The Thing About Exercise That No One Talks About...

While I'm off, taking on NYC at the BlogHer conference, a few friends have agreed to guest post here for me.  I have such awesome friends!


First up is someone I blame for blogging.  Oh wait, did I say blame?  Okay, I meant attribute my awesome love for other bloggers to... She was the first to direct me (via a list on her sidebar back in 2006) to OTHER blogs (which I had NO idea how many there were!) and after that my on-line wold opened up like Pandora's box.


Nicole from As Many As Given is a runner like me, a Texan like me and she has twice as many kids as me! (Yeah, that's SIX).  She does a feature on occasion about having a lot of children and you just have to read the one about her big van. :)  She is a friend both on-line and in real life and just an all around wonderful person.  You can tweet with her - she's @asmanyasgiven and you need like her FB page too! 


Oh, and I like that she's getting a little "racy" on the blog today... ;)




How many of us are inspired by Elaine and the commitment she has made to fitness? Watching her become a runner (you'll get back one day E!) was amazing. I love that she continues to find ways to exercise despite injury. Injury can easily become an excuse to just quit all the good work and give up. It takes real commitment to power through it.

But that's not what I'm here to talk about today.

I try to be regular about my exercise too. There are so many reasons to be active. We all like feeling good in our skin. I love walking into a store and knowing that I'll likely find more things that fit and are cute than I can actually buy (it is so hard to put the clothes back on the rack! But I love my husband and respect our budget. Most of the time.). I love feeling strong and powerful. When I finished my first (and only, so far) half-marathon a few years ago I couldn't keep the smile off my face for days. I had done something that was hard, and outside of my comfort zone, and it was amazing. I look forward to training again soon.

But that's still not what I want to talk about when it comes to exercise.

Friends, all of us active folks are keeping a secret. And it is time to share with everyone. Exercise is not just good for you and your looks. Oh no.

Exercise is good for something so much better. What could it possibly be?

Fun time with your significant other. Yep, I'm talking about what happens behind closed doors. I don't know why more of us aren't shouting from the rooftops about this! Sure, you can read a book and that might spice things up once or twice. But I promise you that if you hit the gym or the sidewalk or the weights in your own home, you're going to experience a whole new level of interest in shaking things up.

I'm sure there are scientific reasons behind this. Stuff about endorphins and so on. But I don't need a scientist to tell me what is happening. Those feelings of being strong and powerful? They carry over to how you feel in the bedroom. Knowing that you are doing something good for yourself translates to wanting to take care of other aspects of your life. And I think we can all agree that if we are in a relationship we want to take care of it. When I am the gym regularly I know that things are happening at home regularly too. I know that working out is good for my mood. And if I'm in a good mood, I'm way more likely to share that mood with the man I love.

This is not something that only happens to women who are already fit and at their goal weight, I promise. This effect starts as soon as you are in a regular exercise routine. So if the desire to be thinner, or get into a certain pair of jeans, or get off a medication is not pushing you enough, think about the fun you can have at home. And get going.

Don't believe me? I didn't start exercising regularly until after I had my fifth child. And now we have six.

Thanks Elaine for inviting me to write. We look forward to you returning from BlogHer and wowing us with your writing once again!


Thank You, Nicole and I have to say, you ARE right about this one!! ;-P

Capturing the Moments

I load the pictures and get excited to see what I see.  I make lighting and color changes and adjust and adjust.

I click over adding my watermark after I am happy with the changes.

I put it out there in some way, either here on the blog or on one or more of the social media spots.

I wait, what will people say, will they like it?  Will the person who is in the photo or whose child I have tried my best to capture the essence of - will they like it?  Oh golly, I sure hope so.

Taking photographs is an art and something that is always out there for critique.  Someone will see it one way and another person will see it in a different way.  Even myself.... Sometimes I look at a photo and at first I like it and then when I look at it longer or after some time, I find something that I may not like so much after all.

