Weight Lifting Is Where It's At!

The English major ended a sentence with a preposition; we'll just call it "decorative" writing. Truly the title is true! I've made it one week into my alternating workout calendar. I would post it here if I could, but the site where it's housed is throwing fits. Here's a break-down:

a butt-kicker through and through!

Monday, August 13th:

Lots of fun, but not for those choreographically challenged

Tuesday, August 14th:

Janet is lovely, but tough. This one is easiest on my knees.

Wednesday, August 15th:



Thursday, August 16th: Daughter's 12th birthday party (I did enough running around to get my cardio in, truly!)

The express wasn't enough. I look forward to going through the entire workout next time.

Friday, August 17th:



Saturday, August 18th: On a weekend away with hubby.

Jane is awesome! The 80's outfits rock as does the wonderful music.

Sunday, August 19th:

Sandahl makes this a good workout, but some of the moves are a little rocky.

Monday, August 20th:


The weight is coming off slowly, but my body is changing. When I was just doing Turbo Fire (which is great, don't get me wrong), I think I was just shredding away at my muscle mass. I apparently need all I can get because things are happening in a very good way, now. I look smaller, I can see some definition and some of the flabby is disappearing. Tomorrow, I'm doing "Jane's" Abs, Buns and Thighs workout and Wednesday, Volume 4 of the The Firm. The rest of the week will be devoted to moving and unpacking boxes. Ugh! I'm looking forward to the move but, again, not the packing and unpacking part.

My weekend away with hubby was unexpected and oh, so sweet. He was initially planning to visit with a friend on Friday night. The friend is being deployed for a year and the boys were having a going away party for him. I told hubby that I would take the girls to the drive-in to see ParaNorman. This would occupy us nicely while he was away. He left to train his client and then his plans were to leave after this for the party.

I received a call after his training session. At the time, I was in the midst of doing Z's hair. He says, "How much more do you have to do?" I told him. Then, he says, "Tell the girls to pack an overnight bag. I've decided I want to spend time with you tonight." Really?! How wonderful! He went into a spiel about how he'll never know what day it was I found him stranded at the mall, but he couldn't stop thinking about it. He said that it was hot and that he felt like it was the end of summer when it happened. Whether it did or didn't, he admitted that he began pursuing me directly after that day. He aptly named August 17th "Chase Day" in honor of this.  What a softy.

So, we dropped off the kids at his friend's house and drove to Ogden. We stayed at an Express (which serves a pretty tasty breakfast in the mornings), then went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse. I had the grilled BBQ chicken, while he had the road kill. I also indulged in a "Skinny" Margarita. It was okay and was sufficient in giving me the light buzz I was looking for. I asked him if we were going anywhere else and he said he just wanted me to himself. Right on!

Back in our room, we had cocktails and watched a bit of HGTV. We will have satellite again in our new apartment and I have a feeling we'll be on that channel non-stop again. We were pretty bad addicts before. Now, with our own, personal house-hunting only two years away, it will be over-the-top.

After our weekend, we picked up the kids and all went to the movies to see ParaNorman. It's very cute, but has some definite PG moments. It was actually a little jolting to me in some parts and I'm a horror moving queen! Both my girls (6 and 12) enjoyed it. When the six year-old doesn't take a potty break, that's a sign of a good, kid movie. They were even pretty liberal with some of the jokes. The times they-are-a-changing.

I guess it's back to packing for me. We're running out of boxes, so I've put my name down at the local grocery store for more. Tonight we'll bid our side-by-side refrigerator "Adieu". Why doesn't anyone want our twin beds? We've sold everything else! Let me know if you're in the market.

My Oldest Turns Twelve

Where has the time gone? I know people say this constantly when they have children but, I'm really letting that idea sink in. Where did it go?! It was just a short time ago that I was burping and diapering that child. Today? I helped her apply her pressed powder and lipstick for the first time. Soon, she'll be posing for prom pictures. One day, she'll call and tell me she's engaged. Amazing!

