Terrifying Teens

I have been looking around and noticing that there are a LOT of sites/groups/clubs for people with toddlers... lots of support on how to get through the terrible twos... I have also noticed.. there is no where near as much help/support for parents of teenagers. I have 5 teenagers...they all used to be toddlers.. and let me tell you... terrible twos are nothing compared to the terrifying teens. I thought I would start writing a bit on my blog about some of the wonderful *cough* things about teenagers. Going to start writing once a week on it and hopefully there can be some discussion in the comments.. support and ideas and comments... I KNOW there are a lot of people out there with teenagers. I have also talked to my daughter and asked if she would be willing to post once in awhile with her thoughts and/or ideas on things.. I am just going to throw this up once a week for awhile and see where it goes.. will base it on the comments I get and if anyone is interested in any of this.

Why I think I will be good at this... I have 5 kids... 4 boys aged 20...19...18... and step son is 15... and my daughter is 16. I think we have covered just about every subject in this house. We have dealt with girlfriends.. boyfriends... sex.. drinking.. drugs... driving... death....sexual molesting... physical abuse... verbal abuse... split families... step moms.. step dads.. half siblings and step siblings...grand parents... extended family....health issues... grades... failing... living with us and not living with us.....we are now dealing with the military too.. pretty much I think we have covered every subject out there...there are a couple we have not had to deal with... does not mean at some point and time we will not.. that is the biggest thing about teenagers... at least for me.. you never know what is around the corner... toddlers will wear you out physically... lots of chasing.. keeping you up at night.. but a teenager.. will break your heart in ways you never dreamed it could be broken.... Seems like even at the times you are the most proud.. your heart will be breaking. Going to do some writing about those type of things.. would love your input. Please leave a comment! I really want to know what you think about this idea... will you get in on the comments and can we get a discussion started?

Michelle

Wednesday Weight loss

Well this is a big step... but Dave and I have decided that this is the year we knock off the excuses and we get in shape... We started it last year.. and we were doing really good... but... one day we could not work out because of whatever reason and it led to another day and pretty soon we were not walking every day and we were back to eating too much crap.. eating out, desserts, and soda are the big problems for us... so we are going to limit our eating out to once a week... and no more sodas.. and no more desserts... we will do some jello's and applesauce and things like that.. but no more cakes... or ice cream.... our two favorites. I am bringing my calories down to about 1500 a day... which if I am not really careful I can eat that in one small meal.... I have found that being sure to eat a small bowl of breakfast in the morning does help.. then I have my 100 calorie snacks on a schedule.. so I know they are coming and instead of being starving I can think about the fact that I AM going to get something soon.. getting one between each meal works out nice for me....I am also going to be posting here every Wednesday..... it will be an update on how it is going and my weight... nervous about writing my weight down.. but it will truly hold me accountable... Knowing that I will be posting my weight here and that others will see if I have lost or not.. makes me want to stay on track.. lol I know no one really cares.... but that is ok.... still makes me want to stay on track. I have been getting a lot of support from my friends on twitter too *thanks everyone* and there is a group of people all working on losing weight.. they are part of the #tweightloss @miacupcake got it all started... she was right on it tonight when I was whining about having A piece of almond roca instead of cheese cake.. great support... nice to know there is someone out there giving you a kick in the butt or a shoulder to cry on type of thing when you need it. *thanks Mia*

My goal.... is to lose about 60 lbs
get in good physical shape
be able to go for long hikes in the woods
wearing my chaps and coat comfortably enough for long bike trips
play racket ball
go swimming

my plan.....Walk everyday
eat less overall and more healthy
no soda
drink Lots of water
tone and strengthen muscles with weights and resistance tubing

weight.....current 262

Holding off Tomorrow

It is Sunday night.. moments before midnight... my eyes are so heavy that most of this will be typed with them shut. I wondered to myself what I was doing being awake and why I was playing some game on facebook when I could not even see the different colors. Well.. I believe I am trying to hold off tomorrow. I have had a wonderful long weekend.. lots of time at home... lots of time with Dave and the kids. We took down all the Christmas stuff and put most of it away.. Dave and I spent a bunch of time just being together... we went shopping.. bought a new treadmill, some new clothes, some grocery's, some other toys and we went out to dinner and spent some time having some serious heart to heart talks and then spent some time joking around and just being silly with some friends. It has just been a nice relaxing weekend were I felt growth in our relationship and friendship. Tonight we sit and work on our computers.. getting ready for the new week. We have some changes planned.. in our diets.... our exercise.. our schedules... this next year is going to be more focused on having some fun and getting healthy... I am really looking forward to the changes.. not that they will all be easy.. but we will do them together and become even stronger and closer. I think I was fighting going to be bed and waking up to tomorrow because I was trying to hold on to the time I had this weekend instead of enjoying it and reaching for the times to come tomorrow that will be wonderful. Off to bed I go now.. so I can wake up tomorrow and start some more wonderful moments.