Captured, just one moment in time that my brain and snapping finger find together.  One little moment that I cannot get back.  Or one that I find in the big scheme of things and that I like a lot.

I go to photo shoots, a tad nervous that someone is trusting me with their memories, THEIR moment.

But I know that this is something I love to do.  I know it in my bones.  More than I've ever known anything before.  So I will take those moments and capture them as best I can...

from my latest photo shoot. How cute is HE?!?!

Some stuff about that conference I am going to...

I know.  You all know I am going to BlogHer.  And this is the last I am going to talk about it before I go.  And then of course there will be all those posts after.

Yeah... a few...

I have some awesome friends guest-posting while I am gone (you're going to love them!) and I'm feeling pretty darn good about getting away for a bit and seeing many of my internet friends in person.  Frankly, I hope I don't explode from excitement before I see Jennifer in the airport!

Oh and here's a pic of what I'm wearing. Or most of it anyway...

I'm sorry, I know you cannot see the clothes all that well,  just know that I LOVE all the clothes I'm taking.  And jewelry too. Like this bird necklace.

I just bought it the other day at Francesca's.  Do you have this store too?  Oh I love it.  They have great jewelry - oh and cute clothes too.  It's kinda like a boutique.  The green blouse is from Anthropologie (other favorite store) and it has little white birds on it so I thought these go great together.

I also got some red jeans from The Limited that I cannot wait to wear.  I know RED jeans. Who woulda thunk it.  But they are awesome (sorry, no pic).

Besides the clothes, I made these great little swatch books that have some of my photos and my blog/twitter info that I'm going to hand out to a few people.  I made them with Paper Coterie, who I found at last year's BlogHer and I just adore their products.

So yeah... I'm almost ready.  I still need to (mostly) finalize my schedule and figure out which undergarments go best with all those clothes up there (I know, TMI) but otherwise I'm pretty set.  I've got business cards left over from last year, my swatch books and that little pouch might contain a little pressie for each of my roomies.  Because you know, I want them to room with me again... (although 2 already have!)

Unfortunately the weather forecast does not look stellar (as in it is going to rain pretty much all week and then clears up Sunday, of course) but that's okay because a little rain isn't gonna get me down.

Okay, I'll see you all on the flip side!  Or, I'll see you there!

I hope NYC is ready for all of us bloggers!!

So Who IS Miss Elaine-ous? (pre BlogHer post)

Here's a little post about me for those of you who may not read here regularly or are just finding me because I'm attending BlogHer this year.

Just a few tid-bits for ya!...


I smile and laugh a lot.  I'm usually pretty happy.

I like clothes so you might see me in 2 or 3 different outfits in one day.  Sorry to be so confusing (p.s. even bringing work out clothes too for 5K AND core body workout session!)(we'll see if I actually make it to both...)(or either)

I've been blogging since November of 2006.

This is my 3rd BlogHer (Chicago '09 and San Diego '11)

I have two boys and a girl - Ben, Gavin and Katie.  They are all blond and gorgeous. I can say that because I am their mother.

I'm a displaced Texan, living in south Louisiana.

I love HGTV and get really ticked when it's a night that Holmes on Homes is on instead of House Hunters.

I'm usually a runner but my ankle has been bugging me for a while so I'm not running as much as I usually do.  But I'm still determined....

I love dessert (another reason I run) so excuse me if that is what you see me eating a lot of while at the conference.

My husband Tim works VERY hard so that I can go to things like BlogHer (yes, he is my sponsor).  And so he can take care of this family.  Also, he is the love of my life.  So our marriage works out really well... ;)

I absolutely LOVE, love, LOOOOOOVE to take photographs so if I am in your face with my camera (or my phone!) during the conference I apologize in advance.   But HEY! great picture of you! ;p

Also... you can see this post to know who I am rooming with and know that on Mondays I host Miss Elaine-ous Monday!

And you can see this post to read what I think about leaving my kiddos for a few days...


