Rolanda...

I read about 10 pages of Boy Toy and then I put it down for a week. That's how good it began. But I'm about to walk upstairs, get in my bed, and try to continue reading. Since then, I've been dabbling in these readings instead. Quite a spectrum, I know.

Hang in there and read 13 Reasons Why first. So we can talk. And maybe go for a walk although I've heard through the grapevine that you look super skinny. So maybe don't walk.

And I will see you next week! I want to try P712 with you! And get organized. Bye.

A love letter

Dear ReadandRun,
I have not received any of my books yet. No 13 Reasons Why, no Boy Toy, no anything. However, I have read the Clique and A Christmas Carol and part of We Were the Mulroneys and part of My Brother the Dog while waiting. Please let my books come soon,
Love, Rolanda.

PS is Boy Toy worth the wait?
PPS I do not run
PPPS or exercise.

It's here! It's here!

I will begin...tomorrow. Anyone else reading this with us?

P.S. I don't recommend searching for this book cover online unless you include the author's name. Whoops.

P.P.S. When is our next race? And where? And Katy...are you coming? I say yes.

I'm impressed. Did Mel B. get kicked off?
I have to read Speak again for my class.
I'm also going to read Boy Toy.
Tomorrow I'm going to make cranberry sauce.
I should be writing about death.
Instead I'm trying to watch project runway online but it's not working.
What do you think about the bachelor?

I don't want to take away from your scary story, but this story is sort of scary, too.

We were watching DWTS last night (figure it out) and Mel B. (Spice Girl) did the splits four times in a row.

Tod: Wow! That is hard!

Me: It's not that hard.

Tod: Can you do the splits?

Me: Sure I can.

Tod: Do it.

Me: Right now?

Tod: Yeah.

So I did. I broke into the right side splits right there on our bed. He nodded his head then kept watching the show. I am 98% certain I injured myself. I'm not sore today, just injured. This is a secret, though, because I need to be as good as Mel B.

I'm glad your little man is okay. And just count your blessings that your hamstring is in tact.

My little baby almost died during Relief Society today. He started choking (really really really choking) on one of these little guys. I started bawling. He wasn't making any sound and I was hitting his back and I'd swiped his mouth and the lesson had stopped and everyone was sort of holding their breath and the pediatric nurse sitting right in front of me didn't grab him. Then he started sort of crying so I thought he was okay so I took him into the hall and then he started convulsing. I have to go now because he wants some yogurt but this is to be continued . . .

I'm back, so he was sort of convulsing and the first counselor had come out and was trying to take him from me and I was cry yelling "Get Carrie" (the pediatric nurse) but first counselor wasn't paying attention to my hysterics. Instead, she took him and she made a little knuckle and told me this is how you do it and she did the heimlich on him. A goldfish came out. In tact.

Later Carrie told me that's not how you do it for kids under a year and that you're supposed to do this other thing but I was sort of numb and so glad she did do it even if it was dangerous because then he could wail like he wanted to wail and then he hugged me but not really and then when I went in the mother's room to calm down he tried to get off my lap to see what the paper towel dispenser looked like from the bottom up.

After I got my druthers together and went back into the RS room to get my stuff, I told the Relief Society President that we should have an enrichment on CPR and choking techniques. I even said, "I think that's a lot more important than learning how to make bread." She agreed.

He slept that night from 5:00pm to 4:00am. He drank a little at 5:02 and then went back to sleep until 7:30. He was truamatized too.

Pump it up

I just want to say I am very excited for the race. For several reasons. First of all, we were all pregnant last year and now we are racing! I am also excited to swim in this huge pool. Zig zag. I want to tell you to pump it up this week. When I say pump IT I mean the volume. Pump up the volume and tell everyone that Saturday is the day.

Good luck tomorrow with treats. I may eat a piece of candy but I honestly like to cut out crap the week before. Do what you can. I am adding an inspirational picture from last year's race. I took this picture. He is the real deal.

