Apple..how you make life easier...

Tiger Tiger...what a mess you have created for yourself but many many people are thanking you...as a result of your idiotic texting behaviour, a new application for the Iphone came out...

Tiger Text

Have you heard?

This application eliminates the possibility of damaging evidence being left behind by erasing text messages from recipients' phones. A sender using the Tiger Text application can set how long they want the message to stay on a recipient's phone before it is deleted for good.

Users can also choose a "delete on read" setting, giving people a set time to look at the text before the message self-destructs, "Mission: Impossible" style.

So a big "Hooray" Apple. You are making it much easier on spouses/significant others everywhere, the cheaters out there.... and while you go ahead and make your money, millions of women (and men) will no longer be able to snoop through texts trying to find incriminating evidence of philandering..

So a big "yippee" Apple. You are making it much easier on the bullies out there who send nasty texts to our children destroying their self confidence and make school a living hell

So a big "high five!" Apple. You are making it much easier on the "sexters" out there who send seductive/sexually explicit texts and pictures to our youth...are we trying to increase teen pregnancy??

Is the $2.50/month worth it?

The emotional damage is done when the message is viewed, can you really put a price tag on that? Why take away the evidence? Why give control to the message sender?

And while you say this application was developed long before Tiger found himself in sex rehab...the timing could not be more perfect for you...maybe Mr. Woods will find himself a new endorsement deal...

The one-upper

The one-upper...

You know who that is...we all have one in our lives. The person who can always "one-up" whatever you are talking about or doing.

I was in the presence of my one-upper last night. I did not expect to see the one-upper last night..but life throws curve balls here in our small city of 600,000 people.

I was having a fantastic evening, chatting with good friends about crazy "adult" topics when the one-upper arrived. Maybe she would sit with someone else?

Heck no, one-upping is more fun with Cheryl as you can likely see the irritation in my body language. As expected the conversation turned...

Me: We may move houses again, you know me, I like to move! 5 houses in 10 yrs
One-upper: We've moved 6 times so far and I finally said no more moving!
Me: My weight loss is going well, I am down 12 pounds so far
One-upper: I lost 13 pounds last year
Me: the twins are sleeping well, I would say they are sleeping through the night now
One-upper: my kids slept through the night at 5 weeks
Me: I may need a tummy tuck after having these 2 babes!
On-upper: I had no stretch marks with my kids.

Note to one-upper: I did not say anything about stretch marks, I have none either....so there! PS: and if I get a tummy tuck, I am one-up on you for sure!!!!
PPS: I am not really in the market for a tummy tuck, but it made for a good girly topic with another mom. Laser surgery for some loose skin maybe...

Do one-uppers know what they're doing? Are they secretly so insecure that they need to have the best story and final say in every conversation? Did their parents not listen to them as children and teach them that talking ONLY about yourself is not the best way to make friends? Why does this type of behavior annoy me so very very much?

I went from being in my happy place with friends, a coffee and occupied kiddies...to anxious, irritable and down right negative. Even Tim was irritated...which almost NEVER happens.

I would like to think that running into my one-upper will not happen again anytime soon. I would be dreaming as this activity we were at will last another 4 weeks. I am GUARANTEED to have to listen to bigger and better stories...

Is there a remedy for this behaviour? Something I can politely do or say? Knowing me, I will sit and listen and nod and smile and then VENT the whole way home...I hope Tim's ear is ready.

Weekly weigh in

Things are heading south, on the scale that is. The weight loss
is done, it's the body fat I'm concentrating on now. 2 weeks ago I was at 17.1%
and this week I measured in at 16.3%. That's a loss of over 7% bodyfat from my starting point, which was 3 weeks after delivery.

8.5 inches have been shed. 3 being from my waist...I can
see the glimmer of an ab...only 5 more abs to go!

Thanks to Jewels, she makes me accountable every 2 weeks...I head to her house and she does fat calipers, tape measure, weight and pictures......and no you cannot see those...yet...

Training was great this week, I managed to get in my
long run of 7 miles..4 weight training sessions
(including some leap frogging over a friend as he
crouched down on the track..hello quads!) and I
topped off the week with a fantastic hot yoga session at Moksha Yoga

Nothing exciting on the food front...I've added in a 3rd
protein shake, late at night before I hit the hay. It helps
tie me over when I get up to feed the boys at 3am and
my stomach is begging for a treat!

