Reason #2 That I Love Being Childfree

Here's another one of those reasons that might not seem so important on the surface, but are priceless when you think about it.

DH and I are invited to a New Year's Eve Party tonight. Since the time we received the invite, we couldn't figure out if we really wanted to go or not. It's in our neighborhood, so no driving is necessary. It's fairly casual, so I don't have to go out and buy something special to wear. Our only hesitancy was that we enjoy vegging out at home together so much and prefer it to going to parties. In the end, we decided that we will go at least go for awhile. We don't want to appear antisocial, and we really do like most of our neighbors.

What does this have to do with being childfree? The fact that we never once had to consider who was going to take care of the kids! It's something that never even enters our mind. Most people I work with or am acquainted with have to worry if they will be able to get a babysitter, and then, if the ARE successful at securing one, they are paying 3x the going rate just because it's New Year's. So typically New Year's parties are out of the question. As are a lot of other events.

We live about 150 miles from our families. There is no one around that we could "just drop the kids off with" (even though I'd never expect my parents or siblings to be babysitters anyway). That's one of the complications that we just did not want to have in our lives. We are free to go anywhere we want anytime we want and not give it a second thought. It always amuses me when I see a couple at a party or out to dinner and the cell phone is attached to (usually) the wife's ear while she tries to figure out if the kids are alright. Ugh! They can't even enjoy the themselves! No, thankyouverymuch. So, there is Reason #2 That I Love Being Childfree!

Looking Back: 2007

It's the last day of the year....lots of people like to look back and the previous year and reminisce. I have to say, I hate looking back. I'm not a person that likes to think about the past. But I'm forcing myself a little bit here as there's so much to be thankful for, and I rarely take the time to do it. So here's a quick list of the good and the bad (that I can recall!):

• I received my long-awaited promotion. There was no big change....just a quick announcement, a new title, a little bigger salary, and some more headaches. But I am happy in this position and think it's a great fit for me. There's a lot of things that irritate me off about my company and employers, but if it was really that bad, I'd leave. I've been there 14 years and know that it could be so much worse.
  
• My dad had a lot of health problems and was in the hospital several times the last part of the year. This is why I hate looking back! :-( But, for now he seems a little better and we were able to enjoy the holidays with him and my mom. It was quiet, but he's still with us, and I thank God for that. I pray that we get another Christmas with him. Watching your parents grow old is heart-retching.
  
• We finally got our landscaping in! It cost an arm and a leg....heck, we could have bought a car for that kind of $$$ (thank goodness for 0% financing!), but it looks awesome. We waited a long time for this.
• We took a nice, long vacation to Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia. It was a driving trip, and we enjoyed it quite a bit. I can now say we drove every mile of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Shenandoah Valley. Beautiful! The picture in this post is from that trip. We didn't travel very much this year (compared to other years) as we really wanted to just enjoy our home.
  
• My husband started construction on our basement. He has a very long way to go, but I can really see that it's taking shape. Maybe by next year at this time it will be done!
• We took a contractor that was working on some projects for us (well sort of working) to court as he would not return money we pre-paid him on work he didn't complete. We won. But he never paid. So much for our court system. :-(
• We paid 99% of our house off! Yippee! We are just dragging out the last tiny bit as we owe the mortgage company for some escrow. It's a long story, but the short of it is, we are pretty much mortgage free! Now, to get that landscaping paid off! :-)
• I started to cook more at home. I never thought I'd enjoy it much, but I am. And I continue to get better at baking (I actually always was pretty good at that!). I now have a kick-ass recipe for chocolate chip cookies and freaking awesome fudge! I've tried for years to perfect those, and now I've got them! But I'm getting better with basic cooking techniques and we're eating out a little less. In fact, we pretty much only eat out on Saturdays now.
• I gained a little more weight. Ugh! But the positive is I now have a great place to workout, and I'm back to doing that. I'm going to start journaling my food which always seems to help me keep my portions in check. I'm going for it this coming year!
  
