We're going to NJ tomorrow!!!
This will of course lead to an inevitable, "I'm homesick" post once we get back.
My head is already spinning. We basically have plans for nearly every minute of every day we're in NJ. We'll be there for a week.
I've been working hard to lose weight and have even lost some (and by some, I mean something worth bragging about). I'm trying my best to go into this with the right state of mind. Yes, I may gain some weight. It's okay. If I don't say that, it's a slippery slope from there. It's okay if I gain some weight. I will be sure to make the best decisions I can while I'm away.
FYI, I fully intend to OD on bread, sandwiches, and pizza. Can you figure out why I already know that I'll gain some weight?
Anyway, I'm super excited to be going home for the holiday. I haven't been home for Thanksgiving since 2008--that's pretty wild for someone that never strayed too far from home until 2008.
I'm super nervous because I have a really terrible relationship with my MIL. In fact, I'm so nervous about how that will go over the next week (and then the month after that because she doesn't tend to let you know that she's upset and if she does it's not for weeks after), I just threw up in my mouth a little. Awesome. My MIL stories are for another time, and there are plenty. Let's just say that one of the last Thanksgivings I spent with her she told my mother that I was a bitch and everyone that would listen that Hubby (then boyfriend) and I should see other people. Did I mention Awesome?
So I'm sure I'll come back with lots of juicy stories. I'll even try to write while I'm away. Although, I'm not making any promises. I typically only write once a week as it is.
Wish me luck and if I'm not back before Thanksgiving, Happy Turkey Day, GOBBLE GOBBLE!
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Friday, November 18, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
What Being a Grown Up Means
One of the ways I think my in-laws screwed up my husband (get used to hearing that) is that he's a grown man and he still does a lot of things that he's "supposed" to do but that he doesn't want to do. I think it's kind of bizarre although maybe this is just the way my parents screwed me up... Nah, it's definitely them.
I was raised so that I would want to do things that I'm supposed to do. Maybe this isn't true 100% of the time but doesn't that just make me human. I guess there are the occasions when I take the high road even though I don't want to but that's just good social skills. Sometimes I don't do things that I'm supposed to do because I don't want to. Here's the weird thing, the world keeps turning and the birds keep chirping. Weird.
So, last night, we watched The King's Speech. Not because he or I wanted to see it but because he thought he was supposed to see it. It won the Academy Award for best picture last year--that's always a big one for him. See, we're not exactly the intellectual type when it comes to our movie watching and we often do not like the movies that get all the critical acclaim. Some of our favorite movies are Anchorman, Waiting, Bad Boys, and Iron Man. That's not to say that we don't like our occasional heavy drama--The Departed is up their tied for my favorite movie of all time with Forrest Gump. It's more to say that we're not likely to go see some artsy-fartsy movie by choice. But there we were watching this slow, dialogue-heavy movie (the cinematography was incredible. The photographer inside me found it distracting). Now it wasn't bad. In fact, I have a mini-crush on the royal family, so I was definitely more interested when I realized it was about Queen Elizabeth's father. But still, I could have been happy the rest of my life having never seen it.
Now this doesn't just happen with movies. If that was all, it wouldn't be a topic worth typing about now would it? The big one is with food. Yes, I am chubby. But my husband is a skinny twig with poor self-image issues (I assume just another way my in-laws screwed him up. Because as you've read, my self-image issues are most certainly attributed to my parents). Folks, the truth is I live with a Food Nazi.
My husband one time brought home Brussels sprouts from the super market when I left the side dishes up to him. I don't like Brussels sprouts. He doesn't like Brussels sprouts. He said we're supposed to eat them because they're good for us. Let me take a moment to point out that I eat a lot of vegetables. These were not brought home in place of some non-balanced meal that we would have otherwise eaten. No, he brought them home because we're supposed to eat them.
We're also not supposed to eat non-breakfast foods for breakfast. Some days I don't feel like eating breakfast food. I was never a big fan of waffles or pancakes. Once in a while, I can go for some eggs. I usually eat cereal. But some mornings, I don't want any of that. So I'll eat some left overs from dinner the night before or a Lean Cuisine. This is not allowed when the husband is home. Side note: Breakfast food can be eaten at any time of the day.
One time when I was still living in NJ and he was living in TX, he called me at dinner. I had just sat down with my stuffing and green beans. Horrified, he told me, "Those are just sides!" Yeah, I know. But that's what I like so that's what I made. Needless to say, since moving to TX I've only had "just the sides" for dinner on nights he didn't make it home.