The move is nearly here (we'll be moving into our new apartment next week). Here's the layout:

Square footage wise, it's lacking 200 feet from our current place; however, the layout is much better and we have more storage. I'm excited, but wish I had Samantha's method of moving things:





In any case, one week from today, I should be lounging in my new bedroom with my new furniture. We've sold our bedroom furniture of over ten years, along with our sectional couch and chaise and our dining room set. Hubby purchased a lovely wine/bar stand for the nook in our kitchen today. I can't wait to see everything laid out. We even have a nice, long hallway for our pictures.

School starts the day after Labor Day. This has been odd, since we probably would have had kids in school by next week (typically). Their summer break has gone on, it seems like, endlessly. Our district is starting them later this year than ever before (not sure why).

How am I doing with the workouts and weight loss? Initially, I had a terrible stall and couldn't seem to lose anymore weight. I wasn't sure what had happened. At first, I worried that the HCG from before had thrown off my metabolism and that I would not find a way to get the weight off again. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. I did question other reasons.Was I gaining muscle? Was I not drinking enough water? Did I need to increase my workouts to two per day? Nothing was working.

I made a decision during our trip to the lake that more weight training and less carbs were necessary. I know this works for me and I just need to commit to the lifestyle change. So, that's what I've done this week. Amazing! The day after my first low-carb meals and the introduction of my weight training workout, I lost two pounds. I know some of it was water, but that was motivation enough for me to keep going. Now, I'm nearly into a new bracket (I love when that happens).

I put together a calendar that I've been following and hope to follow for the next few weeks. I just have to keep reminding myself that what works for me may not work for everyone else. If I plateau, I have enough "Training" videos to help break it (at least, I hope I do).

I'd like to be able to get back into my 8s and 10s comfortably. I'm still maintaining in a 14 which is not cool at all. The good news is that my body is changing (I can see it) and now the weight loss is starting to catch up. Pray for me. I need it!

Inner Beauty/Outer Beauty

The workouts are still going strong and I've got the soreness to prove it. I have to keep reminding myself that the weight may not come off as quickly as with the "rounds" I did, but my body will be taught, tight and tone. That's enough to motivate patience. I can see an ever so slight difference in my physique already. It will be wonderful when the muscle tone and definition returns. Mirror, be my friend! I'm feeling really good and enjoying the endorphin rush I get each morning. I've now intensified my training to include morning and afternoon workouts.

Z's birthday celebration has been tough to plan this year, what with our moving a week after and being in an apartment. Hubby called to tell me that he will be off, so we'll have two cars to transport kids. My car will hold four bodies, aside from the driver, fairly comfortably. We plan to have the party-goers have lunch and treats at our apartment. After which, we will take them to a pre-determined amusement place where they'll play, play, play then get picked up by their parents. She should enjoy herself.

Twelve is the magic age to begin the make-up process. She's allowed to wear powder and lipstick (just as I did) at this age. I can't count how many stores I drove around to, in order to try and find her shade of powder. Utah is lacking in the ethnic front (unless you happen upon a bargain basement store that has miships or something). I ended up ordering her powder from the Black Opal site. By the way, ladies, order $35 or more and get free standard shipping along with a year's subscription to Essence magazine. Sweet!

I'm still unemployed and not feeling the least bit bad about it. We've been traveling and enjoying the summer as a family. I've also been spending lots of time with my kids. The packing will begin in full force next week and I am not looking forward to it; however, I am happy I'll be able to contribute more with the move this time around. Two years in our next apartment, then we'll be house hunting again. Hooray!

My Little Girl is Growing Up!

Things are going well with the eating and workout plan. I'm feeling so much better and have a few pounds lost to show for it. I don't know how many inches are gone, but I'm starting to see a difference (which is always good). I may meet my first goal yet!

As I was playing on my Sims 3 game yesterday, the eldest walks in and says, "Mom, I think I started my period." Well, I've heard this before and in the past, it's just been "mistaken identity". This time, she was correct. I thought about my first time and realized that it coincides with hers! It was the summer vacation just before seventh grade when "Aunt Flo" made her appearance for the first time for me too.

My plan was to give her "The Talk" after her birthday, but I believe I'll have to push that up a bit sooner. Dad is on stand-by to take Indy, while I have this very frank discussion with the eldest. My girlfriend said, "How are you going to have this conversation?" I told her I was just going to come out with it, no use beating around the bush. (Bad pun.Sorry.) I'll then talk with her about the other things like, how a young man should treat a young woman, respecting herself and her body and, finally, not giving in to every little temptation. I also want her to know that she's okay to ask questions and get straight answers from me (friends can sometimes have the totally wrong impression).

