HI! OMG. Where do I begin....
Our lovely Lisa e-mailed me and asked me to catch her up, which I did. And then I decided that I would just copy/paste it all here, too.
I am SO SORRY that I have been MIA. Everything is fine (read below). I will go back read what I have missed and try to get plugged back in.
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Ok, so I have no real reason whatsoever for not being on the thread. I have no Earthly idea why I can't get myself back there. Everything is FINE here. Just going along smoothly. Everyone is healthy and happy. Jeff and I are getting along. Kids and I are having a blast of a summer....we just bounce from pool to beach to lake. It's all good. I see my summer husband every day and we have a great time together. All in all, life is great.
Drama--well, it's there. Sort of. There is LOTS of drama, but none of it mine, yet it affects my life if that makes sense. One of Cammie's best little friends, a 9 year old girl, has cancer. It is devastating, as you can imagine. And we had to explain all of that to Cam. And the sick little girl (Isabelle) is one of triplets. And so we have had the other sister of the triplet trio (Alice) over here A LOT, as her parents are constantly running back and forth to Boston Children's Hospital. And I totally understand why, but Alice is a BRAT. OMG, this child is difficult to have in the house. And I know *all* of the reasons why she is acting that way, and I am trying to have compassion, but again, just hard to have around, if that makes sense. And then I feel guilty for feeling that way, because, God forbid, this be one of my kids.
Then there is Riley's best friend (Colin). His parents are getting divorced and he is a mess, so HE is here all the time, too. At least he's not a brat and easy to have around. But Riley is struggling. He is burned out on having Colin around all the time--just wants some down time.
And now it is soccer season. Riley and Cam are both playing travel soccer with Maine Premier Soccer (as the name states, it is the "premier" league in the state/New England. Meaning, it's a big commitment and all of that). And wouldn't you just know it, that the soccer league BEGGED me to coach Cam's team. BEGGED. And I caved. Of course I have absolutely no time for this type of commitment. But now I am in it. And truly, I love it. LOVE it. But it is exhausting and draining and comes with its own drama (parents calling me and asking why I didn't start little Julie in last night's game--isn't she just a STAR of a player?!?! And on and on). On top of all of that, since this is the Premier league, I have to be certified as a coach. The league is paying for it, but I have to take a Coaching Certification Course. Like I have time for THAT.
Running and food and weight and all of that--I'm UP about 5 pounds since mid-April (and that was my all time low, so being up from then just means I am exactly where I have been for ages), but that is to be expected for me in the summer. We have such a busy and active social life in the summer, that if I just maintain throughout the summer I consider it a victory. It is all good--I am not emotional eating or binge eating or eating unconsciously or any of that. Just drinking a lot and socializing a lot, so I guess you could call it "positive" weight gain.
The cabana boys at the pool club--oh, they will be the death of me yet! I arrive at the club, and before I have even put our bags and towels down on the chaise, there is a cabana boy there with a drink--that I didn't even order. They just baby me like you wouldn't believe! FREE BOOZE! And often free food, too. There was a national "Best Lobster Roll" contest here in town last week--the Food Network was here and everything--and our club entered. So for weeks on end they were perfecting their lobster roll. And with every new tweak of the recipe, they would give one to me and Dan (summer husband) to evaluate. Free booze and lobster--who am I to say no?!?! And that is just how the summer has gone.
I run regularly, of course, but time at the gym is hard to come by. And I am playing tennis at least twice a week. So between running and tennis, I am getting 6-7 workouts in/week. Just have to add the gym training back in and I will be working out at the level I want. No new running news--just going along. I meant to work on speed this summer, but that has not happened. Again, just sort of maintaining there. My runs are anywhere from 4 - 8 miles. I had a 10-miler the other week so to make sure I could still do the distance. It went well.
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So, that is my life. Super busy, but super fun. LOTS of kids in and out of my house all day, every day. Between my 3, the "adopted" other 2, and my soccer team girls, it is truly a revolving door.
Thanks, Lisa for checking in on me! I so want to hear how all of you are doing! I know about Kat's half (SO exciting!), but am out of the loop on everything else. Please, please don't take it personally--I adore you all. Just have to make the time to be back here.