He also does this weird thing with family. Here's my thing about family. As I mention in my About Me section, I come from two pretty dysfunctional extended families. To me family isn't defined by the blood that runs through your veins but by the relationship you have with these people. I have a lot of blood-family that I could run into on the street and never know it. I also have a lot of friends that I consider family--far more of them than blood-family that I consider family.
My husband has some distant relatives that lives in Houston. He doesn't know them at all. I'm pretty sure that they never met. They certainly weren't at our wedding although I am uncertain if they were even invited. He's been talking about how we have to go see them because they're family. Essentially, what I've been hearing is that we have to go meet these strangers. They've never had a relationship before and I'm sure this wouldn't spark one up. So, my husband has been telling me that we "are supposed to" go have one terribly awkward night.
I tell him constantly that being an adult means you can do what you want. We're in this glorious time of our life between living with parents who are telling us what to do and living with children where we have to set good examples. If I want to have a bowl of ice cream before dinner, Hell, if I want a bowl of ice cream FOR dinner, I can have it. I'm a grown up and I can do what I want.
I almost titled this post Ice Cream for Dinner but changed my mind because I thought it gave away the ending. But then I realized I think that would make an awesome band name. I CALL IT!
File photo. My husband (center) and In-Laws.
Not sure if you can tell, but seriously, my husband is HOT!
I was raised so that I would want to do things that I'm supposed to do. Maybe this isn't true 100% of the time but doesn't that just make me human. I guess there are the occasions when I take the high road even though I don't want to but that's just good social skills. Sometimes I don't do things that I'm supposed to do because I don't want to. Here's the weird thing, the world keeps turning and the birds keep chirping. Weird.
So, last night, we watched The King's Speech. Not because he or I wanted to see it but because he thought he was supposed to see it. It won the Academy Award for best picture last year--that's always a big one for him. See, we're not exactly the intellectual type when it comes to our movie watching and we often do not like the movies that get all the critical acclaim. Some of our favorite movies are Anchorman, Waiting, Bad Boys, and Iron Man. That's not to say that we don't like our occasional heavy drama--The Departed is up their tied for my favorite movie of all time with Forrest Gump. It's more to say that we're not likely to go see some artsy-fartsy movie by choice. But there we were watching this slow, dialogue-heavy movie (the cinematography was incredible. The photographer inside me found it distracting). Now it wasn't bad. In fact, I have a mini-crush on the royal family, so I was definitely more interested when I realized it was about Queen Elizabeth's father. But still, I could have been happy the rest of my life having never seen it.
Internet Photo. This is a still from The King's Speech.
This is how the movie was shot.
The whole movie could have been still after still and then you watch the movie with a flip book.
Beautiful photography. I found it distracting in a movie.
Now this doesn't just happen with movies. If that was all, it wouldn't be a topic worth typing about now would it? The big one is with food. Yes, I am chubby. But my husband is a skinny twig with poor self-image issues (I assume just another way my in-laws screwed him up. Because as you've read, my self-image issues are most certainly attributed to my parents). Folks, the truth is I live with a Food Nazi.
My husband one time brought home Brussels sprouts from the super market when I left the side dishes up to him. I don't like Brussels sprouts. He doesn't like Brussels sprouts. He said we're supposed to eat them because they're good for us. Let me take a moment to point out that I eat a lot of vegetables. These were not brought home in place of some non-balanced meal that we would have otherwise eaten. No, he brought them home because we're supposed to eat them.
We're also not supposed to eat non-breakfast foods for breakfast. Some days I don't feel like eating breakfast food. I was never a big fan of waffles or pancakes. Once in a while, I can go for some eggs. I usually eat cereal. But some mornings, I don't want any of that. So I'll eat some left overs from dinner the night before or a Lean Cuisine. This is not allowed when the husband is home. Side note: Breakfast food can be eaten at any time of the day.
One time when I was still living in NJ and he was living in TX, he called me at dinner. I had just sat down with my stuffing and green beans. Horrified, he told me, "Those are just sides!" Yeah, I know. But that's what I like so that's what I made. Needless to say, since moving to TX I've only had "just the sides" for dinner on nights he didn't make it home.