This is a hard age and no one could pay me enough to go back through it again. I hope that she knows she has parents ready to listen and support from multiple places to help steer her through. My little girl isn't a little girl anymore. What a milestone!

"Please just take care of you, before you find something else."

I'm a big girl again, these days. The distressing thing about it is that I'd gotten to a good size again and then the stress picked up at work. I'm certainly a stress-eater and I'm working everyday towards resolving these bad habits.

So far, I've worked out every day (accept Sunday) beginning Monday, July 9th. That's ten workouts. Sweet! I'm so proud of myself! I've noticed small changes and I'm really looking forward to the big ones. It's going to be a journey, but I'm confident I can get back into my "me" clothes again. The summer is probably a no-go for my cutie shorts and fabulous dresses, but I'll be able to sport my fall, sexy gear for sure.

It's good to have goals and I'll post them here for my own edification (and for a bit of accountability):

*By the end of July, I'd like to have lost at least five pounds or be back into a size 12*
*By the end of August, I'd like to have lost ten pounds or be back into my size 10s*
*By the end of September, I'd like to have lost fifteen pounds or wear an 8 or 9*

By the time my best friend arrives, I hope to be looking just as good (if not better) than when she saw me last. I also would like to continue the journey, even after she leaves. We have our big trip planned for next year and I'd like to be able to wear one of my bikinis that still has the tags.

I used to use the Daily Plate and I like that site, but I spend so much time on my IPad that I thought investigating an app would be the way to go. So, MyFitnessPal has been my go-to resource for the last little while. It documents my workouts, what I've eaten, my weight progress and water intake. I can even enter notes/journal entries.

The best thing is that it's free and I don't have to worry about paying for ridiculous upgrades. I was religious about documenting my workouts but only today decided that I will not add the time count. The system automatically accounts for the burn, so gives you the calorie deficit as more calories to consume. This does not work for me. Not only do I consume them, but I usually go overboard. The visual is powerful and seeing that I'm nearing the end of my allotment is a trigger. So, now I only document the workout in the notes. I hope doing this will make a difference.

In other news, my eldest had a sleepover last night with the neighbor girls. These are girls I don't know a lot about and my hope was just to give Z some more friend time while summer vacation is still in full force. Unfortunately, they were very loud and I didn't get much sleep. I did give Zaura the talk and I even heard her tell the girls a few times, "You guys have to be more quiet," but I already sort of new how the evening would go.

Basically, these girls are left to their own devices at home with their siblings, while the parents are away at work. My daughters have a lot of responsibilities. Not only that, we discipline our children. The girls that were over are pretty much free to do as they please. They are sweet girls, just more rowdy than Z's usual friends. I am actually planning on texting the mother of her best friend to see if she can come over today to play. Her energy would actually be a nice change.

With only 2 or 3 hours of sleep under my belt, I didn't have a good loss nor did I feel good when I started my workout. I've got to get better sleep (nap time today!) and drink more water (my sodium was way high, yesterday).

Finally, we're off to Lava Hot Springs again this weekend.
The last time, it was just hubby and myself. This time, we're going with the girls and meeting up with a couple and their kids. I think my girls will be totally amazed by these wonderful, healing waters. I'm considering doing my first Firm workout that Saturday morning, just so I can reap the benefits of the water before I pick them up regularly. Insane, I know.

A New Beginning

Well, as of Friday, July 6th, I am no longer a woman among the working class. It's still a bit strange and I know it will take time for it to really sink in that I no longer work, but it really is for the best. How did this all start? Why am I now unemployed after elven and one half years of being with the same company?

It all started the evening of Sunday, June 17th. We were all getting ready to go back to work/camp on Monday after being on vacation for one week. It was 7:30 in the evening and I was busily working through the emails that had built up during my time off. I felt awful! Who works on a Sunday and, for that matter, who works during their vacation time? I knew I had to, because coming into my system on a Monday morning at 6:00am with all of those messages would have sent me over the edge.

