was good. Then we decided to go shopping...for...bras. I HATE shopping for bras and panties. My husband doesn't love it so much either. But I had a good idea of where and what and how much, so I figured it would be relatively easy on both of us....which leads me into blog #3, and eventually I will tie them all together!

I have been going to the gym for a couple of weeks now, plus still using the elliptical here at the house. (My first trip to the gym ended with me locking my keys in my car and having to climb into the sun roof to get them out!) This week I worked out 6 times. One of those times was a trip to the gym for some upper body work. I did several machines with my friend from work who pushes me beyond what I think I am capable of. My upper arms and shoulders were a wee bit sore while I was bra shopping. I was also wearing a button up shirt with these tiny little loops instead of actual button wholes which makes it difficult to try on anything. It's totally a pain to stand there (while my husband is waiting patiently outside) and undo all these tiny little buttons-but I do it anyway because I'm not going to buy a bra without trying it on. Add on top of that I am wearing a tank top under my shirt. So it takes me a good 2-3 minutes just to get my top off in order to try on the bra. The first bra just didn't working for me. I'm looking more like a double headed torpedo than anything. So, I put all my clothes back on -teeny tiny buttons and all, to go find a different bra. My husband has totally bailed on me by now. I find a different bra and head back into the dressing room to do it all again...this time I take the shirt off over my head because I think it will be faster that way, but my arms are pretty sore, so I'm not moving very fast. I try on the bra-it's a better fit. Less torpedo. Take off the new bra, but on the old bra, tank, and shirt...and head out to find my husband. While all of this is happening, I realize my head doesn't hurt anymore! Yeah. The cure for a migraine is BRA SHOPPING! Who knew? I always thought bra shopping was the cause of headaches. So I bought four new bras-out with the old, in with the BOLD! :)

Death of a Hairbrush; Dawning of a new Haira

I am a believer that if a hair brush has all its bristles and a handle, there is no reason to get rid of it. At least that was how I felt until a few weeks ago. I was brushing my hair one morning just like I do everyday; only that day my hair brush sounded more like a baby rattle. Being the mother of two boys, I am subjected to all sorts of sounds. From constant questions and whining to the sound of toys banging together, it never stops until bed time. But there are a few noises I cannot stand. Clicking, ticking, picking, and rattling…idiosyncrasies.

So, for a couple of days I tried to ignore it. Then I tried to figure out what was inside the brush that would be rattling around like that. There was only one tiny hole in the cushion that holds the bristles. Whatever is inside must be very small to have fit through that hole…but it’s too noisy to be that small. Hmmm. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I had to see what was in there. I took a pair of scissors and I jabbed them into that tiny little hole, and I killed my hair brush. I cut it wide open. What was inside? Glue. At least that’s what I think it was. Something that had been inside the hair brush all along and had finally came loose. So what did I accomplish by cutting my hairbrush open? Nothing. Now my hairbrush doesn’t function quite right. Now I have to buy a new hairbrush. You can’t be high maintenance if you don’t have the right tools, right? So I went to the store and looked at all my options. I could not believe the price range on a hairbrush; any where from $3 to $15. For $15 you can buy a brush that cures dandruff. Good to know. I bought two brushes and didn’t even spend $15. I replaced my paddle style brush and also bought a vented brush good for blow drying.

Now that I have the right tools, I should have rock star hair everyday, right? Well it is time for a cut & color…It’s actually past time. I should have had it done a week or two ago. My appointment is Thursday at 5:30. So starting Thursday I will have rock star hair for about 6 weeks. Then it will be time to get the cut & color done again…and again. In the meantime between cuts, I have been using shampoo & conditioner for long hair. According to the label, it is supposed to strengthen hair and protect it from split ends. It’s infused with raspberry something or another and satin. Do I believe these claims? I would like to, but I am so skeptical. Plus I had split ends when I bought it, so really it’s too late to know if it works. I will keep using it until I run out. Then I will switch to something else with absurd claims of amazing things that will happen while washing my hair. The main purpose in washing my hair is to get it clean, but the shampoo manufactures would like me to believe that my hair could be bigger, sexier, straighter, wavier, longer, thicker, sleeker, curlier, and blonder if I use certain products. Here is my problem with that. What if I want my hair to be straight and sleek one day, but wavy or curly the next? I have to have 27 bottles of shampoo and conditioner in the shower to maintain my mane. I do not have that kind of space in my shower, or the funds to finance a shampoo obsession. What’s a girl to do?

One Serving of Accountability, But Cut the Crap.

Will power, determination, self-control, and restraint are a few qualities you might expect in a person of High Maintenance. I posses none of these qualities.

