Saturday is Not for Dust Bunnies

Ok...I totally took advantage of leaving the Ultimate Blog Post up for the entire week. It was a long week and when I got home from work, I just wanted to sit and relax. Laziness....pure and simple.

I will be posting an "After-Party" post later on today to share some of the fantastic blogs I visited! I am so glad I took part in this event and can't wait to introduce you to some great sites!!

But, for now..it is a gloomy, rainy Saturday.  I have no excuse to not clean the house today. Sorry dust bunnies- party is over.

Ultimate Blog Party 2010!

Let's get it it started...Let's get it started..in here!!

I found this site 5 Minutes for Mom the day before yesterday and started reading about their annual Blog Party. Being new to blogging, I really wanted to give this a try. I mean, who doesn't love to attend a party?! So, I am going to participate in this huge event this year and see what it is all about! It's an event where I hope to meet other bloggers and network and invite you to check it out as well. Whether you have a blog or just read them, you can participate. Let's check it out!

For those stopping by for the first time:

I started blogging last June, which I guess makes me a new fish in the blog ocean.  I love to write and  wanted a place to jot down my thoughts and observations about all the different things that are part of my little world and figured that starting my own blog would be a good place to do so. Finally, a place to share my (sometimes) silly stories and love of sports. I have loved every single minute of it!

My name is Kelly and I am wife to the greatest husband in the world (17 years strong!) who doesn't quite get why I like to blog, but I love him anyway. I am a mom to two teenagers, one boy and one girl. They are the joy to my life and have brought joy to my hairdresser's life. (Someone needs to cover the gray hair that these two kids provide!)

I love sports; have since I was a kid myself. I've played them all...however, my favorite was found late in athletic life (ripe of 34) and it is speedskating! I compete in both short track (like Apolo Ohno) and long track (like Shani Davis). I have been to the US Nationals in both disciplines and have medaled in the Masters category. It is a fantastic sport that keeps me in great shape and has also enabled me to meet some wonderful friends who share the same passion for going in circles, really fast! I also l-o-v-e cycling and share that with my husband, who is a fantastic bike rider. It is something that we love to do together and is often the perfect way for us to spend some solid quality time together.

One thing that most folks don't know is that I collect Christmas ornaments from places that we visit. It's a great way to remember where we've been as a family and share stories when trimming the tree during the holidays. Another thing that most don't know is I am a H-U-G-E Scrabble fan! I play any chance I can get and was one of the first apps I downloaded onto my ipod! :) 

So, what will you find on Mom Got Blog? I guess a little bit of everything. I write a lot about sports, quirky family happenings and anything adding to the journey.  One of my favorite categories is my "Really?!" posts...which are things I have seen or experienced that make me say "Really? Are you kidding me?".

As I mentioned, I am really new to this blogging thing and still trying to learn as much as I can. The Ultimate Blog Party seems to be a great way to meet new friends and network with other bloggers!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jamie Oliver Earns an Apple For "Food Revolution"

You know the saying...

"An Apple a day..."

Well the "Food Doctor", Jamie Oliver has written a new prescription for Americans and the food we eat, especially our kids and school lunches. And what is that? Eat real food!

I am such a fan of Jamie's Food Revolution that I decided to add his button and link to the petition he has created. I don't just add things on this blog unless I really find weight to it..especially a link or button. The fact that I added both, means that I  agree with Jamie's vision of creating better diets and in this case better school lunches.

A few years ago, when our kids were in elementary school I had a wake up call to the school lunch program. I admit, I did not make lunch every day. At the beginning of each month, I would sit down with the kids and we would go over the menu and pick which days they would like to buy. I protested to a lot of the choices...fried cheese sticks, big soft pretzels...these items are not lunch-these are what some would consider snacks or appetizers! In any event, a certain dollar amount ($2.00 per lunch) would be put into their account to cover the few days they did want to buy. It never failed that mid-month, I would get a letter from the school saying their account was short. One month, the letter said that the account was a negative $5.00! They only started with $8.00!

So in I marched to the lunch lady, letter in hand ready to say that the accounting was wrong. What she showed and said to me stopped me in my tracks. She had a print out of all the food items the kids purchased that month and it wasn't all a balanced lunch. Much of what I saw was what the school called a la carte. Kids had the choice to get whatever was set out for them...ice cream, Twix bars...cookies, etc. If you give a kid a choice of buying an apple or a Twix bar, which do you think they are going to pick? It was explained to me that I did have the option to block these items on their account so that they could only buy the lunch that was provided. BUT....if I locked these items, that would also prohibit them from getting milk.

That's right. Milk would be blocked because the school considered it an a la carte item. I asked, "but isn't that included in a lunch purchase?" The answer was no. "Are you kidding me?" She wasn't.

As I left the lunch room, the first wave of students were going through the line. The lunch workers were not just handing out the tray of lunch, they were asking what the kids wanted ON the tray..."do you want corn?" No. "Do you want salad?" No. "Do you want a fruit cup?" No. When I went to school, you ate what was put on the tray. We didn't have a choice. As I got older, ice cream was offered (Push-ups or the Nutty Buddy ice cream cone) but that was it-and I didn't get it every single day.