Oh and this is me...

See what I mean about the smiling?


See YOU there!!


p.s. If you have a 'this is my face' post, link up at Bebehblog!

Leaving...

I have never had trouble leaving my children for a few days.

Maybe it is because I love my children so much that I like to experiment with that whole, "Distance makes the heart grow fonder thing."  ;)


I did not cry the first day I dropped B off at daycare.  I went back to work after 3 months of taking care of him and I took him to a well established home day care where I KNEW he would be in amazing hands.  I remember that first day so well - getting back in the car and driving to work with my make-up on and feeling free.  Feeling adult again.  I was looking forward to seeing my work friends again and lunch out.

I remember trying to make myself shed even one tear because if not, what kind of mother was I? But it did not come.  We both needed that separation at that time. We just did.

So I wonder if perhaps that established a feeling in me that it was OKAY to be away from my kids from time to time.

And it is.

Tim and I have always taken trips by ourselves too.  Even when B was a baby we took off to Florida for a few days, while his grandparents loved on him the whole time.



When Tim and I agreed that it was best I stay home after G was born I think I was a little in shock.  I was SO used to working.  But we knew that my pay would basically only cover day care for two kids and that the stress of having 2 in daycare and driving to another city for work was just not worth it.

So I stopped working.  And started blogging (even before he was born, actually).

Honestly, I cannot imagine working RIGHT now (maybe someday again...).


I'm thinking about all of this because I am leaving on a jet plane to go to BlogHer on Wednesday morning for several days without them.  I'm leaving behind my mini-van and my Mom schedule and handing it over to others (thank you to Tim and my MIL for taking care of them!)  I think it's always a little nerve-wracking to give over control of your "job" to someone else.

But obviously they will be well taken care of and well, Mommy needs a break.

So off I go, with my suitcase packed full of clothes and shoes that I don't normally wear every day and a shower every morning instead of who-knows-when during the day.  And I get to have lunch (and dinner!) out with my friends. :)

It's gonna be awesome.

And the reunion with my babies will be even that much sweeter...


How do you feel about leaving your children for a few days? 

Play time

I got my big girl camera out today.  It felt so nice to caress its black plastic again and adjust settings and click the pretty silver button.

Oh my.

Anyway, K and I decided to redecorate Dora's casa and then G crashed our party.

So I took some pictures.  And now my Nikon isn't nearly as jealous of my iPhone 4 as it was before...

:-)

I'm no Tiger Mom.

We've slipped into this routine of being late this Summer.  And I know it's going to hurt oh-so-bad when we have to jump head first back into being on time.  On a schedule.  No dinner at 6:30 or 7.  No bed time at 9. I fear lots of headaches in a couple of weeks, for all of us. Up at 7 sharp, in uniform clothes with lunches packed and hair combed and out the door by 7:40.

I've let the kids take it SUPER easy this summer.  But you know what?  That is what my mom used to do.  I don't recall doing any studying or school related work while off for Summer vacation.  We went to the pool and on vacation and we stayed up late, even got to watch The Tonight Show a few times.  And while visiting at my Grandma's, the house was so small and hot that it was just best for us all to go to bed at the same time... life was easy.  I guess I figure it should be that way for my kids.  They ARE only kids once.

jammies ALL day? Sure! 

Am I slacker? Are they?  I don't know.  I just know that we are having a pretty fun Summer and my kids are mostly happy. Honestly, that's all I really want for them.

late breakfast?! Sure!

Plus school starts soon enough (even three days a week for K!) and they'll have learning and homework every day and week and in the evening I'll be siting beside them with pencil and paper in hand...

p.s. The B Man has been charged with memorizing his multiplication tables before school starts and he is almost there... so see, we've done something... ahem.

p.p.s. OH! And my boys did have a lemonade stand while at my parents' house (thanks Grandma for ALL the supplies) so that they could earn money for Legos (they even had a cute waitress).  See?  They're kinda goal-oriented and enterprising! 

p.p.p.s The final profit was $17 or so after I gave $1, my parents gave $2, the next door neighbors gave $2, some stranger gave $3 and a neighborhood friend gave $5.  Okay, I know that doesn't compute, but somehow they ended up with that much. Whatever works.