In order to maintain a certain look, a certain state of mind, or even a certain level of well being, you must control the indulgences. Over indulgence of food can lead to weight gain as it has with me. I come from an over weight family. I have seen first hand the effects of the “yo-yo diet”. I decided a while back that it would be too hard to fight genetics. I thought that I was predestined to be the “F” word: FAT. My thought process was this: why struggle and put forth effort to lose weight only to gain it back plus some? Instead I will enjoy life (i.e. FOOD) to the fullest. Where did this land me? At age 22 I weighed 190 pounds. At age 23 I gained 54 pounds during my first pregnancy and gave birth to a 7lb 12 oz baby boy. I did lose all the pregnancy weight plus a few pounds. But just as I anticipated, I gained most of it back. Age 25: 185 lbs, gained approximately 45 pounds during second pregnancy. Gave birth to a 7 lb 6 oz baby boy….Joined a local weight management support group lost all the pregnancy weight plus some. I dropped down to 168 pounds. WOW. For many people 168 might sound like the “F” word. I will not sit here and tell you that I looked like a super model or anything close to it. I will tell you that at 168 I was comfortable enough with my body to wear a bathing suit in front of everyone at my husband’s company picnic. Previous summers I was so uncomfortable in my own body I would not even buy a bathing suit. I wore a maternity bathing suit for about three summers, and was only pregnant for one of those-the last one.

So where am I now? I am climbing my way up from rock bottom. This past summer I was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism. Huh? That means that (at least for a time) my thyroid {the gland in charge of metabolism} was working overtime. Sounds like an excellent problem to have, right? Naturally you would think that if my metabolism is kicked up a couple notches I can eat whatever I want and burn it off pretty easily. Well, the main problem with this theory is that I was actually gaining weight from eating too much. I was hungry all the time, and never felt full. I quit going to the Dr because it was costing me too much money and he did not want to treat my thyroid until it cycled its way to hypoactive (under active). Going through all that did one thing; it made me angry. I was angry at food, and I was angry at the Dr, and I was angry at myself. During that time I gained back much of the weight that I had lost over the last several months. I let myself slip back into old habits such as eating the food my kids did not finish, eating fast food too often. My worst habit and hardest to break was stopping at the convenience store on my way to work. I would get a cappuccino and a honey bun, or some other type of junk food. I would do this nearly every day. I started feeling hopeless again. It did not seem to matter whether or not I tried to be healthy, my body was going to do its own thing and I could not control it. One thing I did learn from the Dr is that the thyroid hormones are similar to a scale, when one is high, the other is low, but eventually it can balance itself out. It took me a few months to get my mind in the right place, but I think I am there now. I have started making better choices when it comes to food. I gave my debit card to Joey so I cannot stop and get junk food on my way to work or at lunch. I am bringing fruit and vegetables back into my daily life. I made a challenge with a co-worker to eat better, drink water, and exercise. For me it is more of a personal challenge within myself, but the competition aspect of it keeps her motivated. I have also partnered up with another friend who drives me to challenge myself and encourages me stay on track. She is helps me stay accountable. This journey is a difficult ride when you face it alone. You just have to do whatever it takes to stay on track. For me, it is having the accountability, and cutting out the crap.

What does it really mean?

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine if you will a high maintenance woman. What does she look like? What is she wearing? What are the details about her that make her high maintenance?

I picture long wavy hair, a glowing face, a gleaming smile, a fit body, nice clothes-maybe even a dress (GASP!), killer shoes-high heels (ANOTHER GASP!), accessories and nice nails. I think it probably took hours to put all that together. At least that is how I feel as I try to put my New Year’s resolution into perspective. In the beginning that was what I was aiming for. The point was to prove to my husband just how good he has it being married to me. To show him how life could be married to someone who put themselves first, who cannot leave the house until the total package is put together. As I stated in previous blogs, I am the polar opposite of that image. My morning routine consists of getting out of bed at A: the absolute last minute possible to make it to work no more than six minutes late, or B: whenever one of the boys is making enough noise that I can no longer sleep until I bring them back to bed with me or turn on the TV for them. Next is breakfast. This is one thing I rarely compromise on; not because it is the most important meal of the day, but because I am hungry and I like to eat. Then I take the boys into their bathroom and we go through the various stages of their personal hygiene from brushing teeth to combing hair. From there the routine takes us to their bedroom where they get dressed in whatever clothes we can find that I am 92% sure are clean. Socks and shoes are the last stop on their end of the morning routine. Once all those things are done I turn on the TV then I hop in the shower. Depending on the amount of resistance encountered during the routine, I may only have 10 minutes until it is time to leave the house. I certainly do not have time for frivolous things such as shaving my legs or putting on perfume. I find clothes that I am 92% sure are clean enough. I point the blow dryer toward my hair wishing my hair style is “wash and go”. If I have thirty seconds to spare I swipe on some mascara before I grab my purse and load the boys into the car.

So what gives? What do I change in this routine to make sure I have a little more time to make myself look nice, smell nice, and feel nice? I don’t want to compromise breakfast. After all, it IS the most important meal of the day. I don’t want to skip brushing the boys’ teeth. What is left? There is nothing to cut from what I do for myself.
I guess the first thing I could do is get out of bed earlier. The boys could eat breakfast at grandma’s house. I could have clean clothes set out the night before. My husband could get out of bed and help me with the boys. Really, there are ways I could shave time off here and there yet still get everything done.