Each week I strive for variety in my workouts and eating
plan. The one thing which remains consistent is my
dedication to a healthy lifestyle.

To all my BFF's (best fitness friends!) Stay focused, Stay
flexible and most of all Stay Fit & Fabulous!

Top 3 Thursday

My first link up...thanks to Confessions from a Working mom!

It's a goody too, and favorite pastime around this house...you guessed it TV shows




1st place

Nip Tuck

Plastic surgery, sex, bizarre storylines, so-so looking doctors...the dark craziness of this one hour show on FX keeps me coming back for more... season 7 is underway. First episode results in the docs fixing a man who bites off his own lips..come on, that is some crazy schtuff!

2nd place
Weeds
Suburban soccer mom who sells dope...and that was the first season. She's now married to a cocaine dealer who happens to be the Mayor of Tijuana.
HBO - Sunday nights, catch it!

3rd place
Californication
This show may very well have sent Mr. Mulder into sex rehab...the show is FULL of sex...hence why it's on Showtime and not regular ole TV. It does have a great storyline, Hank Moody a troubled novelist....good enough for me!

Spill the beans, what are your top 3 shows?

What makes my life easier

There are certain things in my life that simply MAKE LIFE EASIER

These are materialistic things...I'm not talking Tim (he's a given....) or baby swings (of course those make life easier!), Lululemon Still Pants (I have 5 pairs and I rotate them daily...it's my mommy wardrobe and I love it) I'm talkin simple gadgets or things you have that you cannot do without. The items that stand the test of time...day in and day out...

Here are my top 3 items...I use them daily. Sometimes several times a day. When they break, I replace them immediately. They make me smile..they complete me...

1. My coffee maker(s) and to-go cup. Yes I AM addicted to coffee, and I like variety. When I work I make a pot in my cuisinart grind 'n brew. So many coffee beans...so little time. When I need a bit of sweetness I make a chai latte or cappuccino in my Bosch Tassimo. My "it's not a take out cup" was Tim's solution to my odd behavior of reusing Tim Hortons take out cups.

2. My egg timer.
You put this little guy in your water and a dark line results at soft and then grows to medium and then the entire egg is one dark blob when the egg is hard. Yes I could simply set the micro timer for 5 minutes..but this is more fun. I have had this for years and I use it everyday...I like my eggs done between med and hard and this gadget tells me exactly when that happens! Admit it, a watery egg (unless you roll like that) is a huge letdown.

3. My home gym...
Cole took this picture as I was finishing my workout yesterday...See my well positioned treadmill in front on the TV? I PVR and run like a mad woman! My exercise ball, nautilus weight machine and rack of dumbbells keep me sane. I can escape to the basement and crank the tunes (my IPOD was a close one in this list..kinda go hand in hand as I cannot workout without music!)

So tell me, what are the three items/gadgets you cannot live without?

Bridesmaid....and the dress is....

I am a first time bridesmaid! Whoo hoo! My brother is getting married in April at the Banff Springs Hotel and his fiance asked me during Christmas to be a part of the wedding.

Yes!! I replied...Very exciting! I have never been a bridesmaid...

Wait a minute...the dress...please let her choose a nice dress was my first thought!

My second thought was that I had JUST had a few babies and my bod was not all that hot. I remember trying on a dress at a local store and I busted right out of the top..best not to try on dresses with full boobies!

Luckily she went with a nice halter style dress which is easy to alter. My dress will need to be taken in about 3 sizes..let's hope it still maintains it's flattering shape! The dress should arrive mid March.

And the winner is this one...



I need some lessons on how to make to sway like that down the aisle...maybe they'll provide a fan to give us a similar wind blown look. I'll keep you posted on whether it truly looks that nice in person.....pictures always seem to lie...just a little no?

Back to work I go

On Monday I take on yet another role....working mom.

I teach online courses for the CA School of Business. I've been doing this since Cole was born so that I could stay home and still make some money. In October I took some time off to enjoy the final stages of pregnancy and the first few months with the twins...

That was tough. I enjoy being super duper busy...I love my job AND the money it brings in. Mr. Taxman likes us self employed people!!!

