Everything old is new again!

So, I am chatting with my Mom, and she asks me the address of my "new blog".

My new blog?????

"Ya, your new blog, you know, since you have not been posting on your old blog, I figured you had a new blog."

A new blog? Nope, no new blog. Just a dusty one!

Not posting. Yep. That is the case.

Why not?

I am not sure. I have had lots of stories I have wanted to share...but I have just not made the time.

I did not even summarize our amazing cross-county drive! Oh, I wanted to tell you all about the "sign from above" and our laundry. Or how we drove home through the US and visited Old Faithful - how cool is that?!?!?

Oh, I had a hilarious condemnation of our house sitters. You know, the ones who not only drank copious amounts of alcohol in our backyard, but drank OUR alcohol, leaving all the empties by the pool deck, and whose MOTHER threw a pool party and got busted by my parents! That is a story to share, for sure!

I took lots of photos of the "While-you-were-out-Clean Sweep" my wonderful parents did while we were on vacation - HOLY CRAP did they do a great job...though I still need the sticky notes on some drawers to know what goes where!!!!!

Oh, and I wanted to write about my last few training sessions for the half marathon, and my amazing (and surprising) mental state going into the race. I also wanted to spell out a few race stories and surprises.

I wanted to bitch and complain that my Mom has cancer. I wanted to shout out how proud I am in how she (and my Dad) are handling this challenge. I wanted to update on her condition and how her treatments are going. I wanted to sing the praises of the doctors and entire medical team, and I wanted to tell you all about her "cool-cancer dormitory".

I wanted to tell you about how I have been battling the same 2 or 3 pounds at the scale for WEEKS now. I also wanted to share my funny experiences in finding a new WW meeting. Oh, and I really wanted to post my Monday menus to help me stay accountable and organized. My fitness program, oh, ya, I am changing things up and I wanted to run some ideas past you wonderful readers.

I wanted to update you on the kids and how they are adjusting to the new school year. Heck, I wanted to post about Madigan and her 3, yep, THREE first days of school.

I wanted to complain about how I had to reapply for my own job. My ridiculous hours. My crazy co-worker. Oh ya, lots of good material from the office to share!

I wanted to write about all our extra-curricular activities such as soccer, swimming lessons, Beavers, gymnastics - you know all the regular juicy content of a Mommy-blog!

Oh, there has been so much going on...lots of material...I just have not made the time.

When I mention my blog to friends, it kind of annoys me when they comment about not having time for stuff like that...I usually reply, "Well, it is important to me, so I make the time...it helps me keep sane." And, well, sadly, I have not been following my own words of advise.

Having the time, is not the same as making the time. For whatever reason, I have not made the time. That is sad, especially since I really enjoy blogging. I love the outlet, I thrive on the comments and idea sharing and I enjoy keeping up with all my bloggy-friends.

I have been a bad Mommy-blogger, a bad weight-loss blogger, basically, a bad blogger, all round. I have neglected the Fringe! But that changes today. Everything old is new again! New attitude. New commitment to the old Fringe.

Oh, ya, baby, Laura from the Lunatic Fringe is back again!

Making Mom Proud

Our HUGE family vacation is fast approaching...you know, the one where we put a 5 year old, a 4 year old and a 2 year old into a van and drive clear across the country. Ya, the one that Map Quest indicates takes 51 hours and 12 minutes (one way, not including washroom breaks, sanity checks, false washroom breaks, WW3 diversions, playground stops, middle-of-no-where-stops, traffic jams, bad weather, ferry wait times and whatever other types of stops a young family is forced to take in a 4602.46 KM/ 2860 mile car ride). Ya. That one.

Anyways, my mom (who gives Martha Stewart a run for her money in many areas) is a woman of lists, organization and efficiency. While, in daily life, her mutant gene hardly wears off on me, it does when I am vacation planning. I make lists of lists, I stay organized and well prepared.

So, I am happy to report, that while we are still a week from departure, packing and organizing is coming along.

I have a spread sheet that includes 234 rows and almost half of those have little check marks. COMPLETED. PACKED. READY. (I am not sure if being packed or if having a spread sheet of 234 rows or even having room for 234 items in our van is the more impressive feat!?!??!??!)

Yep, while one can never be fully prepared for a epic, crazy-a$$ trip of this sort, I am doing my very best!

Madigan, or line item 154, packed!

Throwing my hat into the ring...ring of the the alarm clock that is!

PROS

• Cool job - not many people can say they hand deliver a report to the Prime Minister of Canada every day!
• Nifty work - I get paid to watch the news! Oh, and write an overview
• Do not need childcare
• Allows me to be home during the day
• Full time pay
• Permanent federal government position with all the benefits
• Will allow us to save more, faster - you know, to pay off mortgages, van payments and even take a fun vacation or do home renovations
• New ability to do some of the work from home

CONS

• I will basically be working a full day, BEFORE some people even get up!
• I will have to adjust my bed time - getting to work for 3am sucks!
• Saturday hours - YUK!
• Not having human interaction since most of my team are not in yet, or work form home

So, after much thought and discussion with hubby - WE decided that applying for the new position at work was the right thing to do. Yes, the hours are STUUUUUUPID crazy, and I have to work 6 days a week - but with David's job being so unstable, the economy so rocky, and the possibility this job will open new doors - the right thing to do was to apply.