Periodically, hubby would ask me,

"Are you almost done," to which I would reply with a defeated,

"No...I still have a few more." 

I finally whittled the messages down to a manageable number when I had an epiphany; "What if I turn in my resignation, tomorrow," I asked my hubby. What does he do? He laughs. Not a hardy "ha ha" but more of a chuckle. His reaction was somewhat shocking, so I asked him why he was laughing.

"Honey, I was just waiting for you." Eureka! Confirmation! My hubby is the greatest...truly! Together, we whipped together my resignation letter (which provided my company three weeks worth of notice and an open door to offer me other opportunities), then planned the time in which I would submit said letter. It was amazing! It felt as if an elephant had leaped off my shoulders. The expression, "You don't know how badly you feel, until you start feeling better," certainly applied here. Monday morning couldn't arrive fast enough.

At 9:00am, I emailed my resignation to my manager. At 9:30am MST, we met as a team for our online meeting. One of teammates boldly announces that he's submitted his two week notice and his last day will be June 30th. Seriously! He and I talked later that morning and he had a new position all lined up. I know that, although he wasn't as forthcoming as I would have liked him to be, he really was dissatisfied with the way our positions had changed.

The search for a new job has been going on for months with no responses. Full-time work is readily available, but trying to find a part-time job with the specific hours I want is much trickier. I am very hopeful that a window will open with just the right job. For now, I'm going to focus my attention on my family as well as I myself (I regained all my weight back, due to the enormous amount of stress I was dealing with).

Some parting thoughts before I relax with a glass of wine for the evening: I do not regret leaving my job. The metrics that were used to rate my ability were completely ridiculous. If my students have to withdraw, due to crisis, I should not be held accountable. If they cannot finish their entire term due to personal issues, how on earth is that something that I can control? My students are people, not numbers. They are adults doing the best they can with what they have. Some of them were truly amazing and I'm glad to call them my friends.

My life is on a new path and I'm ready to face this new adventure. Not even the slightest bit nervous about it! The rationale? It's obvious to me that it's the right thing to do. I'm so happy and I'm confident that my life is headed for great things. Keep moving forward!

Mother's Day to Hump Day 2012

My Mother's day was lovely! Hubby surprised me Saturday night with purple orchids. Purple! My favorite color! They're gorgeous, and don't require a lot of care. Talk about taking everything into perspective. This guy is good! I tend to kill plant life, so my orchids only require six ice cubes per week. I think I can handle that. (wink, wink)

On Sunday, we all went to church together. Hubby took his sister some of the prettiest pink roses I've ever seen, and presented my mother with red roses. I made my mother her favorite dessert which made her extra happy. After church, hubby had to go get his first work out in (Yep! He's training again) while the girls and I went to breakfast. What a fiasco that was! We drove around town for thirty minutes before we finally decided on a a "hole in the wall" restaurant we'd never tried. It was the only place that didn't have a line hanging outside of the door.

The restaurant in question was actually one town over, but boy oh boy were we happy we found it. The atmosphere was very "homey" and the food was definitely prepared with love. I had a waffle, two scrambled eggs and bacon. The girls each had eggs, hashbrowns and a big scone. Our ticket was just a bit over $12 total. Seriously! We will be going back again in the near future, you can bet on that.

After breakfast, the girls and I came home to rest. I headed to my room to work on a project on my computer while Indy and Zee chalked the walk outside. Hubby arrived about an hour later and took us shopping. I left the store with some fierce Steve Madden sunglasses. Thanks, hubby!

Off to dinner at Texas Roadhouse! We arrived to find my mother's car in their parking lot, so we sat with her and my sister. Now, normally I would have just been fine to sit behind them but my mother insisted that we find a bigger table. It was Mother's day, so I granted her request.

My sister wasn't in the best of moods and I could tell everything my hubby or I said rubbed her the wrong way. Oh, well. I was happy to have a steak and a big-ass margarita to comfort me. We left after an hour or so and came home to a family movie. It really was a great day and I'm so glad I got to share it with the people I love.

The week has gone okay thus far. I am still on the hunt but no one is calling. Hubby keeps telling me not to stress. So, I'm not stressing...just trying to do my part. I don't want it ever said that I just sat back and waited for God to work. I know he expects me to contribute. My faith tells me that he has it already in mind and he will present it when it's time.