I hope this race will be the beginning of years of racing. Eventually the Ironman. Right, Ann Dee? Or maybe we could do it relay style. In Hawaii. See you Friday, ladies. I'm proud of you.

DO you REALLY think she faked it? Does she really have it in her?
I can't wait to see you.
Even if I have to die to make it happen.
Die in the pool or on the road, it does not matter.
My last reeses will happen tonight. And maybe a late run.
Or maybe not.

Did you see the horror star flicks? Have you seen leprechaun? I'd like to watch it.

Did everyone stop posting because of the new color scheme? Be honest. Ann Dee -- thanks for getting the bikes. Milli, thanks for commenting on our blog. I'd like to thank T for watching L while I run. Jog.

In other news, I think she faked it.

Update

I biked yesterday and it was hard. Today I will try to run. No, today I will run. Here is the problem: I eat a lot of candy.

Here's another problem: yesterday at ROSS our cashier had 1. a beard (female beard)(but shaven), 2. bad acne, 3. a lazy eye AND 4. spoke with a severe stutter. Just having one of those is bad enough, but she had all four. Go back through the list and really picture this person. So those are my main problems right now.

I didn't.
I will.
I think.
I walked around the block five and a half times.
I talked about swimming A LOT.
And I ate two brownies and some lasagna too!

I

signed

up

today

did

you?

I also jogged half the loop today, walked around the block with L, climbed our stairs a few times, ate a piece of homemade cake, and had lasagna for lunch and dinner. Goodbye.

Yesterday

- jogged the loop
- more crunches

Today

- walked the loop with my little guy
- some lunges
- more crunches

This weekend

- we're flying to Seattle for a funeral so probably nothing. But a lot of eating. How are you? I'll post on Monday when we return.

I was going to go around my block four times again (which would be around 2.something miles) but then I didn't. Even after i talked to Millie on the phone and told her to start exercising more better.
More better and better.
I am the loser.
But I won't feel guilty.
Instead, tomorrow, I'll run five times around the loop and I'll do some push ups.

I did walk around the block with V.
And he frustrated me a few times today and that took a lot of energy
Plus I ate cookies.

This is what I did

1. Jogged the loop
2. 200 crunches when I got home
3. Walked out to get the mail

I am going to open this up to anyone training for our triathlon. Tell us what you've done. Millie, I'd like to hear from you specifically. I think it's helpful to report.

Yesterday

I did nothing. I'm not going to lie. However, today I have hopes of jogging the loop. That's 3.5 miles. I will let you know how it goes but I wanted to post my goal so that I actually do it today. I'm glad you ran around the block four times. Like you said, start somewhere. Oprah says the best way to get motivated is to DO what you need motivation to do. I think we should all listen to Oprah more often.

I made cam sit on the porch

and do his homework while I ran around our circle in the pitch dark night.
.6 of a mile.
I went around four times.
I almost got attacked.
Every time I passed our house I was huffing and yelled something like, I'm here. I'm not dead.
He'd nod and push a button on his calculator.

So that's me.
I'm tired and sore and it was only two miles.

Gotta start somewhere.
Triathlon, here I come.

Tofu and Pizza

Bad news. I've been doing nothing. As in no biking, no swimming, no running, nada. I have no excuse. Except for the past three weeks I've been feeling like crap (headache, nausea, sore throat) so I started to think I was pregnant because it kind of always feels like I'm pregnant because feeling pregnant feels crappy but crappy for a reason so it's not SO bad crappy. But I'm not pregnant and I don't really want to be pregnant because I'd go nuts. I need at least six more months. At least.
So
I haven't been doing anything.
BUT I am feeling better, I know I'm not pregnant and I am committed to doing the triathlon whether I die at the end or not so I better get going.

In other news, I've read some of Middlesex and I wasn't so into it. I couldn't finish Consuming Kids either and I'm up for Into the Wild later. I bought the Kite Runner at Costco because a review on Barnes and Noble compared my book to it so I thought, why not.