That is where I start my journey of high maintenance. Not in looking like the imaginary woman I described above, but in finding time to take for myself eventually working my way to nice clothes, high heels, and accessories. I would love to get my nails done all the time and pamper myself at the spa. I am not so sure how I feel about shopping for clothes and shoes and purses. As of right now I do not own a single dress. I only have one pair of heels, and they are not high. My purse was a $10 impulse buy at Target.

So far on my journey I have rolled out of bed at 6am and got on the elliptical for 30 minutes seven out of the last eleven days. I have pulled my hair into a ponytail zero times. I have left the house without makeup only twice. These numbers are a huge improvement from what I have been letting myself get away with for a long time. So stay tuned for more on my journey. It is sure to be humorous as I experience things that are completely foreign to me. I plan to try new things like teeth whitening. I might even give up Dr Pepper in order to help brighten my smile. Who knows, I just might buy a DRESS!

Seize the Day and DO NOT hang clothes on it.

The first step in my plan of becoming high maintenance is: MOVE.
I do not mean selling my house and move to an uppity neighborhood. I mean exercise. There are a million reasons rolling though my head why I do not exercise on a regular basis or on any basis for that matter. The main reason is TIME. I do not have the time to exercise. When can I exercise? After work I could go to the gym and take a class. I have done it before and I loved it. But there is very little accountability at the gym. And if I don’t get off work on time then I will miss the class. Or I could plan on going to the class, but something might come up in my husband’s schedule that would make me have to be at home with the boys. I could jog around my neighborhood or at the park, but it is cold and dark outside by the time I get home. All these excuses only lead to one solution: I have to purchase a piece of workout equipment for the house. Bummer. Here’s the thing about that. I know a lot of people that own treadmills, stationary bicycles, gazelles, etc. All they seem to be good for is hanging laundry on. What is the point? If I am actually going to hang up my laundry, I will put it in the closet.

Well, I did it anyway. I went to the sporting goods store and bought an elliptical. I hate treadmills and stationary bikes for many reasons. They are boring and noisy and take up too much space. The list goes on and on. The elliptical takes up just as much space, but it does not have a motor, so it is not very noisy. I figure it offers the benefits of a total body workout rather than just working my legs. It does not offer much space for hanging clothes. And it is sitting right next to my bed so I will see it when I wake up, right before I go to sleep, and several times throughout the day when I pass through the room.

I set my alarm for 6:00 am. I take about five minutes to get ready and then I seize the day! I get on the elliptical and I listen to some Justin Timberlake and I bring SEXY back! There are no interruptions that early in the morning and I cannot blame anyone else if I do not get up and get moving. It is working out pretty well. I worked out thirty minutes four times this week. I have been told that it takes six weeks to form a good habit and only three days to break it. So my plan is to not give myself a break of more than two days a week from the elliptical, and by Valentine’s Day, I should have a GOOD HABIT formed.

Part One

Pursuit of High Maintenance: A New Year’s Resolution


The following definition has been modified from it’s original version. It has been formatted to fit my needs.

The modification of myself, after delivery(of my children), to correct faults, to improve performance or other attributes, or to adapt myself to a changed environment(motherhood). Maintenance is an important part of a woman’s life-cycle. It is expensive in manpower and resources.

As a young mother I constantly find myself doing things that I never would have done before I had children; things that I previously believed to be unacceptable.

Yes, I am talking about leaving the house without make up, without fixing my hair, without ironing my clothes…The list goes on and on. It is a list of simple yet important actions that are no longer a priority to me. You may ask yourself why would a woman leave her house with hair uncombed? Well, the answer is simple: I had to comb my son’s hair and that left no time to comb my own. Needless to say that the simple act of fixing my hair involves slightly more than a single comb, the point remains the same. I have become the woman on the Suave commercial. She is so cute and happy. She gets married, yet remains cute. She gets pregnant and is still mostly cute. She has her first child-what a cute child…she too is cute-sometimes. As the first child grows more independent she has a little more time to make herself cute again, until the day she starts the cycle over again. Same song, second verse: Mother’s concern with her own cuteness even worse. You see her on the commercial going through various stages of life with commotion around her. She begins to look frayed. Then suddenly she discovers SAUVE and is CUTE ONCE AGAIN!
No, my friends, this blog is not an advertisement for cheap shampoo…It the beginning of an undertaking to reclaim MYSELF!

As I am as close to low maintenance as one person can become, I thought an extreme challenge would be completely interesting.

So, what does “High Maintenance” actually mean? Does it mean a bottle of Suave in my shower? NO! That is the only answer I am sure of right now. I do know that it may not mean to me what other people think when they hear those two words. I do not intend to look like Reese Whitherspoon in Legally Blonde, but I do intend on fixing my hair, wearing make up, wearing nicer clothes, and most of all: doing more for ME.

I will also say that my pursuit of high maintenance is not an attempt to be selfish. I do not feel that taking care of myself is selfish as long as I still make sure my family is taken care of too.

So stay tuned through 2009 to get a glimpse of my pursuit of high maintenance.