I am thankful I did take the time off as Tim and I have managed to sleep train the boys at night and the naps are coming into place nicely. This is critical as I mark papers during nap time and I teach at 9pm each week. Kyle has grown out of his fussy (ahemm colic) stage and he has finally found his smiles. I feel at peace knowing both babies seem to be happy now!

I will miss my free weekends. My job is weekend heavy as student papers come in on Friday and must be returned by Monday. Most evenings Tim will see my nose buried in an accounting or tax manual, a burrowed brow (alot changes in accounting in a few months!) and the clicking of keyboard keys.

BUT, this gal is once again contributing to the family income. This gal can go shopping once again and NOT put it on credit....maybe this gal should pay off the credit card first...

Cole loves when I work...he has his own laptop and plays on his sites... We've done this together since he was old enough to maneuver the mouse and some of his favorite sites include:

www.starfall.com
www.pbskids.org
http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/home_tumblebooks.asp

Wish me luck! Time management is my forte, I'll be just fine!

Twins and lessons learned..

12 weeks in and I think I may have learned a thing or two from these guys...

• Twins and type A personalities like "moi" are a bit like oil and water...I often ask Tim "why won't they nap at the SAME time?" "Why is Kyle so fussy and Luke is not?" " I don't remember Cole acting like this?" "The Happiest Baby on the Block book says..."

• Yes they do wake each other up when they cry...hence why Kyle is napping in his crib right now and Luke is in the swing....at some point I will bite the bullet and have both nap in their cribs...at some point...for now I am simply happy that both are napping AT THE SAME TIME!
  

• People do say the oddest things when they see us. My favorite last night was " Are they actually yours" .....pardon? Yes, I did spend 10 hours in labor and push two 6 pounders out of my you know what...

• I am actually able to venture to the mall with all three boys. Frigid temperatures have made me a bit stir crazy inside the house. If one twin gets fussy I use my baby bjorn thingy, push the stroller and chat with Cole... we are quite the sight but who cares, staying inside the house is NOT an option for this gal.

• The twins like watching me run. Our basement is a playroom extravaganza. Playmats, vibrating chairs, swings..the movement of me running on the treadmill will keep them entertained for a good hour...I side shuffle and sing to them, I run backwards and make funny faces at them...you CAN workout and have the babies close by.....who knew?

• The diaper changes and feedings are not nearly as bad and expensive as I thought they would be. We have yet to buy any diapers thanks to my dad...everytime he heads to Superstore he shows up with a box of diapers for us...the formula is pricey....thanks to these two and their "Sensitive" digestive systems..a $30 tub lasts all of 4 days around here.
  

• I hate sleep training twice as much as I hated it with Cole...we started to let them "cry it out" at bedtime a few weeks ago and 80% of the time the crying now last ten minutes or so...in bed at 7:30, feeding at midnight and then sleep until 6:30 or 7...BUT...when a night like last night happens and the crying lasts on and off for 2 hours...tag teaming between the two rooms, I was sick to my stomach...I had a headache...I felt sorry for Cole...

• I think (or so I thought)Cole has adjusted really well. He hugs them, grabs a bottle for me, helps with laundry...but deep down, he drops tiny little hints like this one...a birthday card for daddy..hummm...there are 2 members missing here....when I asked him where Luke and Kyle were, he simply said he felt like drawing our "old" family. Sniff sniff....my little monkey secretly misses being an only child....playing mommy's big helper is not as fun as he thought...I cannot wait until the weather warms up and walks, parks, picnics, biking and swimming will make life a bit more fun for him.

Until then we continue to explore and navigate our way through this wonderful/crazy lifestyle we've been given...who knows what tomorrows lesson will be!

PS: in case you're wondering, we are each holding a lightsaber in the picture...Star Wars is all I see around the house these days...

Fitness Friday..a tad late

I haven't posted a fitness friday in a while. My bad. Here's where I'm at.

• Officially pre-baby weight..yahoo!
• Body fat is 16.8% now, down from 23% 8 weeks ago
  
• I've lost a total of 8 inches (3 being from my waist alone)

12 weeks post babies and I'm proud to say I feel like "me" again. I have alot more work to do but I'm at a great place and ready to jump into my next adventure....see below!

