I did not make it out that next day. I had a late night with the Direct TV customer service and after 80 minutes, 4 different service reps, 1 supervisor, and 1 cancellation representative I finally got my second DVR for $19.95 shipping and handling fees. This was compared to the $250 the service reps and supervisor had told me I would have to pay. FYI, we just cancelled Dish and went to Direct and when cancelling Dish they offered me free HBO, etc for so many months and when I still said no then they offered me $10 off my bill for 10 months. They really like their customers!!

Anyway, I didn't make it out on Wednesday or whenever it was but I did make it out on Friday. And boy did my legs hurt the next day! Just not used to jogging I guess. The other downer is that I can't get the Nike+ thing to work. I'll have to call about that, but until then I have just been using that Podrunner podcast to help keep the pace and I love it! I don't have to watch the time or think about it--just run when it tells me! So far 2 days of jogging intervals, 1 day of Tae Bo (ha, ha), and lots of treadmill/elliptical minutes. Yea me.

Thursday I get a re-check on my BMI and measurements. It will have 3 weeks of working out and 9 days with my trainer. And a word about a trainer...it's pricey for sure. I love the workout and I totally think it's worth it, however this money is not coming out of my pocket. Every year we are given a health fund through work that will reimburse us for certain types of health and medical expenses. Lucky for me it includes working out and training so this is how I pay for it. It's not going to last much longer and I will be really sad when it runs out. Hopefully, I will be able to continue on my own and keep up the pace. I just love that he makes me work so much harder than I can make myself, he thinks of the exercises, and he makes sure that I am doing them all correctly and not injuring myself.

A few funny stories thus far: I am a total fool. The first day I walked in to the gym it had been a couple weeks since I had a quick tour. I couldn't remember where the locker room was and I totally walked into a closet. Some weight lifter guy was standing right there as I did it.

Chris, the trainer from hell, made me do squat thrusts. Remember those from high school? I hated them then too...the exercise room was being used so there I was out on the floor for the whole gym to see me attempt these damn things--with weights!! At the beginning I was struggling to thrust my legs all the way back and by the end I could barely stand myself up. It was torture and I hated it every second. Weight lifter guy? Yeah, he was totally laughing right beside me.

Another day I went to hop on the elliptical and couldn't get it working. There was a plug out and I wondered whether I should plug it in? At this time of the morning there really aren't any employees around so weight lifter guy was there and I asked his opinion--plug it in? He didn't know--as clueless as I was.

The next time I went in I forgot my work clothes. Had to go all the way home or go to work naked--or stinky. Did everyone a favor and went home.

Today I saw weight lifter guy again. I think he is my friend. He must feel my pain somehow, but not really. He said "hi".

Another guy, I briefly spoke with about the broken elliptical, is very overweight. But he is there and he is working out and working hard. I am so proud of him every time I see him and have now secretly dubbed him my "biggest loser."

gym membership...check
trainer...check
sore muscles so bad that I waddle when I walk...check, check, check
cardio....

...ok I suck at cardio. I hate it. I have no problems working with a trainer, lifting weights being sore, but the cardio is all on my own. I work out on Tues and Thurs mornings before work and on Saturday mornings, so on the work days I am rushing off. Sorry, Chris, no time for cardio now!! Saturday I was forced by shame to stay and do some cardio but after killer walking lunges with weights...I was hanging on the treadmill and/or elliptical for dear life. Then I went to dinner with some friends from Stroller Strides that I haven't seen in quite a while. I was shocked to see one of them walk in looking fabulous and buff. Apparently, the Striders have picked up the pace and some of them have started running. Those bitches. Damn...now I have to run. One problem--I am so not a runner. I'm the girl in high school when everyone was training for the track team joined up because...well, who knows what the hell I was thinking. I've never been athletic. Anyway, I recall one practice where we had gotten about 4oo yards away from the high school and I thought I was dying from cramps. My loyal friend, Lisa, went back to the coach with me and explained the problem. HE said (sort of sheepishly), " I totally understand." Suddenly I realized he thought we mean period cramps. I wanted out of it so badly I went along with it. "Yes, menstrual cycle....cramping...very painful...must stop running...forever." I ended up as the co-stats girl along with Jenny, who later fainted when I didn't show up to a track meet. Literally. Sorry, Jenn. I was not about to stand out in that cold, rainy weather. I'm sure I had very important (boys) things going on.

I am determined to make this exercising thing count. I was pretty successful at losing weight over the course of a year after Mikaela was born. I've gained about 9ish lbs since March (argh, fudge), so that plus the extra 25 I still wanted to lose...well, I've got some work ahead of me. Let's-go-car-di-o.

I borrowed Kyle's Nike+ iPod thing and have myself all set up. I found the couch to 5k website and a very cool podcast from podrunner with intervals. I'm all set. All I have to do is...do it. Tomorrow is day 1--will I make it? Will I get up early enough to get a cooler run in (not really cool with the humidity around here lately)? Will this sore throat that has suddenly come on (for real) go away? Will I ever lose the 30ish lbs? Tune in to find out...and kick my ass if I don't--you have my permission.