He also does this weird thing with family. Here's my thing about family. As I mention in my About Me section, I come from two pretty dysfunctional extended families. To me family isn't defined by the blood that runs through your veins but by the relationship you have with these people. I have a lot of blood-family that I could run into on the street and never know it. I also have a lot of friends that I consider family--far more of them than blood-family that I consider family.
My husband has some distant relatives that lives in Houston. He doesn't know them at all. I'm pretty sure that they never met. They certainly weren't at our wedding although I am uncertain if they were even invited. He's been talking about how we have to go see them because they're family. Essentially, what I've been hearing is that we have to go meet these strangers. They've never had a relationship before and I'm sure this wouldn't spark one up. So, my husband has been telling me that we "are supposed to" go have one terribly awkward night.
I tell him constantly that being an adult means you can do what you want. We're in this glorious time of our life between living with parents who are telling us what to do and living with children where we have to set good examples. If I want to have a bowl of ice cream before dinner, Hell, if I want a bowl of ice cream FOR dinner, I can have it. I'm a grown up and I can do what I want.
Internet photo. Yeah, I would definitely have that for dinner.
I almost titled this post Ice Cream for Dinner but changed my mind because I thought it gave away the ending. But then I realized I think that would make an awesome band name. I CALL IT!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
TMI Thursday
WARNING: The following contains TMI. If you are not interested in reading about lady issues, do not proceed. Also, there's no pictures on this one, because, really, GROSS.
Maybe TMI Thursdays will be my thing. Doesn't that just sound awesomely awful?
"Now you're putting the whole station in jeopardy."
Something Else to Worry About
So, I'm on the rag. And it blows. I hear not everyone suffers quite as much as I do, and I'm sure there are some that suffer more (poor souls), but I'll tell you, this is bad.
I first got my period Mother's Day '95. Is it weird that I know that? And it's been an awful ride ever since. There were times as a teenager when I had to crawl around my house because I was in so much pain. When I worked in retail, I scheduled my days off around my 1st two days of my cycle. It was either that or help customers while hunched over in pain. Not to mention the part where I'd likely be telling them off. Even when I was on the pill, my periods were heavy and painful. What the hell, Pill? I wanted you more for that reason than preventing pregnancy!
After suffering through monthly periods for 2 years while on pills that shall remain nameless, my gyno finally said, "Have we ever discussed skipping periods?" Which I replied, "I'll take it." The woman could have told me that smoking crack daily will cause me to only menstruate 4x a year and I would have taken it. So I went on Seasonelle and for the last 6 1/2 years that's the bliss I lived in. Well, sort of. I was still miserable those 4x a year but it was a hell of a lot better than giving up a full WEEK monthly!
Well, hubby dearest and I, after almost 2 years of marriage and nearly 10 years together, finally had a conversation about having a family in May. Not sure I can technically call it a conversation. While hammered on a cruise we took in May, the husband looked at me and said, "I'm ready." I told him that we would need to have that conversation when we were sober.
Then sober but still on the cruise, we had the same conversation the next day. I was really excited. A little something about me: Ever since I could have children--so I guess, Mother's Day '95--I've wanted them. Luckily for me, I had loving, caring, controlling parents, so that was never going to happen. Never even got laid until I was 18 and it was with the man I would eventually marry. Did I mention TMI?
When we got back from the cruise, that brave, excited, soon-to-be-father-of-my-children reverted back to the scared, broke, wimpy husband that I had been having the family conversation with prior to the cruise. When I brought it up one last time, he was having second thoughts. Of course! So we had to beat that one to death. The truth was I knew that if it was possible for me to get pregnant by accident, he would be excited and ready when I did. But I was on the pill, which I took perfectly, so chances were 99.9% it would not happen by accident and we needed to sit down and make a conscious decision to start trying. In the end, he was ready and I finished my last packet of Seasonelle in the end of May.
Well, 31 days later, I had my first natural cycle in nearly 10 years. Oh, how it reminded me how much I hated being on the rag monthly. I suffered. I laid in bed for a full day with my legs elevated and a heating pad rotating from my abdomen to my back. Bonus: When I was on the pill, my periods started during the week. The husband never got to see first hand how much I suffered. Since this one started on a Saturday, he actually got to see the pain in my eyes--not to mention the skeptical that is me positioning myself in bed. I've noticed a little more compassion since then. I stress LITTLE.
Well, 28 days passed after that first natural cycle. Then 31--which I was convinced was my cycle--passed. Then 35 passed. So I invested in a home pregnancy test. By the time 52 days had passed, I had taken 7 home pregnancy tests. All negative.