Nap Time

I walk up to her in the midst of her playing and say, "Katie babe, it's time for sleeping".  I expect the wailing and it comes quickly.  I'm not sure she hears me as I tell her we can read a story first.  Instead she over powers me with her voice, hollering, "but I want to play with my bruders!!"

I grab her up into my arms and pat her back as I carry her stiff and wrangling body to her room down the hall.  One little wet tear lands on my shoulder, I can feel it through my shirt.

She's still crying as I put her on the bed and she tries to climb down.  I stop her and she continues to cry so loud.  She is clearly tired.  I have made my request for her to sleep a little too late this day.  But she still needs to nap.

After just a bit she gives in and lays down on her tummy and turns her head to face me.  Her crying ends as her blonde tresses settle into the familiar collection of blankets and stuffies.  That last snotty sigh comes from her lungs and she starts to play with her hair like she always has, since she was a baby.

In the next moment she asks me to lay with her.  She always does.  I find my sliver of space on her twin bed that used to be mine, and I lay down next to her on my side.  I tuck her hair behind her ear, just as I do every time.  Then I close my eyes and feel how nice it is to lay down in the middle of the day.  I know that I could sleep there with her but there are so many things to do and boys who also need my attention.

But right then, in that moment I am with her and the sweet smell of her is so familiar. I try not to think about how fast she is growing and how quickly time is passing and instead, I think about how much her little girl kisses and hugs and smiles mean to me.

Her breath gets deeper and I feel her relaxing next to me.  Her hand falls from her hair and her eyes are closed as she drifts off into dreamland.

And I lay there still, taking a few extra moments with her now, when she is still small and still wants me with her... always...

Miss Elaine-ous Monday at it's best...

I did a little shopping for BlogHer this weekend.  I admit I have a bit of an addiction to clothes and shoes.  But since I added some new items to my wardrobe I also bagged up some older never worn really things to take to the local resale shop.  It's a process.  I still have certain things in my closet that I cannot seem to part with, even though I have not worn them in a while.  I always think in my head, "I really like this, surely I will want to wear it again sometime..."  Of course just typing that makes me think I should go back to my closet and get a few more things to get rid of...  How are you about clothes?  Do you clean out your closet pretty often?  Do you like to shop too much like me?

Speaking of BlogHer, I'm getting pretty jazzed.  I have my outfits all planned out (maybe I'll share a preview next week) and I think this is the most excited I've been before-hand, for several reasons.  First of all, I'm completely excited about my roommates who are Jennifer, Erin and Tracy.  I mean, WHO WOULDN'T BE?!?!  And of course the fact that it's in New York City alone is pretty crazy awesome. PLUS.  On Wednesday night we are going to see Chicago on Broadway.  Hello bucket list, checking you off! And on Thursday Jennifer and I are going to THIS.  Yeah, see, it's going to be 4 days of major amazing. Plus I didn't even mention all the other people I'm going to get to hug and hang out with.  Yeah... 

I cannot BELIEVE Summer is already winding down.  I bought school supplies and uniform clothes on Friday for my boys.  And my second child starts Kindergarten in about 3 weeks.  That's THREE people. In other words, no time at all.  Plus I just found a bathing suit I totally forgot I bought for K at T.J. Maxx back in the Spring and now she only has a few weeks (times) left to wear it. I feel so silly. Guess we know what bathing suit she's going to be wearing to every trip to the pool until Summer is over!