• My younger sister got married. We did not go to the wedding as it was in California (way across the country) and not at a good time for me because of work. Frankly, I was kind of disgusted about it as she knows my parents can't travel, yet she chose to have it there instead of close to "home." I know that my parents were both hurt about it, though they don't discuss stuff like that. For that reason alone, I didn't feel all that obligated to attend. But at least they did meet her husband (I haven't).
• I "met" a new friend online (hi, Patty!) who I seem to have tons in common with (at least, I think that was this year....maybe it was longer???). One of these days, we're going to meet IN PERSON!!!
  

That's all I can think of for now. As always, I'm ready to look forward!!!

Today's Workout (12/31/07)

Today I did WHFN's FitPrime - Flex Posture with Tamela Hastie. I think I got a decent workout from it, but it will certainly never be one of my favorites. It has a lot of yoga in it, and yoga just isn't my thing right now. I did buy some beginner yoga workouts awhile ago because it's probably something I could get into if I took the time to learn about it. I just haven't done them yet! But overall, good workout (even though Tamela reminds me of Tonya Harding!).

An Executive Decision - No Workout Today!

I was all set to do FlexPosture today....but my body was having none of that talk. For some reason, I am exhausted. It could be because my sleep has been thrown off. Because of my sleep-ins (every day since Saturday, December 22nd), I think my "clock" is off. I didn't go to bed until 2:00 a.m. last night.

Since I have already worked out four days in a row and got a lot of physical activity today from once again rearranging my workout room, I've decided to take the day off. Back at it tomorrow, for sure!

Today's Workout (12/29/07)

Okay, I remember the WHFN FitPrimes being relatively easy. So why is my body quivering after doing Metaboost?! I really don't remember it being like this. I might have to keep with these workouts for awhile longer. I really do love sets....they are colorful and interesting. Tomorrow is FlexPosture....

Something to Look Forward to

Everyone needs something to look forward to. It's what makes life worth living. Whether it's a trip, a party, a hot date, or a major life event, having something to look forward to brings a smile to your face and simply keeps you going.

So I usually make sure I have something to look forward to, even if it's a little thing. One of the things I love to do is order myself a present once in awhile. One of the most pleasing sights is seeing a box from Amazon.com sitting on my porch when I get home at night! Of course, HSN, QVC, and Overstock.com packages are always welcome, too!

My latest present is also one of my biggest addictions: exercise videos. Yes, I know it's a strange addiction to have, but I'm afflicted. I'm a vidiot. Yet, there are worse addictions to have. As I had posted previously, I lost a lot of weight (50+ pounds) simply by doing videos and eating sensibly. Unfortunately, I fell off the wagon and the videos started to collect dust as I really didn't have a place to workout. But now that I do, I'm back on! And I'm ready for some new shiny goodies!

My latest purchase from Amazon was the latest system from The Firm - The TransFIRMation System. Unfortunately, you couldn't buy the videos without the little weight set, but whatever. It really was pretty reasonably priced (I love you, Amazon....your free shipping ROCKS!). I also bought several of the follow-up videos. From what I've read, these videos are more intermediate, which should be fine. I'll be in the beginning/intermediate stage for awhile.

The videos are supposed to be delivered on January 4th, the day after I am finished doing all of the newer FitPrimes. So yea! I have something to look forward to.

Reason #1 That I Love Being Childfree

Okay, this isn't the most important reason . . . not even close. But it's one of those little moments that make you say to yourself, "hmmm, I'm sooo glad I don't have kids."

It's called SLEEPING IN! Or as the British call it, "a good LIE IN."

It's Saturday, and the weekends are wonderful for this. I'm not much of a morning person. I take that back. During the week, I like to get up early and get things done....get all of the work out of the way. But I try to get as much of my work done as possible before the weekend so that I can just do whatever I want then....which includes sleeping in.

I was awoken this morning at 9:45 a.m. not by screaming kids or cartoons blaring but by my DH (who IS a morning person) who came back into the bed to cuddle for a bit and tell me that breakfast is almost ready. Got to love that man.