I hope you're ready for this weekend.

V misses L.

Middlesex then Into the Wild

I actually did NOT remove this blog from my account...I think I accidentally have two accounts, so it gets confusing. I'll explain one day when we have nothing to talk about.

I tried reading Consuming Kids and couldn't. I can read bits and pieces, but I couldn't get through consecutive chapters. Interesting info, but my attention span wasn't long enough.

I am beginning Middlesex today by Jeffrey Eugenides (Virgin Suicides). No, Oprah didn't tell me to, I wanted to on my own. After Middlesex I'd like to read Into the Wild. Sean Penn just wrote and directed a movie based on the book which is based on a true story of a boy who wandered the country to find himself and they found him starved to death weighing 68 lbs. Wanna join? I'm starting with Middlesex first, then the other. Then, I don't know. I couldn't find the underline button so I just italicized the titles. Was that wrong?

How's training? I'm focusing mostly on my running because that's what really kicks my butt. Tod made me run stairs the other day at the high school and it was painful. I'd like a tri-update, please. On everyone.

(This is a picture of the bus this guy lived in while he wandered around Alaska. These are his boots. That is his face.)(I find it fascinating)

What are you reading?

Why did you take our blog off your profile? I mean it's fine, I'm just wondering if you got some unsightly comments or something.
Are you embarrassed by me?
Do you we had never created this little piece of heaven?
Do think Brit should be on the cover of Maxim?
That's all.

Try this. You need to see it.

Also, why do you always remember embarassing things like how I saw her movie when I forget those things until you remind me?

I'll read the book but I am dragging through Meyer's last book. The first one held my interest, the second one was a little less fun and the third one is KILLING me. I want to finish it just so I can talk about how each book went downhill and know from experience. Plus, I've had it with all the typos.

If you want a playlist on this blog let me know because I've become a master webmaster and I can do lots of tricks in case you're interested.

I tried to watch Britney at the VMAs on youtube because I don't have TV and because this is a major national crisis--I can't be one of the ignorant. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a decent video. I'm very worried but you should be more worried--you grew up with her, you watched her movie, you danced her dances. Are you okay? How can I help?

Also, I just finished Al Capone Does My Shirts. Newberry Honor. Boring.
I'm starting The Wet Engine by Brian Doyle. It's a memoir and I'm requiring it for my personal history class. Maybe you should read it. Or maybe not. I also need to read The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion.
And this Hugo Cabret book



Whaddya think?

What happened to her?

Lately I drink a protein shake for breakfast. It is delicious. The problem is, I'm supposed to use this much peanut butter:

Instead I sometimes use this much:

But it really is delicious and hey, protein...

Cam

celebrity look alikes

Since you tagged me awhile ago, here are my eight facts. I am not going to post the rules because I'm breaking most of them:

1. This is the first time in my life that I've had real cleavage.
2. One time I crashed my grandpa's car. I was five. You were there and Katy saved me.
3. I made my first successful roast tonight.
4. I once started writing a book when I was 11 until I realized my plot was a combination of the movies MASK and MY GIRL.
5. I'm a very efficient person.
6. I secretly wanted the Relief Society basket all summer and today I got it.
7. I hate all animals except those found in the ocean.
8. One time I was showing you and Katy how I wiped the counters like on CHEERS and Katy told me I was totally wrong.

Tri update:

Last week I swam, jogged, did a Cindy Crawford workout DVD and walked a lot. I will try to up the jogging this week. I jogged for 20 minutes and it was hard.

Book update:

Ordered Consuming Kids. Will start when it arrives. Finished TWILIGHT and thought how much more I would've enjoyed it 12 years ago.

Baby update:

Lennon is now smiling a lot. And last night I fed him at 3 am and he threw it all up. So we started all over again.

