20 things on the 20th...

 

I was trying to find a really old blog post today to retell a story about when I confronted 2 creepy guys I knew in my gut were pedophiles taking pictures at Bryn's dance recital held at St Charles Community College when she was younger.

Couldn't recall what year it was, but I found the photos from the event in Bryn's scrapbook from 2008 so I started looking through those dates on here to see if I blogged about it.  Which by the way, is the first year I started this blog... 14 years ago.  

 

 

A few things I noticed along the way while scanning through old posts from that year...

1. I used to blog almost every day, a lot of which involved content about my day to day life.
2. I was a very busy and involved mom... between home and volunteering at school... Bryn and I were always doing stuff together.  She didn't have an iPad to keep her attention... like kids typically do now. 
3. It's no wonder I've gone through major growing pains since she left for college over 3 years ago.  I'm not the biggest fan of being an empty nester and very sure I'm not ready for when it's more permanent than it already feels.  
4. I used to have a very different life, not necessarily better than what my life is now, but just different.
5. Additionally, I worked out daily and was even training for a half marathon back then... it was also before I became an instructor.
6. I was very heavily involved in taking photos, scrapbooking, preserving memories by telling stories, and also trying to get my foot in the door of major paper crafting publications... which by the way, I eventually did get my stuff published quite a few times.  
7. I don't know why the recollection of all of this is making me cry when it's not where my original train of thought was in writing this post.  Maybe I'll take a break and come back to this later. 
8. In all honesty though, writing in general on this blog has made me cry over the years.  There's something therapeutic about it for me.  Maybe that's a good thing considering therapy could've helped and probably would've cost more than the $9 I've paid every month to Typepad to host this thing for 14 years.  LOL  
9. Ok seriously, I got up to take a break and noticed a white stain on my black tank top from where snot had unknowingly dripped onto it.  I mean... who doesn't need a random cry once in a while, when you're supposed to leave for an appointment soon, besides NOT ME.  Also, I must've been really focused on what I was typing to have not noticed I needed a Kleenex.  Note to self... keep a box on my desk.

 

But here's a typical post and day in the life from back then....

 

November 26, 2008

Did this last night, while watching the finale of Dancing with the Stars (yeah for Brooke & Derrek!)...

 

... it was inspired by the Bucket List challenge (based on the movie) at the Forward Progress Now blog.  I make "to do" lists daily & now she makes them sometimes, too.  Hopefully these are things she puts on her list for her life.  I need to live by this list, too! 

• live with intention
• walk to the edge
• listen hard
• practice wellness
• play with abandon
• choose with no regret
• laugh
• continue to learn
• appreciate your friends
• do what you love
• live as if this is all there is

Oh & she's wearing my shoes in that photo... I swear she'd wear my clothes & shoes to school if I'd let her.  She's growing up way too fast...

Today's the first day of Thanksgiving break for Bryn, so we've made a "to do" list:

• Spin class at the Y
• Paint Bryn's nails
• Play "school"
• Crafting & coloring
• Do "hair dos"
• Play "shoe store" & "jewelry store" (yeah, that would mean my shoes)
• Make brownies (no eggs & dairy) for Bryn to eat for dessert on Thanksgiving
• Wait for Sears to do a maintenance check on the treadmill between 1-5pm
• Oh & watch old tapes from when Bryn was a baby... almost forgot

Notice it's really a list of things that Bryn wants "to do" today.  I'm VERY glad to have her home, though, I really miss her when she's at school...

Off to the Y to get my day started & get a boost of energy.... I think I'm going to need it today!

 

 

Another typical thing I noticed that I used to blog was on the 7th of the month, I'd do a "7 things on the 7th" post, which would involve 7 random things about my life, my day, suggestions, etc.  

 

 

So since I've already veered way off course in how this post was supposed to go... and since today is September 20th... here's 20 things on the 20th, that may or may not be similar to life in 2008...