Happy belated Mother's day to all the moms, would-be moms and moms in training!

Doing Way too Much Before Mother's Day

I thought this was supposed to be my weekend. My vision was to wake up around 8:00 or 8:30 this morning (late for me), think about eating a little breakfast, maybe catching up on a television show or watching a movie. Then, around noon, I would consider a little snack and then a nap. Around 1:30 or 2:00, I'd paint my nails or read a little bit. Near dinner, I'd take a long, hot shower and consider watching another movie while I ate something sinful. Then, I'd have a nightcap and call it a day. Instead, this was my day.

5:00am - Awakened from a surface sleep, due to weird (unexplainable) dreams. Woke up husband to discuss said dreams. Fell asleep during the discussion.

6:13am -Awakened to hubby getting up and ready for his first workout of the day. I put on my sleeper, tennis shoes, grabbed the pug and headed out the door (plastic bag in tow) to walk him.

7:00am - Began cleaning the kitchen; cleared off the table, put away supplies that had been left out, swept, swiftered and cleared the counters. Moved into the living room where I dusted and vacuumed. Pulled out the steam cleaner and steam cleaned all of the carpet in the living room. Had eldest vacuum upstairs, then steam cleaned all of upstairs.

8:30am - Prepared scrambled eggs and muffins for the kids. Heated up leftover sausage for me, grabbed a muffin and watched three Jem and the Holograms episodes with the girls on Netflix (Hooray!).

10:00am - Cleared eating area, then prepared make-up for my eldest (last competition today).

10:45am - Hit the road and drove four cities over to drop off youngest, so that she could hang out with her dad. Drove an additional twenty minutes to the competition location.

11:35am - Arrived at competition area and located a seat to watch the eldest (not before shelling out $6.00 for my admission). How is it that I pay all these dance costs and fees and still have to pay to get into these places? Unreal!

12:45pm - Departed dance competition location. Stopped to get gas, but discovered all the machines are pre-pay (well, I was in the "hood"). Hit the highway and headed back towards our city. Hubby called and asked us to meet him at the local Wendy's for lunch.

1:25pm - Arrived at the Wendy's, which was "crunk". Stood in line for ten minutes before placing our order.We ate, talked and had a pretty good time (no arguing between the girls, for a change).

2:20pm - Home at last, but no rest for the weary. Had to run to the store to pick up recipe items for my own mother's Mother's day gift (my apple crumble...it's her favorite). Got back home and realized I was missing another item that I thought I had. Drove to a closer store, picked it up and came home. In the process of putting away said item, I discovered that I really wasn't missing what I thought I'd been out of. Ugh! Wasted trips are the worst!

5:40pm - Apple crumble finally in the oven, I had to change over laundry and re-clear the kitchen table, wash the dishes and fold some laundry.

Maybe I'll get that cocktail tonight. Looks like I'm going to need it!

Change: It's Time for a New Direction

Well, Blogger has done it and joined the Google world. I'm thinking I'll shimmy on over to WordPress but, haven't quite decided yet which direction I'll go. I'll do a bit of reflecting to see what's to come. The important thing is; I'm making changes. Great, big, huge changes that will effect me for the rest of my life.

First off, it's time to leave my job. I've devoted over a decade of my life to one company. I have seen it in it's infancy and now, as it becomes a powerhouse in the educational world. Somethings have been wonderful, while others have made me want to run screaming into the hills. All in all, I have grown and learned a lot about who I am and what's important to me.

Secondly, my household is finally feeling the most stable it's been in a long time, but my stress has kept me from truly enjoying it. If I'm ever going to find my bliss, I need to immerse myself in the goodness that is present now. How do I do this? By letting go of negative elements that are harboring in my life. I release those things publicly now. No longer will you hold me back from being the best me I can be.

Finally, I have to release fear. My anxiety is holding me hostage and I'm completely fed up. It's time for me to take back my freedom. It may take some deliberation, but patience is a virtue. I will take my time and work my way through it, so that I can have my freedom again.