The truth is I've never experienced that feeling when a woman gets her period and is relieved. Periods always equal misery to me and now with the hope of getting pregnant (Remember: something I've wanted for 16 years), it's like a double whammy. I'm not pregnant and I'm about to suffer for the next week. Awesome. Except not.
On day 53, I got my double whammy. I am not happy about it. And I suffered for the last 24 hours.
Hopefully, this blog will get to follow my journey of starting a family and all the pain and beauty that comes along with it. Remember, don't tell my family--especially the in-laws. They're a bunch of blabber mouths. But, I guess for now, I'll just have to Let It Bleed.
Maybe TMI Thursdays will be my thing. Doesn't that just sound awesomely awful?
"Now you're putting the whole station in jeopardy."
Something Else to Worry About
So, I'm on the rag. And it blows. I hear not everyone suffers quite as much as I do, and I'm sure there are some that suffer more (poor souls), but I'll tell you, this is bad.
I first got my period Mother's Day '95. Is it weird that I know that? And it's been an awful ride ever since. There were times as a teenager when I had to crawl around my house because I was in so much pain. When I worked in retail, I scheduled my days off around my 1st two days of my cycle. It was either that or help customers while hunched over in pain. Not to mention the part where I'd likely be telling them off. Even when I was on the pill, my periods were heavy and painful. What the hell, Pill? I wanted you more for that reason than preventing pregnancy!
After suffering through monthly periods for 2 years while on pills that shall remain nameless, my gyno finally said, "Have we ever discussed skipping periods?" Which I replied, "I'll take it." The woman could have told me that smoking crack daily will cause me to only menstruate 4x a year and I would have taken it. So I went on Seasonelle and for the last 6 1/2 years that's the bliss I lived in. Well, sort of. I was still miserable those 4x a year but it was a hell of a lot better than giving up a full WEEK monthly!
Well, hubby dearest and I, after almost 2 years of marriage and nearly 10 years together, finally had a conversation about having a family in May. Not sure I can technically call it a conversation. While hammered on a cruise we took in May, the husband looked at me and said, "I'm ready." I told him that we would need to have that conversation when we were sober.
Then sober but still on the cruise, we had the same conversation the next day. I was really excited. A little something about me: Ever since I could have children--so I guess, Mother's Day '95--I've wanted them. Luckily for me, I had loving, caring, controlling parents, so that was never going to happen. Never even got laid until I was 18 and it was with the man I would eventually marry. Did I mention TMI?
When we got back from the cruise, that brave, excited, soon-to-be-father-of-my-children reverted back to the scared, broke, wimpy husband that I had been having the family conversation with prior to the cruise. When I brought it up one last time, he was having second thoughts. Of course! So we had to beat that one to death. The truth was I knew that if it was possible for me to get pregnant by accident, he would be excited and ready when I did. But I was on the pill, which I took perfectly, so chances were 99.9% it would not happen by accident and we needed to sit down and make a conscious decision to start trying. In the end, he was ready and I finished my last packet of Seasonelle in the end of May.
Well, 31 days later, I had my first natural cycle in nearly 10 years. Oh, how it reminded me how much I hated being on the rag monthly. I suffered. I laid in bed for a full day with my legs elevated and a heating pad rotating from my abdomen to my back. Bonus: When I was on the pill, my periods started during the week. The husband never got to see first hand how much I suffered. Since this one started on a Saturday, he actually got to see the pain in my eyes--not to mention the skeptical that is me positioning myself in bed. I've noticed a little more compassion since then. I stress LITTLE.
Well, 28 days passed after that first natural cycle. Then 31--which I was convinced was my cycle--passed. Then 35 passed. So I invested in a home pregnancy test. By the time 52 days had passed, I had taken 7 home pregnancy tests. All negative.
The truth is I've never experienced that feeling when a woman gets her period and is relieved. Periods always equal misery to me and now with the hope of getting pregnant (Remember: something I've wanted for 16 years), it's like a double whammy. I'm not pregnant and I'm about to suffer for the next week. Awesome. Except not.
On day 53, I got my double whammy. I am not happy about it. And I suffered for the last 24 hours.
Hopefully, this blog will get to follow my journey of starting a family and all the pain and beauty that comes along with it. Remember, don't tell my family--especially the in-laws. They're a bunch of blabber mouths. But, I guess for now, I'll just have to Let It Bleed.
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