First cool day

I know we'll probably crank the AC back on any day now, but I am so enjoying the cooler weather that we've had this weekend.  I am sitting in my apartment with all of the windows open, finally getting to use the screen door we installed in June.  My run this morning was a breeze in the 70 degrees.  Hope everyone else is enjoying the beginning of Fall!

Sunshine!

Yesterday, the walls were closing in on me!  Jon woke up with hives all over him, which meant staying home from preschool, spending half the morning on the phone (Jonathan, pediatrician, trying to find a friend to watch Jon while I went to the dentist, the dentist to reschedule my appt for the 2nd time due to Jon being sick, all of the places we went on Tuesday to see if they had cleaned carpets/used bug spray over the long weekend), double washing all of his clothes and bedding in case the new stain pretreater I started using two weeks ago was the culprit, and in general not spending my day the way I had planned.  When I took the trash and recycling out last night at 10 p.m., I realized that was the first time I had been out of the apartment all day! 

So today, I was thrilled that Jon's hives were mostly gone when he woke up, and I had a list of errands to run.  We walked to the bank, the post office, preschool to pay tuition (where Jon was quite disappointed he didn't get to stay), Chipotle for a veggie filled lunch, and then back home.  The sunshine was amazing!  I love living right by our little town square, so we can walk almost everywhere.  If Jon was old enough to do all that walking without the stroller, we would have made a quick trip to the grocery store, too.  He is a good walker - last week I needed to get one of the stroller tires replaced, and he walked with me while I pushed to stroller with the flat tire all the way to the bike shop (about a third of a mile), then to the grocery store.  But I think two walking errands are his max at this point. 

Now I'm full of vitamin D and ready to tackle the rest of my day!

A Narrow Escape From the Roaring Fires

This is an amazing story of how one man survived the wildfires in our area last year.  I heard it on the radio this morning, and just had to share it.  

A Narrow Escape From the Roaring Fires

San Marcos Tradition #27

Grocery store trip the day before school starts!

Most of us avoid the grocery store during peak hours, especially if you are like me and go to a tiny store.  My grocery store, affectionately called "little HEB" by locals, is just a little bit bigger than the Midtown Schnuck's, for my Memphis friends.  Despite the crowds, though, one of my favorite days to go to HEB is the day before school starts.  For the people watching : )  New college first years, with their deer-in-the-headlights look, push carts as their moms or dads drop in bread and mayonnaise and frozen pizza.  It's very cute and a lot of fun to watch.  Although yesterday I was caught in an aisle with four pint-sized sorority girls trying to decide which flavors of Snak Paks to get. 

Second to the pre-class grocery store trip is the Target trip.  You don't get quite the sense of urgency of the students, though, since it is not such close quarters.

Just enjoying the silly things I do while living in a college town!

Small victory!

This morning I successfully went down one size in jeans! (We were serving in nursery, and at this church, I wear jeans when I'm on nursery duty!)  I haven't been a size 12 since before Jon, and I'm super pumped.  Earlier in the summer, I was diagnosed with poly cystic ovarian syndrome, and put on some medication and diet restrictions.  The PCOS may have contributed to the miscarriage, definitely makes it hard to conceive, and along with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and uterine cancer...let's just say I have been following doctor's orders.  I have joked in the past with friends that I needed a kick in the butt to make behavioral changes, and I definitely have it now!  Kudos to all of you who stay size 6 or 8 without a medical diagnosis : )  I need a professional to tell me that chocolate chip cookies really are a sometimes food! 

Although I have been exercising nearly everyday at our town rec center this Summer, I haven't been running in the heat.  Watching all of the track coverage for the Olympics is making me want to run, though, and I have been toying with the idea of trying for an October half marathon.  Jonathan starts back to work tomorrow, so I'll have a bit more of schedule during the day, and maybe I can take Jon out for a run when Jonathan leaves for work in the morning. 

So excited to see some external proof of my work in my jeans size, so I suppose setting a running goal is next!

Going to see the Muffeps!!!

Tonight, the free movie in the park in San Marcos is The Muppets.  Jonathan and I both love the Muppets, and we saw the movie last Thanksgiving.  Jon asks to listen to the soundtrack about three times a day, and he sings along to all of the songs.  We have been planning to go to the movie in the park since the schedule came out in May, but about three days ago, we decided to tell Jon that we were going.  He has been gleefully saying non-stop "We're going to see the Muffeps!  Outside on the BIG tv! Kermit will be there?"  This will be the first live-action movie he has ever seen - the only two other full-length movies he has seen are the original Winnie the Pooh and the newer version.  So we're hoping he enjoys it and is able to stay engaged. 

I'll be sure to take some pictures to share : )

Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, Wives :: Texas Monthly

Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, Wives :: Texas Monthly


I wanted to pass along an article about the craziness that has been happening in women's healthcare over the past two years in Texas.  Access to general, preventative health care for poor women in Texas has almost all but been wiped out by our current legislature, senate, and governor.  Since I spend more on my health care premium than I do on rent each month, I am very concerned about affordable access to health care.  All of these decisions were made in the name of reducing abortions in the state.  I think most people reading this know my personal feelings, but here they are just in case: I am morally opposed to abortion, because I do believe that life begins at conception.  I am also morally opposed to a lot of other things that are perfectly legal.  While I wish we didn't have abortions, I understand that providing safe access to abortions is important for those women who choose to have them.  I also think that spending time trying to outlaw abortion is a complete and utter waste of time, energy, and resources.  More time, energy, and resources should be spent on preventing the need for abortions, e.g. increased real availability of contraception, increased education (not just about sex, but about everything), increased support for women who choose to have their babies, and automatic, mandatory child support for men/boys who impregnate women.  I'll stop writing, because the article is long enough.  : )  It's long, but it is worth the read.