I keep saying, "I'm back," but these old habits and tired ways prevent me from really being here to write like I want to. I have ideas to share and opinions to express, not just verbally, but through the pen (or keypad, as it were). If anyone is listening isn't really a concern; however, I do love my blogger family and appreciate the amazing insight that's available here.

A person of service who hasn't been of service the way she truly wants to.

It's my season; my time. Change is now.

Teacher Raves!

I received an email today about Z and it was a wonderful update. She's been doing so much better with her listening, understanding and clarity. Hubby is actually looking into procuring something for himself. He's sure she inherited this disability from himself (although, he was never diagnosed). I let him know that he would have to say goodbye to the "rigorous" natural shows, since the drugs contain amphetamines. He seems okay with this. We'll see what happens...

Daughter Journaling - Days 5 and 6

Still seeing pretty much the same kind of behaviors (not much new to tell). We have determined that we're very aware of when the medication wears off, especially hubby. The emotions are raw and intense (even the happy ones). Hubby's comment, "Is there a med that last 18 hours instead of twelve?" Oh, goodness.

On a side note, I may be in the job market again this summer. If things don't improve at my job very soon, I may have to say goodbye to my company of 11 years. It's been a good run but I'm getting to old to deal with the stress they're laying on us. There's really no reason for it, except folks are just trying to save a dollar and not hire more help.

Daughter Journaling - Day 4

I started the day by preparing breakfast for my kids (sausage, eggs and cinnamon bagel halves with margarine). She took her pill directly after that. Then, I shampooed, conditioned, de-tangled and plaited Zee's hair. I then spent the next hour and one half tree braiding (crochet braiding) extensions in, using loose hair. She loves it! She can't keep her hands out of it, even though I tell her it will just make it look raggedy faster.

After her hair was finished, we cleaned house. She was very helpful (but she usually is) and I got no argument from her (more unusual). Then, we went to lunch with dad. After lunch, it was off to the store and not one outburst the entire time we were there (or odd remark or behavior). A nice change, indeed! We then came home and both girls laid down for naps.

When they awakened, we went to the grocery store. Nice! No issues at all, not even arguing with her sister. I was so pleased. I really hope it wasn't a fluke.

When we cam home, I made my mother's rotel dip and then went to a friend's house to see the MMA fight. It was a lot of fun. I couldn't eat much but, I did enjoy myself. Zaura was picture perfect. Then, my friend broke out the Wii dance games. All was fine and dandy, until around 9:30 or 10:00pm. That was about when Zee became really rambunctious and loud. The first thing I thought: "The medicine has worn off." It probably had, but she was probably tired too.

A few more games on the Wii, then we came home. She was, sadly, in the midst of an asthma attack. I determined that my friend's burning home candle set it off. Whenever we burn a candle these days, which is rare, we only burn it for an hour or so. My girlfriend's candle burned the entire time we were there and there's no way to know when she first lit it. Knowing what we know now, we stick to the Bath and Body Works "WallFlowers" line. No smoke or fumes to inhale and irritate her lungs.

So, my recap for the day is that Zee did very well. Tomorrow is a church day and we normally keep things fairly mellow. I don't suspect I'll notice much. We'll see.

Daughter Journaling - Day 3

Hubby and I met with Zee's teachers today. The meeting was very positive and her teachers (even before knowing about the meds) indicated that she was improving. A math score 20 points higher than she's received all year, a reading test with significant improvements. These are very good signs indeed!

Her homeroom teacher told us that Zee announced she was on the meds the other day. Mrs. S. is on the lookout to see improvements and give us feedback. I'll, of course, post anything she has to say here. She also clued me into things going on with the curriculum this week (beginning algebra concepts and Zee's Zimbabwe paper needing a cultural segment).

As for today's observations by my daughter, she alerted me that she was able to sit and be occupied for a long time during the science fair, yesterday. She received a small award for doing so today. Terrific! She let us know that, she wasn't very hungry at lunch; however, after a bit of probing, she told us that the menu consisted of a hard chicken patty, celery with dip and cake for dessert. I think it was more likely she didn't want to eat the choices presented. Who would?!