1. I love Aldi.  In fact, I just got home from there today, and yes, I did change out of the snot-stained shirt I was wearing before I left.
2. Shopping at Aldi has most definitely saved me money from the days I mostly shopped at Dierbergs or Fresh Thyme.  Wish I would've realized this sooner in life, but a big thank you to Jim for encouraging the switch.
3. You know what else has saved me a ton of money?  The drive-up option at Target.  If I don't set foot in that damn store, I won't impulse buy stuff I really don't need... like clothes, home decor, and let's don't even talk about the dollar spot right when you walk in.
4. I'm still kinda high-maintenance, but that's ok because I'm the one maintaining it.  I still love to shop for clothes, shoes and handbags... I just don't do it as often as I once did.  
5. Now I find myself selling a lot of what I've accumulated over the years with resale shops, sites like the Real Real, and most often using the Poshmark app that's been pretty successful for me.
6. I'm not a fan of running anymore.  I mean... I know I could do it, but I'm just not motivated for it like I used to be.  I do love to go out and take a walk sometimes if I have nothing better to do.  It clears my head and it's some natural vitamin D which is always a positive.
7. I had a colonoscopy scheduled for this Friday... my first one ever... and they just called the other day to reschedule it because my insurance denied the location and wanted me to get it elsewhere.  So now I have to wait until November.  Never mind that I'm 54 and have put this off for 4 years, and now it's been rescheduled twice this year.  I'm not looking forward to the liquid diet and the prep the day prior, so I guess the universe just knows.  
8. Speaking of which, if you're a fan of doing an occasional cleanse... my favorite is $10 off at Advocare right now.  Click on that link and search for the cleanse.  I like unflavored myself, but they also have citrus or peaches & cream.  You also get a FREE digital food scale with your purchase!  
9. My favorite self-tanner for like ever, has been Clinique for face and body.  I still use it, but recently Bryn also introduced me to Tanologist, which you can find at Target, Amazon, Ulta, etc... and I love the extra color it gives.  Highly suggest buying a mitt to apply it though, so you don't have big random brown marks the next day.  Ahem.
10. My idea of "cooking" these days is making a big salad.  Why bother making an elaborate meal when I'm the only one here?  
11. I lift weights a couple times a week, not only to keep my body toned up, but also because muscle keeps your metabolism running faster.  Oh, and also because I teach the format. LOL  Back in the day, I thought cardio was the only way to stay fit though.  I was a cardio queen for real.  Couldn't have been more WRONG about that. 
12. For years I've never known what I wanted to do with my life job-wise because I wanted something else that wouldn't mess with my teaching schedule, and I also didn't necessarily want to work full-time again.  The thought of writing a resume and/or actually applying for something kept me doing nothing though.  Until my current job at Cappucinnos basically fell into my lap... although, yes, I do know the timing of the universe isn't random.  You know what else?  I LOVE that job, even if there are moments when I'm wondering how my life ended up here. It has brought some of the most amazing people into my life... coworkers and customers.  
13. I might be addicted to dark chocolate covered almonds.  Specifically, the ones from Aldi.  I've somehow rationalized this addiction by thinking deez nuts are good protein and dark chocolate is an antioxidant.  We won't discuss the sugar content. 
14. Speaking of addictions, I will forever love Crazy Bowls... specifically the Kale & Quinoa salad with grilled chicken and no feta.  But since they, like everyone else, keep raising their prices, I try to only get it once a week.  But seriously, I could probably eat it daily.  
15. In November it will be 7 years that construction on my house was complete and I moved in.  I can't believe it's been that long.  
16. I've often thought of starting a podcast.  Still not quite sure what the gist of it would be, because it could certainly go in many directions, but I do know a few entertaining people that I enjoy bantering with, like Bryn, Jim and even my friend Leslie... which someone at Bloom suggested we needed our own morning show LOL... so who knows.  And maybe I should stop thinking about all the things I'd like to do and just freakin start doing them.  
17. Donating plasma is a great little side-hustle while helping others.  Although not gonna lie, this morning I walked in for my appointment, saw a long line that I haven't seen in a while, thought to myself... not today, Satan... and turned around and walked back out the door.  
18. This morning I was at a stop light behind a car that had a small baby-on-board kind of sign on the rear window that read, "twins up in this bitch."  And all I could think was...  why on earth would someone put that sign on their car?  There's a lot about O'Fallon that makes me wonder.  Speaking of which, did you know you can find a bank and a car wash on literally every single corner of Highway K?  It's a running joke around here, and yet they still keep adding more.  
19. Two of my favorite things to do will always be dancing and traveling.  And if you can combine both at the same time, it will undoubtedly make me happy.  Although, it definitely matters who you're with too.  
20. Bryn is not a 7-year old anymore, she's 21 and a senior at Mizzou now.  I think I've already mentioned that in another post recently.  And while she doesn't wear my clothes and shoes to school, mainly because she has bigger feet than me, I do still think she's growing up way too fast.  And I still miss her when she's at school, especially now that she's AWAY at school.  I'm endlessly proud of her!  Oh... and she may have picked up my love of shopping since then too.  Girls Day Out, anyone?  We are always game! LOL

 

 

XOXO