I haven't used my "real" camera all week.  And I think it's feeling kinda lonely. But it's either hot and/or humid outside or raining and well, I'm not really a fan of taking pictures of hauling my kids around in the van or them playing "Where's My Perry?" (don't ask) on my iPad or watching Phineas and Ferb so yeah, there's our week and that's why I did not use my camera at all.  More evidence as to why I love Instagram, I guess.

In related news I have an outdoor photo-shoot this Saturday.  Please pray that none of us dies of drowning in our own sweat.  

P.S. Pretty Butterfly!!
(taken a few weeks ago...)

So, what random stuff is up with you?

Am I going to see YOU at BlogHer? (please say yes)

Oh and link up for Miss Elaine-ous Monday - it's so easy!!

ANY "miss elaine-ous" post will do, something from your archives or something brand new! :)
Do you have a post that meant a lot to you but wasn't read by as many folks as you'd hoped? Or one that has great pictures and you want more people to see them? Or do you just have one that you really want to share!?

I'll also choose a random post from those who link up to feature on The Miss Elaine-ous Life Facebook page (please "Like" if you have not already) so even more folks will see a new post every week! Grab the button and link up!  And please visit some of the other linkers as well...











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If you do not post the button, please still link back to my blog, even if you just put a little blurb at the end of you post such as "It's Monday and I'm being "Miss Elaine-ous" over at The Miss Elaine-ous Life!" - Thanks!! Oh and extra bonus points to anyone who puts a tweet out there, that would be awesome too!  
Thanks for linking up!

I Love You Instagram

Underneath one of the pictures I posted on Instagram the other day I wrote that I kinda feel like it (instagram) is becoming my "mini-blog".  And I'm not sure how I feel about that.  I mean obviously, I am HERE posting, most days and I still love my "big blog" and of course the people who read and comment.

This space is and will always be so very important to me.

But time is of the essence lately and I notice so many of my friends not keeping up as much with their blogs or even their photos.  MANY are from their phone because it's so easy to just grab your phone and take a photo.  Trust me, I know.


And there is just something about being able to take a quick picture, edit it in a fun way, post it quickly (even to Twitter and Facebook) and then get feedback in either "likes" or comments, quickly.


Yes, I said QUICK a lot.  Seems like that is what we need the most these days, everything fast.  And well, Instant. 

Not sure how I feel about that part either.  Can't we just slow down?  Sure, sometimes.... but as always there really are only so many hours in a day and it turns out that this little ole app is one of the best ways for me to document this fast-paced life we are living.

So kudos to whoever invented it.  I wish I were you. :)


BTW,  I'm misselaine0375 on Instagram.

And here's a little collage of just a few of the pics I've taken in the last couple of months!

click to enlarge

from top left to bottom right...

The van loaded for vacay. first day at the beach. the street where our beach house was. storms over Panama City Beach. Me & K under a beach umbrella.  Tim and me on the pier in Panama City. K starting to potty train. Near the farm where I picked up my CSA. All three in the tub. The old-fashioned barber shop where the boys get their hair cut. K on the carousel at the Mall of Louisiana. The kids playing with the train track Ben built. On the farm of some of our friends. Sparkler! Driving into TX at sunset. My Mom in her favorite reading spot.

Grand Memories

There are only a few pictures of me and my grandparents.  Actually, I'm not even sure I have a picture with either of my Grandfathers (one passed away when I was 3) and there might be one or two of me with my Mom's mother somewhere.  I do have some photos of me with my Dad's mother, I know, because I was closest to her and we made a point to take photos.

All this to say, I want to make sure my children have photos with their grandparents and even their great-grandparents, who they are OH so blessed to know and eventually have memories with.  I never had that chance at all.

I wasn't great about getting photos of my kids with my parents during this last trip home, except if you count these few I took with my phone.  And well, I guess they do count because both of my parents are in what I would consider their "natural habitat - my Dad sitting on the glider on his deck and my Mom watering her beloved flowers. 