We'll be able to observe her tomorrow and Sunday for the entire twelve hour block. I'll be doing her hair (crochet braids using Toyokalon rather than pre-braided hair; my first attempt) and the process can take a while. She's pretty good with me, now that she's older, but I'm curious to see if the meds change things. We also have church on Sunday, usually followed by family activities. I hope I'm not viewing her as a guinea pig too much, but the good things that can come out of this have me so psyched! Until tomorrow...

A Little Journaling for My Daughter (Days 1 and 2)

A couple of months ago, my hubby and I were asked to meet with my eldest daughter's teachers. We did and discovered that daughter-dear is having some issues. Basically, she's struggling a bit with some of her subjects (we were already aware of this and were looking for ways to help her). She does well to a point, and then becomes very disorganized, distracted and forgetful. We dual assessed and her medical doctor determined that she is borderline ADD.

Before medicating, we talked with her about and have been strategizing with her teachers on ways to help her in the classroom. As for home, hubby and I are much more specific with our instructions and we take our time with explanations. We wanted to give everything the "old college try" before attempting more extreme measures.

The teachers are doing their part and are working with her closely. I also provided her with a digital recorder, so that she can bring her lessons home. Through all of this working with her, I've determined that she's an audio learner.

Last weekend, we went to the grocery store and my eldest really showed her true colors. It was all we could do to keep her maintained and we could see how hard it was for her to do calm down and handle what we were trying to tell her. I talked with hubby, did a bit more research and we decided to try the medication. The doctor has instructed us to watch her for 7 days (including the weekend for this week only) to see how she reacts. We were optimistic about what it could do for her and, knowing that it only stays in the system 12 hours, are hopeful the side effects, if any, aren't too much for her.

DAY 1: 1/25 (ironically, my birthday)

I gave Zee her first pill after a very hearty breakfast. When I picked her up from school, she commented on how in-tune she was to things. A friend's earring brushing against her jacket (Zee could hear it). She also commented on the striations in the pant on a door. The big eye opener was when she bumped a child in the highway, apologized then asked the girl who's class she was in. The child is in her class and has been since the beginning of the year. (Really?!)

When she came home, she proceeded to organize the entire kitchen (the pantries and the pot shelves). It was amazing! I noticed that she wasn't all over the place and was able to follow all of my instructions without forgetting everything five minutes later. I was hopeful this was all a good sign.

Hubby is incredibly intrigued, since Zee probably inherited the condition from himself. He has said that, depending on how she does, he may look into medicinal treatment. I reminded him that the drugs are often amphetamines and he would have to give up natural bodybuilding shows.

"If these help me to focus and stabilize, who cares about the shows." His words.

Day 2: 1/26

In the morning, she commented that she didn't fall asleep until twelve. Not sure if she was really wired or just excited about the prospects of what the medication is doing. With the little sleep she received, she was still up fairly early and didn't appear fatigued. She took her pill after breakfast and headed to school.

When I picked her up, she wasn't like she was yesterday, but she did appear to be fairly calm. She came home, she walked the dogs, got her snack together, played a violin song for me, then went to watch t.v with her sister. After work, I found her playing a game on her Blackberry Playbook. I asked her to do the dishes. She seemed very intent on her game. A few minutes later, I returned and asked her to do them again. Still, very into her game. I asked a third time and she went to accomplish the task. Not really sure of what to make of this, since I didn't specifically ask her to do them right then; however, after my second return to her room, it probably should have been obvious I was ready to have them cleaned.

Was the focus on the game part of the concentration? Maybe. She's not much of a gamer. She does have long periods of focus, if she's interested (drawing, dancing, listening to music). I'm also not sure if she's really just tired from lack of sleep last night. I suspect she'll head to bed with no problem anyway. Tonight was a dance night (hip-hop).

Day three tomorrow will consist of a follow-up meeting with the teachers. The nurse said the teachers probably won't see a difference until the entire seven days have passed. Her reasoning? With so many children in the class, it may not be so apparent at first. Zee happens to have nearly 45 in her room. We'll be lucky if her teacher notices in a month! I am curious, however, to see if they've noticed even a slight difference. Zee will also go to her counselor more regularly, too. She has an appointment next Friday. I want all of our bases covered. Anything we can do to help her succeed and not lose her self-esteem, will be beneficial in my book. Until tomorrow...