I read the Glass Castle right before I had the baby, so maybe you could read that while I read Consuming Kids? The Glass Castle was fascinating -- I couldn't put it down. So I'd say let's do both.

I swam 30 laps last night. Breaststroke, slow. Tonight no workout because I've decided to attend a ward activity - - Picnic in the Park. Is that a lame excuse? I think it's a pretty good/noble one.

Soon it will be cool enough to run outside when the sun is actually up.

Teachers have to be at work next week. I am so glad that doesn't include me.

I think I'll do the November tri with you so I'll have more time...however, I still don't get how you race in a pool...I need more info.

Have you been swimming?

Oh, and P.S. I haven't had any of this since Sunday...

...or any of these...

...but if I see any that look like this, I may cave in.

What do you think?

Does my butt look big in these?

Just so you know, I've read two chapters of Consuming Kids and there's been a brutal assault on these guys:



If you feel any allegiance to them/want L to love them, you may want to steer clear of this book. I'm just saying . . .

And about the triathlon, I found this training schedule and it looks doable. I'm kind of excited. There's a TURKEY triathlon on November 3rd in Orem. It's a backwards triathlon and you swim in the Orem Rec Center pool at the end and people throw turkey (just the white meat, don't worry) at you when you finish. Would you consider coming and doing that one?

Okay, I walked four miles the last two nights so tonight I will either try to jog the loop OR swim 30 laps. I will report tomorrow. Do you think you'll do this one with me?

And like I mentioned on the phone, I sort of missed the Shug boat so maybe I'll hop on the Consuming Kids one and we can discuss.

And I am nervous to try and jog a real route and don't get mad because it's been six weeks so it's legal and safe and normal now.

And yes, I could have emailed all this to you but I'm not ashamed of any information I post.

My Progress Thus Far

I'm about 20 pages into Shug. It's pretty good . . . we'll see. I also ran 1.8 miles today. But there were two hills. Tomorrow I'm going to run, I don't know, 2.2 miles? We'll see.
AND
I'm going to try out my new GOGGLES I hope. Tonight. Double I hope.

Just to clear things up, ANYONE and EVERYONE is invited to join Holly and me in our reads. We are starting Shug ASAP and I think it'll be good. Or not. But either way, it has a Popsicle on the front. You can comment too . . . if you want to . . . and if you care about reading and running and the welfare of people like Britney Spears.

Also, Holly has been pushing me to start training for a triathlon. I am scared. Very scared. BUT I'm going to at least try. Today I ran. I actually felt pretty good although I didn't go very far. I think the key was I got to bed early. Like 10:14. Seriously. It did my body good. Cam and I looked a swimsuits online. Then Cam measured my bust, waist and thighs to find out my REAl size. Sad. I didn't order a suit.
I also need goggles, a swim cap, and the guts to actually do this.

Now you have to move back. Provo made people.com

Shug, please. Now I have to go to the library. Let's race and see who gets it first. Doesn't count if you already have it and don't cheat like usual...

The prize for the winner is. . . TBA.

What's your pick?

What shall we read next? I just finished a true crimes Ann Rule book called Bitter Harvest. Actually, my version of finishing an Ann Rule book is getting to the part where the crime is committed. Then I stop reading. Why continue when I know who did what? So this is the second Ann Rule book I've stopped right in the middle. It's liberating; comparable to leaving a movie early just because.

So give me a title and we can resume.

Today while I was in the grocery store with Little L, I made an exit plan. He had been sort of fussy this morning so I became paranoid that he'd start screaming in the middle of the store. So I simply decided that if this happened, I'd abandon the shopping cart, walk straight out to the car and go home. I wouldn't even bother finishing the trip or purchasing the items. This alleviated a lot of stress and the trip was a successful one.

Sorry for jumping around on this one...that's what I get for not blogging in forever. P.S. today I had chocolate chips and a Crystal Light for lunch.

I am so excited to come out and visit V.

And yes, I am extremely worried about that girl, but Dina says her daughter is currently in a safe place. Thank goodness there are still girls with morals out there. Our poor sons.

