Michael Jackson: What I Will Remember Most

Happy Birthday Bryan: I Love and Miss You!!

Today is July 3rd.

And if it weren't for a tragic car accident on November 10, 1995, my brother Bryan would have turned 39 today.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of him in some capacity. It could be a fleeting thought, a conversation with one of the kids, a song on the radio that triggers a memory, mistakenly calling Cody "Bryan", seeing a good friend of his, spotting a couple of deer out in a field, hearing a woman talk about her brother, seeing a young kid walking on the side of the road holding a fishing pole, hearing a commercial for Chilis or Red Lobster, someone talking about their vacation to Florida, seeing a Ford Mustang on the road, etc, etc. There are so many things that remind me of him and I am thankful for that because I would never not want to think about him. He was awesome. Really awesome.

The other night, after the hockey board meeting, I ran into a very, very good friend of Bryan's who was in town for a few days after attending a wedding last weekend. After a long hug and the normal pleasantries that occur when you haven't seen someone in a long time, the conversation of course got back to Bryan. And I am so glad it did because I heard a few stories I had never heard before. In turn, I relayed those stories to my father, who had never heard them which made him remember some stories that he shared with me (and the kids).

And hearing all those stories has made me remember Bryan in a more detailed way than the fleeting thoughts that cross my mind on a daily basis. It made me REALLY remember HIM and not just the idea of him. And as sad as it is, it is also very, very comforting to have him "close" again.

So today I wish him a Happy Birthday with a renewed memory of the fun-loving, sincere, good-hearted, funny, likable, hard-working, won't take shit from anyone, tough, hot hotted, hunting & fishing loving, brother that I miss so much.

Back to Basics

I have been in some sort of rut the past three or four weeks and to be honest, I don't even feel badly about it. It was just a really long and overdue time to just chill. I kept up on the housework but did not tackle any big projects. I went for a few walks and/or runs every week but did not hit the gym every day like I normally do. I brought the kids to their games/practices but with lacrosse ending and soccer coming to an end, there's been very little of the rushing and non-stop action that we normally have every day of every week. And it has been nice.....but it just isn't us.

Which is a good thing. Because today, Rylee starts dance for the summer and Molly has a soccer game, and Cody's lacrosse stick has to be repaired, and the bikes need air in the tires before we head out on our ride later this morning, and I have a ton of paperwork I have to get through at the house today. So for me, busy seems to be the key because I had absolutely no problem getting up at 5:30 this morning and heading straight to the gym. And it feels good.

Wordless Wednesday: Opposites

Healthy

NOT healthy

Shelley's a Liar, Shelley's a Liar

So much for "IF I CAN....I WILL".

I just reread my last post and have to laugh at myself. Apparently, what should have motivated me to do more has actually had the opposite effect. The last few days I haven't even set my alarm to get up!!!!!

It seems like the more time I have to get things done, the less I get done......

If I Can........I Will

I have found that my best bet in making sure I get in a workout each day is to do it at 5:00 am. It's the only way I can be certain that nothing else comes up and snatches away my precious "me time". The fact is, if I try to plan on doing it after work or before bed, inevitably something comes up (picking up the kids from school, practices, games, gymnastics, running into someone I haven't seen and talking too much, laundry, dishes, supper, exhaustion, etc).

Every once in a while, I forget that important fact and I shut off the alarm to sleep a couple of extra hours in the morning. And at the time, it feels so wonderful....to pull the sheets up, relax, and slip in and out of consciousness. So Wonderful. But then, as the day unfolds I eventually begin to feel sluggish and wish I had just jumped out of bed and into my workout clothes.

This morning, I woke up before my alarm and started to get ready for a quick run outside before heading to the gym. Then I heard heavy raindrops hitting the aluminum roof covering the patio. Then I heard the raindrops, combined with the sound of the fan spinning in my room. Then I heard the raindrops, combined with the sound of the fan spinning in my room, and my pillow and still unmade bed calling my name. So I did the only thing I could do. I crawled back into bed, covered up snug as a bug, and let myself daydream to the sound of heavy raindrops and the fan. And I fell back to sleep.

Today, that was okay because I was able to swim during the time between bringing Rylee to daycare and heading to work. I enjoyed the workout and was in the process of getting dressed when I saw an older woman in the locker room. She had just changed into her swimsuit and was heading into the rest room before going to the pool. She had the hardest time maneuvering around things, was completely out of breath, and groaned whenever she moved her legs. Yet here she was at the YMCA getting in her workout for the day. Good for her!

It dawned on me that although I have some occasional aches and pains, I am fully capable of exercising every day. And I swore to myself that I will think of this woman if I ever again try to weasel my way out of a workout. If she can do it then there is no valid excuse for me not too (no matter how comfy that bed is)!

Wordless Wednesday: Bunny in the Bathroom

Rylee: "My bunny has to Peeeeeee."