I really don't understand how parents do it.....or why they want to do it. Getting up early on a Saturday morning to drive your offspring around to whatever practices or activities they are involved in, and then sitting through the mind-numbing practices or activities, and then driving them back seems, well, not so fun. I'd much rather be in my warm, soft bed, and leisurely get my day started.

A Few of My Favorite Things: Bonefish Grill

Ahhhh, I love this place. Delicious seafood. Tasty breads and salads. Great, quiet atmosphere. Wonderful service. What more could you want? DH and I went there tonight and we both were very satisfied with our meals. I had the Mahi Mahi Piccata and DH had the Rainbow Trout with Mango Salsa. It doesn't happen all that often when we both put our forks down and exclaim, "Now that was good!"

If Oprah Can Do It, So Can I: A Few of My Favorite Things

I'm not always a brand-loyal sort of person. I don't mind using a different toothpaste or shampoo or soap. I'll switch my laundry detergent or fabric softener if there's a sale.

But there are some things I just love and want to share with others. Just talking about them makes me happy. Circle E Candles are one of those things. That's not to say I have anything against Yankee or some of the other brands. But Circle E has some of the most wonderful smells, and they fill your home with it. Besides that, they are just really well made and the jars are thick and of high quality.

It's hard to pick a favorite, but Bird of Paradise would have to be right up there. It's kind of like strawberries and cream and kind of....well, not. It's indescribable. I've purchased their sample packs before, and they are wonderful. There was only one scent that I absolutely didn't like: Lavender Fields. That was just nasty. Think old lady perfume...dumped on.

And no, I don't have any relationship with Circle E. I won't be getting any free candles (I wish!). But I figure if Oprah can tell everyone what HER favorite things are, then so can I. And possibly my list will be a little more affordable.

Today's Workout (12/28/07)

Today, I finished my Firm Basics rotation with the Abs, Buns, and Thighs Workout. I've done each of the three Firm Basics tapes three times each to start me back on my workout journey.

The tapes really are easy, but they are enjoyable, and I actually did sweat a little bit. I figured doing them would help me to build a base for the harder workouts that I enjoy doing.

For the next week, I'm going to do all six of the newer FitPrimes from Anna Benson. They are easier workouts as well, but I think they are harder than the Firm Basics.

Starting a New Book

I started to listen to a new audiobook today (well, new for me!), and I can tell this one will be good. I'm listening to This Year It Will be Different by Maeve Binchy. I have read several of her books in the past and have a long list I'd like to get through this year. I think Maeve's writing particularly lends itself to the audio format. She's such a great storyteller, and you almost feel like a little kid sitting on the rug in the library listening to one of the librarians read you a wonderful book.

This particular book is a collection of short stories, which typically I don't gravitate towards. Yet there are two authors who do them really well: Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher. Maeve is from Ireland (and typically writes her stories based in Ireland), and Rosamunde, I believe, is Scottish. Both of them have longer books as well, and they are definite treasures. My favorite thus far from Maeve was the first one I read: Tara Road. Rosamunde had several really good ones, but I would have to go with Coming Home as my favorite. I even enjoyed the movies that were based on the book (Coming Home and Nancherrow). Of course, they were nothing to the books, but the scenery was beautiful in both of them, and they brought back good memories of the books.

Today's Workout (12/27/07)

Today I did Firm Basics Fat Burning Workout. Yeah, it's pretty easy. But I've been doing the Firm Basics tapes for the last two weeks just to get myself back on the wagon. I will start kicking it up a notch soon. For now, though, these are just fine.

Okay, I have finally caved

So, it seems I must do this. I've finally decided to start a blog. I'm not sure why this was necessary, but I do kind of like the idea.

The main reason I'm starting this is to get myself back on track with my workouts and a sensible eating plan. Several years ago, I lost 50+ pounds simply by doing exercise videos (The Firm, Cathe Friedrich, SlimSeries, etc.) and journaling my food intake. I also walked quite a bit and went biking with my husband.