(and Dad must have already finished his glass of iced tea since his hands are folded on his belly. See him back there?). :-)

We did get a photo of the kids and Tim's Mom.  A nice one in fact.  She had one last year from our summer trip to Texas and wanted to update it for her FB page and just in general so we scurried out to the backyard and got everyone together and out came this.

I have nothing quite like this with my grandparents.  The memories my children will have of these special people are so precious.  I mean obviously they will also remember them for their personalities and the stories they told and the gifts they gave them (ha!) but to look at a photo like this and have all those things come flooding back?  Well, that is worth all the photos in the world.

If you ask me, 40 is the new 25. But no one asked me so...

We have a really good friend named Chandler.  You know, like from the show Friends.


Funny thing...  He's THAT good of a friend of ours.  And he is just as easy to pick on. ;)


Happy 40th (again) Chandler, we love ya!  And I won't call you an old man because well, 40 is just around the corner for a few people I know me and Tim too so I say, "Happy Birthday young man!!!" 
Hope we're still partying with you when you are twice this age! 


(pics from his party last Saturday while still in TX)

The cake was SO yummy! And so were the Pop Rocks. :)

That cane has a pill bottle attached.  BEST. IDEA. EVER. Pinterest-worthy even, dontcha think? ;p

The "old man" and his beautiful party-planner wife and one of my BFFs

Three "old" friends. hee hee. 

Yummy spiked punch! 

He's gotta wear shades!

See, even old guys can still get the ladies! 

And no worries, the smoke alarm did NOT go off on the restaurant once all the birthday candles were lit. :D 

Birthday Bonanza

We are back from Texas.

From one home to another we traveled all week last week.

I started out where I grew up.  And landed where I got married and had 2 out of 3 of my babies.

Tim and I even spent a night in the hotel where we sat and talked for hours once (in the lobby, just to clarify. ahem.) getting to know each other better at the very beginning of our relationship.

And now we have come full circle and are here, back in Louisiana.

And today is Tim's birthday.  He's 38 years young today.  I've been with him for almost 17 of those.

WOW.

We celebrated another friend's 40th birthday over the weekend, while still in Texas.  He's the first of our really close friends to hit the 40's but it's all good because all last week he had people telling him he looks 30-ish. Or so he said... ;)

July is a BUSY birthday month for us in general.

My niece just turned 21 last Thursday.

Tim's Grandmother will be 95  in a little over a week.

My nephew will be 12 in a few days.

I also had 2 friends with birthdays on Friday the 13th this year.

So many Happy Birthdays...



Tim's favorite cake is strawberry so the kids and I will bake him one because we love him that much.

HAPPY  BIRTHDAY to my main man, the man I love the mostest and forever.

You have my heart my love... sorry your birthday is on a Monday but I promise the kids and I will make it special. XOXO

Is there a super busy birthday month among your family and friends?


It's Miss Elaine-ous Monday!  C'mon and link up - it's so easy!


ANY "miss elaine-ous" post will do, something from your archives or something brand new! :)
Do you have a post that meant a lot to you but wasn't read by as many folks as you'd hoped? Or one that has great pictures and you want more people to see them? Or do you just have one that you really want to share!?

I'll also choose a random post from those who link up to feature on The Miss Elaine-ous Life Facebook page (please "Like" if you have not already) so even more folks will see a new post every week! Grab the button and link up!  And please visit some of the other linkers as well...













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If you do not post the button, please still link back to my blog, even if you just put a little blurb at the end of you post such as "It's Monday and I'm being "Miss Elaine-ous" over at The Miss Elaine-ous Life!" - Thanks!! Oh and extra bonus points to anyone who puts a tweet out there, that would be awesome too!  
Thanks for linking up!

What Up Cuz?

My children spent a ton of time with their cousins in Austin earlier this week.  From trips to the park across from my parents' house to races up and down the sidewalk to getting rained out at a quarry splash pad, they had a great time.  I'm so happy they get to spend time like this with my brothers' kids.

Here's some photos.

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