Workouts have been consistent, 4-6 days of cardio, 3 of which are running, including one long run a week. Yesterday I cranked out 6 miles (thanks to a new episode of the Housewives of the OC).

If you only do cardio, try and add in some resistance training. The more muscle you have the more fat you will burn. Keep in mind that muscle does weigh more then fat though...so take that scale number with a grain of salt.

My next adventure will be in homage to Earth Day...why not combine a little fitness! 2 years ago I finished a 7 hour adventure race called Swamp Donkey. It was amazing and YES I will be back again this fall (although the course has been extended to 9-10 hours...).....

Trust me to convince 3 others to do the Eco-Adventure Race at the Fort Whyte Centre here in Winnipeg late April. It's an intense 42-kilometre urban race combining popular methods of people-powered transportation such as canoes, kayaks, bikes and blades....

Aren't you glad you don't live near me? My friends honestly have no chance...I make it seem like the MOST fun thing they will ever do! Funny they never seem to say no??

If this mom of 3 can find time to train, I expect everyone to make time for themselves each and everyday to stay fit and healthy..and try new things! Push your limits!

Will keep you posted on my training for this event, I see some canoe portaging in my future, a few trail rides and I need to dust off my rollerblades!

Would YOU trust a stranger?

I pity my kids in about 10 years...I am a bit of a control freak...I like routine, schedule, organization and most of all control over what we do and when we do it....maybe GPS tracking chips will be legally implanted by 2020?

This chicky is also not big on hiring babysitters...I have family close by who can fill in if need be....but Tim and I can make or own date night in-house......where it's warm and cheap!

The issue relates to trust.

I trust no one except myself and my hubby when it comes to the care of our kids.

Yes...Cole went to daycare once a week so I could work at a normal hour....but I worried all day. Is he ok, are they watching him, are kids playing nicely with him? I also knew the Director of the Facility, I joined the Board of Directors of the daycare to ensure policies and procedures were being addressed AND I randomly popped into the daycare to watch what was happening. All of this for ONE day a week.

See...ME = C-R-A-Z-Y

Yes grandparents help us, but let's face it, they are getting older and chasing a 5 yr old all day and caring for young twins is a huge task...even for this sprite 30 something year old! We try and schedule out events after bedtime so we can put the kids down...because in my warped mind only I can do bedtime correctly...

See ME = O-V-E-R-B-E-A-R-I-N-G

So...the other day there was a letter to the editor in our newspaper. A lady was thanking a complete stranger for being so thoughtful..awwww, how sweet right? You decide:

A lady and her hubby were having dinner at Earls Restaurant. They had a small baby with them that doesn't sleep so they decided to head out for a late dinner. The baby was smiling and having fun when a COMPLETE STRANGER came over to their table and asked if she would like her to hold the baby and walk around the restaurant while the couple enjoyed their dinner. The couple were thrilled! The stranger took the baby to the various tables and walked around for an hour...

First off: Earls is a BIG restaurant and you cannot see the entire restaurant from any given seat. The "what ifs" are speeding through my brain.

A close 2nd: you wrote the letter to the newspaper thanking the stranger...not a name...but the nice woman......YOU DID NOT EVEN GET HER NAME???
Again the "what ifs"....

When I was a baby a couple asked my mom if they could hold me and get a picture with me, they had never seen eyes as blue as mine were. My mom willingly let them hold me while she took pictures for them...

Would she do that today with her grandchildren? Likely not...

Have we become tainted by the stories shown on the media? Can we still assume that most people are good and that nothing will happen to "our" children?

Can we/would you trust a perfect stranger, even in the most trustworthy situation?

Tick tick tick

I've been AWOL..I know.

Nothing in particular is up...just a bit busy...you know..that twin thing.....

I must admit though, I am not inspired to blog these days...my comments have dwindled and let's face it...my IVF journey was much more riveting then my daily life these days...

15 diaper changes...whoo hoo!!

I have nothing to keep my readers on the edge of their seats....I have no clever little stories to share, no funny events interesting enough to write about...

As I sit here, I can hear the baby swings

tick, tick, tick......

it's morning nap time..

I can almost hear my head going....

boom boom boom

from the lack of consistent sleep and a temperature change this week (Me=Human Barometer)

I DO want to come out from hibernation...I really really do...

Or do I?