Since that meeting, I packed a lunch for the kids every day. There may have been one or two occasions where oversleeping had me reaching in to the wallet, but for the most part they have been brown-bagging it. A big plus I find for our family is that we do eat fairly healthy. Do we have sugary cereals? Sure. Maybe a bag of chips once in a while? Yes. But, we also have a bowl of fruit-(which I am often asked by the kids' friends -"Is that real fruit or fake?") on the kitchen table always available and a salad every night along with fresh vegetables with dinner.

To Jamie, I offer an A+ and an apple for teaching our kids how to make better choices and why it is so important for them to do so!

You can watch Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution" on ABC, Friday's at 9pm EST. Check your local listings. I think you will be surprised and learn something too.

Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun....

I love when spring (and fall) get those really off the charts warm days mixed in to the normal cooler temperatures.
It's like a little surprise amidst the grind.

Today it is forecast to go into the low 80's and I cannot wait to enjoy it.

I am a big collector of suns. I love the expressions that are on them- most always smiling and with a happy face. Maybe that's why I also like to grow sunflowers...they are big, happy, bright yellow flowers that tower above you and when against a clear blue summer sky, seem to represent a sun that you can look at without burning your corneas.

I hope today you are having a nice summer surprise...

Time to roll the windows down in the car, play the music a little bit loud and kick back and relax and soak in the sun.

Happy Easter!

It has been quite a week. I forgot how exhausting going back to work can be. I am not saying SAHM's have it easy or are any less exhausted, but it is a different type of tired for a working mom- I have been on both sides of the fence, so I feel ok to say that.

This week had me channeling the Dunkin' Donuts guy...remember him? Barely shuffling his feet while saying "Time to make the donuts"...I have been up at the crack of dawn, still doing my "mom stuff" and trying to get myself out the door. Work is now eating up 8 hours of time I would normally use to run errands, doctor appointments and house duties- all the things mom's (and dad's) seem to juggle. It will get done, but now it is a matter of prioritizing for a tighter time frame.

I've been looking forward to this weekend and spending some quality time with the family. It was awesome that the weather cooperated and has been absolutely beautiful!

Yesterday, my husband and I went for a bike ride at our Battlefield loop and he crushed me. I worked so hard to keep up with him, which is a good thing even though I am whining about it. At one point, a guy on a motorcycle was riding along side and with his fingers gestured to us with a two and then a five, then a thumbs up. I didn't think we were riding that fast, but when I looked down, he was right. When we got to the steepest hill on the course, we came across a guy pulling a child carrier  and my husband asked if he was ok. I felt horrible, I did not stop- I kept going. I thought "there is no way I can stop and get going again on this hill" so, up I climbed. I kept looking back to see if my husband joined me- I felt bad that he was nowhere in sight, but at the same time, I reveled in the fact that I "beat" him up this hill for the first time (and last I'm sure). Of course I know it's not fair that he stopped and helped the guy pop the chain back on (which my husband shared with me later) but I am taking that "win" any way I can get it!! Besides, I knew my husband would catch up and he did before I made it through the roundabout and back to the crest of the hill.

Seems this ride was not enough of a challenge for him, so he talked me into going out for a "quick loop" when we got home. We explored a new road which we both said would be good for hill repeats and when we crested the final hill we were welcomed with a lovely view of the river. What goes up, must go down, so the ride back to the main road was a nice, much needed break, which 5 minutes later, I was so thankful for. We climbed a little and then, I saw it. I have been so proud that I have not climbed any hill yet this season in my "Granny" gear. That was until I climbed this one. It could not be helped. My legs were baked and there was no other way to get up this snotty thing. So I said hello to granny and told myself, "relax and just ride the hill". Just before reaching the top, I though my legs were going to fall off, so I got out of my saddle just to get more momentum to turn the legs over. My husband, having absolutely no sympathy for me, passed me and threw the hammer down. Fricka-Fracka...I clicked my gears and took off trying to catch him. For being so tired, I surprised myself when I looked down and was clocking in at 30mph! In my MIDDLE RING! I haven't been able to use my big gear for over a year and have not tuned up the bike yet to have it fixed. I can't wait until I do!

The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping with my daughter. A fun, yet hellish adventure all wrapped in one. I won't bore you with the details. Let's just say, I said "no" A LOT and she tsssked and rolled her eyes A LOT. Good times.

Today we enjoyed waking up to the birds singing, wishing eachother a Happy Easter and finding colored eggs strategically placed around the house. Apparently, the Easter Bunny is lame in hiding these as both kids proclaimed "they are in plain sight! They are supposed to be hidden."  Sorry kids, when the EB is fumbling around at 4am, all places look pretty hidden. It could be the low light, or maybe the eyesight is going because not enough carrots are being consumed. What the EB wants to know is when do you stop looking for these? Because sleep is looking soooooo much better the older this rabbit gets.

Now that we have enjoyed our day with lasagna, chocolate and jelly beans, it is time to share some stories and enjoy eachother's company. Maybe take a walk or play a good board game.

I hope you have had a wonderful weekend!