Here is the lovely scoop: I use to work 4am-8am- then our project started to get a higher profile and we had quality issues - so, to solve the issue they decided to "go to competition". So, I was "invited" to apply for the new full time position. Instead of contract and part time - the new position is full time and permanent - a huge deciding point for us. I know I am going to be tired (who is NOT tired when they have young kids??) and I know the weekend hours will make for a long week. But David and I will work together to make it work.

So, I have entered the competition for my own-old-new job. Wish me luck...with getting it, and with staying awake AFTER I get it! Who knows? There are currently 3 of us on contract and only 2 permanent positions will be staffed...I may not even win the competition...and that would be ok too!

15 Week Challenge - Week 1 review

I am always up for a good competition - heck, I never really understand why the guy next to me on the treadmill never realizes that it IS actually a race! So, I really thought I was pumped for Amy's 15 Week Challenge.

Well, let's just say, with one week down, I am doing myself NO favours!

In most competitions, tipping the scales in your favour is a good tactic to win...except when you are TRYING to lighten the scales. Yep, remember my lament about the pesky one pound I keep loosing and gaining - and then finally after 6 weeks, I lost 2 pounds???

Well, today, in my weekly challenge update email, I had to admit to gaining 2 friggin' pounds this week. Oh ya! I sure to win the competition with this great start!

Errrrrrrrrrr!

I am happy to report that I did complete Amy's Wednesday Workout. It was great - sure made me miss my boot camp course. In fact, I ended up doing this great ab workout on Wednesday and Friday and again today!!!!! Yah for me!!!!!

I am also happy to report I successfully completed the weekly challenge. We had to recreate one of our favorite sinful recipes to make it figure friendly.

OK. I started with a family favorite - Salisbury Steak - Without going into too much of the fattening detail, just think TABLESPOONS of BUTTER, and OIL, and a can of CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP, WHITE BREAD CRUMBS, and MASHED POTATOES...oh ya, just picture 9 billion comfort food calories on a plate!

So, here is what I did to make it very tasty, and a bit more healthily!

Ingredients:
Ground Turkey
Chopped up spinach, onion, red pepper & garlic
Shredded carrots and zucchini
Ground up mixture of All Bran and Oatmeal
Black pepper, oregano, basil and chili flakes
3 tablespoons no-fat cottage cheese
Ground flax seed

Mix all of this together and form your patties.

Spray your pan and then lightly sear the patties.

In a bowl mix in 1 cup broth, shredded onion and garlic and a little bit of spelt flour. Whisk and then once both sides of the patties are brown, add to pan.

Simmer till sauce thickens and the patties are cooked.

As the side dish, I omitted the regular mountain of butter-rich mashed potatoes and instead had a mountain of long green beans and one half a boiled potato.

Ok....DELISH! I think the secret ingredient was the ground up oatmeal and All Bran mixture - it gave the patty a wonderful texture since not off the pieces were ground up - and the taste with the sauce was very good! I am very pleased with how this old-time family favorite was tweaked to be more figure friendly!

Well, that is it for my week one update! I am looking forward to week 2 - and I am hoping the scale will show my hard work and all my running this week! Today, in fact, I ran 13.8KM...people, that is the longest run I have EVER done!!! I am so proud! In fact, I am even starting to feel confident that with sticking to my training schedule, the half marathon in September will be a very realistic goal!!!

Have a great week!

Wordless Wednesday - Call us crazy!

You asked, and here it is:

Yep! We are crazy!

Mug Shots

Madigan - 2 years old

AKA: Princess Diva

Wanted for elaborate temper tantrums and excessive cuddles

Anderson - 4 years old

AKA - Pander-Bear

Wanted for multiple counts of huggies and kissies

DJ - 5 years old

AKA - Horsie Boy

Wanted for crimes of passion and compassion

Laura - 40 years old

AKA: Mom

Considered mentally unstable - a bit loony - delusional (thinks a road trip of approximately 4600 kilometres, clear across the country, to visit her in laws, with the above mention accomplices "might be fun".

Let the planning begin - our summer trip is only 85 days away!

Total Estimated Driving Time: 51 hours 11 minutes (ONE WAY!)

Total Estimated Distance: 4597.99 kilometers

I was so worried about the kids' passport photos. I took all three on my own to Costco to get them done. I have heard nightmares about kids smiling, blinking, etc. and it taking 10-40 shots to get a presentable and acceptable shot. Well, each of my darlings got the first take right...and then mine turned out so terrible, but I sure wasn't going to be the one having to retake the photo!!!!! Oh well - what can you do?!?!?!?!?!