I'm excited and anxious to leave for Pittsburgh tomorrow. I think that I have only driven with the kids by myself once before and that's when they were a lot younger. This will also be our first roadtrip with Cam being potty trained--should be interesting. I will be picking up some pull-ups for the road!

I haven't seen my HS friends in a year--almost exactly. I think this is the longest that I have ever been away from Pgh. I do miss the city, but I just don't have family there anymore so it's difficult to get back. Lots of memories though...

The Susan G Komen Walk for the Cure is on Sunday. You know, I used to work out every day. I used to train, I used to walk with Stroller Strides, I used to...I was going to say "be more active" but really can you NOT be active with a soon to be 2 year old and 3 year old? Just try it, I dare you. How pathetic is it that I'm hoping I don't injure myself in a 5k walk?! Ugh. Can't wait to start working out again. (Next week!! yea!) See...now that I wrote it I will have to do it. Because all of you, my adoring fan (no "s" is not a typo) will be expecting me to talk about working out. So now I have to because I just can't let down my fan.

Do I steal a (large) spoonful of hot fudge or warm up some 6 hr old coffee. Needless to say I chose the coffee. HA. And how disappointed I was when I couldn't get the damn cap off the hot fudge. I couldn't even bang it or throw it or anything because the kids, or at least Mikaela, are sleeping. Hmm...I could have run it under hot water. Ahh, but that is way too much work. So my older than dirt coffee and I are sitting here contemplating Oprah, my book that I have been reading for 2 months, or a little nap. My eyes are telling me, skip the coffee, throw all the clean laundry piled on the couch somewhere else and go to sleep! I don't know why I am so tired right now. I did go to the gym, but all I did was take a tour. Is is possible to lose weight by just taking the tour? Of course there was Cameron's haircut afterward and Mikaela's uber breakdown of all breakdowns in our driveway. All because I held her balloon so it wouldn't fly away. An hour later I was able to get her calm enough to eat and then throw her in bed.

All I have to say is that if my husband doesn't come home with some Edy's Chocolate Brownie Frozen Yogurt (and some creamer, sweetie. we are out) then...well, nothing will happen because I love him and need him and my house is a mess and I feel terribly guilty for not cleaning. Or cooking. Or pretty much doing anything useful. But I did calm down a nearly two year old for an hour. That must deserve some kind of praise!

note: i have a post waiting to be published. i spent a longer than long time trying to get the video to upload. with any luck it will be up tonight, but be forewarned. it's not the happiest of all posts, but it's me and it's real and well, guess you'll just have to read it and see.

I hear the stories of women who are so stressed about their wedding that they can't keep the weight on. I remember the woman fitting me for my wedding gown, saying that she'd probably have to take it in because most women lose weight because of the stress. Let's just say that a month before my wedding, I was crying in the fitting room as beads dropped to the floor. The seamstress had to completely take apart, let out, and re-bead my dress because I had gained weight. I am an emotional eater...hear me roar. (At a bowl of ice cream). At least I am now aware of it. At least when I went in to the freezer a half hour ago, I said to myself, "I am eating this frozen yogurt because it tastes good and therefore, makes me feel better." I've learned a few other things--I'm eating frozen yogurt (LOVE Edy's Carmel and Pralines). I also went for a walk/jog before eating my tablespoon of yogurt (rather than the rest of the container). So, I'm getting better and I am aware of my weakness.

This realization comes at a tough time, when both kids have Roseola, work is extremely stressful--fun, but stressful, and the move is closing in. My usual workout routine has been completely disrupted. I used to put exercise as a top priority, but I just can't do that this month. I try to plan healthy meals and travel to several stores to get the best quality of food for a good price. I have planned, but I'm usually too tired to actually make the meals. Pizza has become my lover once again. We've downgraded our take out to Top's Grocery Store pizza (they have a take out area) so it's cheaper and I feel better because I categorize it as part of "groceries" in our budget. Hey--I have to justify it somehow.

The things that are keeping me going are my amazing friends. Amy has inspired a bunch of us with her running streak, and so that is why I did my first day of the Couch to 5K workout. It was only about 30 minutes with warm up and cool down, we have a beautiful sunny, but cool day today, and I was going to pull every last hair out of my head if I didn't get the kids outside. My cousin's wife, Lindsay, paid me a huge compliment saying that I had inspired her to start working out with a trainer, and in turn her commitment inspires me. She has even started biking to the gym twice a week! Healthy and environmentally friendly! I can't wait to get into a new routine at our new house.

My last insight for today is this: I stopped by my friend's house who lives around the corner and has two girls the same age as my kiddos. Last week she helped us out in a bind, by watching the kids for an hour, while Kyle and I went to pick up our awesome Craig's list find (an armoire for Kaela's room). I wanted to drop off a box of Bear Paws (it's a Canadian thing) because the kids took them over before and they all seemed to love them. Anyway, I rudely just stopped over since she is around the corner, and when she answered the door she had some comfy pants, a long t-shirt, and sweatshirt on. The girls were completely naked. I thought I was looking in the mirror! That could be me on any given day...comfy clothes and naked butts! I quickly wondered if I could back out of this whole moving thing--Wilson is just too far from her!