Finally, this is how I plan to detract from my sagging belly. L and I are about to take a walk, too. Bye.

Cottage Cheese is very yummy

I am very worried about this girl . Please advise.
Also, I'm tired.
Are you?
Can you get in the swimming pool yet?
I know you aren't reading Housekeeping but I am and it's taking me forever BUT it just started to get good.

I read your magazines every day.
Did you know JT insulted his fans? Why would he do that?
We should pick a YA book that will go fast for our next book.
I'll find one for us.

Please come here soon and bring your son.
This is what my legs look like:

This is what my chest looks like:

Except instead of nipples, my leaking breast pads show. And, she's outside, and I haven't done that much, either. And she's wearing a white shirt which I tried the other night and all I could see were breast pads and milk stains. So just the boobs look like mine. Is she in pain all day long?

Thanks for your last post. I miss you and can't wait to see you soon. And introduce Big V to Little L.

He's here

I know you are still in the hospital holding your new baby soooooo you won't be responding to this soon but I just wanted to say . . . I am proud of you for the following things:

• Getting your masters degree
• Teaching people who jump out of moving cars and have kids before high school
  
• Making those salads that one time for that one family that didn't end up eating any of it
• Getting married before me
• Becoming a real person before me
  
• Not being scared of enduring the procedure pictured
• Reading my books and telling me what to change
• Wearing a Rainbow Brite nightgown
  
• Having a swimming pool
  
• Playing with baby while I Cam and I planted stuff
• Being a sister
• And most importantly, HAVING A BABY BOY!!!!

I love you, little miss!
THE END

p.s. I think we should read Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping next.

Confessions...

1. I quit reading To Kill a Mockingbird. I kept thinking, I've already read this, I've already read this. Sorry, couldn't do it.

2. I finished season II of Laguna Beach. R-I-V-E-T-I-N-G.

3. I'm now reading The Baby Whisperer. It is supposed to teach me how to meet my baby's needs without feeding it each time it cries. It cries for different reasons, you know.

4. I'm also reading Glass Castle.

5. My reading list became all askew when you left for Alaska. I hope the cruise was worth it.

6. I'm going to watch The Secret this afternoon at Tod's suggestion. I'd rather read it but my list is full these days.

7. I've only used my water weights and kickboard once this week. I'd rather just lay there.

8. This is what I want to eat all day, everyday (cherry lime flavor):

I miss you

That woman SHOULD have been kicked off for breastfeeding a two year old. You'll be fine. P.S. I saw a Hooter Hider live and in person at the Cheesecake Factory yesterday. HAVE FUN!!

I am going to have to nurse on the plane. Remember the lady who got kicked off her flight for breastfeeding? and then there was a national nurse in? I'm calling out the troops baby.

I love the chair. What I love about it most is the color -- very you. And the pillow on it. My favorite picture is the one where baby is twisted in a seductive pose for the camera. What are you teaching him? My kid will NEVER roll under a bed. Good luck on the cruise.

I will miss you while you're gone. Even though I don't see you, I like to see your pictures and read about your day. I ran four errands today. Don't be mad, but one of them was picking up season II of Laguna Beach. It just happened. I've gotten to that point. I also went to the library and checked out the book. Let the reading begin.

What, pray tell, would I do, with one eye open? I mean really? See the shark's teeth coming at me? Warn the captain to go starboard or whatever? Sheesh. And may I remind you, lil' missy, if we do go down, you become the matriarch of the entire leftover family. Good luck with that.

I would post a picture of my new old chair but I don't know how to work the stupid camera. I mean I've been taught on NUMEROUS occasions HOWEVER, this teaching has not, as they say, stuck. I know a cord is involved. I know pushing a few buttons is involved. I just don't know which cord or which buttons. I'd work harder at it but baby is sucking on the camera strap so it's really not possible.