I kept the weight off for several years until my husband and I started to build our new home. Well, we didn't build it ourselves, but we came to the site every single night to make sure it was going okay. Between that and working full-time and going to school part-time, I fell off of the wagon. Badly. Now I want back on. I think that journaling my food intake and workouts on here should be helpful.

My diet, even at its best, is never great. And it doesn't need to be great. I just want it to be better. And I want to lose this weight for good.

Also, I love to keep records of what is going on in my life. Being childfree, my husband and I have a lot of, well...FREEDOM. So we fill our lives with what we find interesting. I love to read, and therefore will probably blog about the numerous books I either read or listen to (audiobooks are a guilty indulgence of mine). We both enjoy traveling, and get to go to some exciting places very spontaneously. We also enjoy making this new house our dream home. So that means decorating, furnishing, buying window treatments, etc.

In addition, my husband (being the handy guy that he is), is finishing off our basement. In about a year (since he's working on it all by himself), we will have a whole other floor of living space. This will include a HUGH JAZZ workout room with a sauna. Can't wait! (For now, I do have a very nice separate room upstairs to do my workouts in. It will become my office once I move my workout equipment downstairs.) Also, he is putting in a family room (yeah, we ARE a family...who says you need kids to be a family?!), a den for him, another large bedroom for guests (or us if we want another room to go to), and a full bathroom. Of course, we will keep a portion of it unfinished for storage and utilities. I'm sure I will be blogging about this process as it's something that we are both very excited about.

Some other things in my life that make me happy (and will probably hit this blog):

• Baking and cooking. I'm getting better with this. I always could bake pretty well, but cooking was more of a challenge. I'm working on it! I have a WONDERFUL kitchen that just beckons you to come in and use it, and I am. I enjoy going to www.allrecipes.com and trying out all of the highly rated recipes. Also, a friend of mine recommended The Best Recipe, and I'm learning a lot from it (thanks, Patty!) DH is very happy about this, BTW!
  
• Skincare, makeup, hairstyles, and grooming. I'm kind of a girly girl in some ways. I like to look nice. That said, I'm not into manicures and pedicures, and I like to do my own beauty-care for the most part. Also, although I like to have nice clothes, I'm not like many women who have to buy new clothes every season. And I'm not a shoe or purse girl. I'm odd that way. But I get really excited about ordering a new skin care or makeup kit.
  
• Cats. I love mine. I love others. They are one of God's best gifts! So I will have to comment often on my little furry feline friends.
• Movies. We watch a lot of movies. DH has fashioned a way to get the big-screen experience right in our home. We have a double-story living room with a wall that we have kept blank for the purpose of projecting movies onto it. I'm sure our neighbors think it's hilarious. It's a good thing we don't watch porn. We also go see movies fairly often in the winter.
• Work. Yeah, well, maybe it doesn't make me giddy-happy, but I do like my job. I've been at my company for over 14 years and have really gotten myself into a great position. I'm the marketing manager and the employee relations manager. I've got a nice office (close to the corner office) with a wonderful view....so it makes going to work not so bad. I'm considering taking my SPHR certification this year (Senior Professional of Human Resources), so I need to put some thought into that.
• Childfreedom. Yeah, it's a weird topic sometimes. I just think it's an option that more people should consider. I'm not a "breeder basher." I really don't care if you want to have kids. That's your business. Just like not having kids is my business. But our world is soooo PRO-natal that I would like to highlight (often) the benefits of choosing a lifestyle that, until recently, was hardly ever considered. Being DINKS (dual income, no kids) has offered DH and I a lifestyle we could never even dream of if we chose to have children. We are financially secure with next to no debt (the home we built two years ago is practically paid off), and either one of us could quit our jobs and we would be fine. I don't think we would have ever been able to take some of our trips (Hawaii (twice), Orlando (thrice), Vegas, Cancun, Lauderdale, countless road trips, etc.) if we would have been saddled with kids. I'm not saying it isn't possible....I'm just saying it's so much easier without them. For some people, all they ever wanted was to be a mom or dad. For others, it might be worth considering some alternatives.

Hmmmm.....I think I'm going to like this blogging thing!