BTW, baby rolled under the bed yesterday. If his head wasn't sticking out I never would have found him. I'm a fantastic mother. He also almost ate a price tag I left on his teddy bear. You should call Oprah.

ALSO, today I should be doing the wash, buying the diapers, making ready the house, preparing the book stuff, etc. etc. all for my departure but instead I am sitting in my bedroom watching baby suck on a camera strap.

I now am going to take a break from our sponsor and look for the cord thingy so I can show you my new chair because I'm kind of proud of it even though Shelby made it and then Kathy refurbished it and all I did was watch and say things like, Wow, that looks so cool.

Okay, it's now twenty minutes later. I'm back and I think I've got it all figured out. Here are some pictures of baby in his two favorite purple chairs*

*note: pics were inadvertently put at beginning of blog, suri

Spent the morning in the pool. Thinking of all the different people I'd love to visit...but can't. I'd love to come see you and baby. I'd love to see family or friends who live in cool places. But I have to stay here. I feel like Paris when she was on house arrest for 15 hours. It's tough.

However, glad I have a pool, glad I have a moving baby inside, glad Tod is nice, glad you get to go on a fancy cruise this week. Just remember, sometimes they sink.

I'll go to the library today for Mockingbird. I swore I had a copy somewhere but can't find it. Maybe if I cleaned out the garage it would be there. I look at the garage each day, want to clean it each day, and then I get tired when I think about it and I sit down instead. I'm glad Kathy helped you with your room. I may start small and clean our bathroom first. I want to see a real picture of your new old chair. That's exciting!

More later, but just make sure you sleep with one eye open on the cruise...you never know when/if it's going down.

Dear Lovely,
Are you cleaning out your garage? I'm not. Today Kathy helped me clean my room. That was nice. Now I feel better. I have a new used chair that I bought from Shelby. Kathy suggested we dye it. It now looks like this:I like it a lot.

I haven't started Mockingbird but I'm gonna. And I keep thinking about you and your house and your pool and your baby and your family.

Let's see . . . what else . . . I think that's all. I'm tired. My baby doesn't like to sleep and sometimes I laugh.

We were egged last night. I said, Maybe it's because it was the last day of school. T said, No, it's because I used to egg people all the time in high school. I said, Oh.

Thanks for the video. I thought I'd return the favor by sharing the biggest and best news of 2007 thus far. We have a lot to be excited about.

I hope I can look like that after having a baby.

I had nightmares all night about teaching -- the kids wouldn't read, they kept leaving the classroom, they didn't like the book, they'd gang up on me, etc... I woke up and realized - I don't have to worry about this anymore. Now I worry about things like Lansinoh (sp?) and wipes and batteries for the bouncer and leaking amniotic fluid.

Lately, I've used the pool a lot. When my back hurts, I get in the water with my new workout equipment. That includes: two water weights and a kickboard. And then I feel better.

Now I have no school so I have a list of errands to run and maybe I'll organize a garage sale, then clean out the garage. Or maybe I won't do any of these things. Should I start TKAM?

Hooked

Good morning. Because your husband is practically the Hoff, I thought this would brighten your day . . .

Just thought I'd post these. Two of them are of you and two of them are of what you're going to look like after you have a baby. Good luck.

Sounds good to me. I've actually only read it once so it will be a good review. I LOVE the bed and LOVE the bouncer even more. What did you get my baby? Babar will be up this week and I'll post pictures.

Also, how do I blog on Grandma's website?

Also, I am considering a blog for the baby when it comes. I may need help.

What secretaries say to me:

"Are you dilated?"

"That baby has DROPPED!"

"You look like you're ready to pop!"

"That belly doubled since Friday!"

Also, I took a tour of the maternity ward of my hospital and I saw these. And I got a little freaked out. I wish there was some other way...

Also, I want copies of your book to give to the English teachers at my school. I am also planning to send you powerpoints this week. Or next week. I think you'll enjoy them all.

Bye.