Aruba, Jamaica...

We are leaving for our one week vacation on Saturday to Aruba. I've never been there and I'm really looking forward to it. I think it is perfect timing and much needed. We all need to relax and enjoy the warm weather, the beautiful ocean and sun.

By the way, thanks for your support... even if it was just a quick comment to say that you simply understand me and my feelings means so much. Speak to you when I get back!

Aches and Pains

I'm 35 years old and I would consider myself decently healthy. I just had a physical and everything is just fine. I go to the gym 1-2x a week and play tennis 2x a week. I may not have much game but I will run down every ball and consider myself the fastest on the court. I don't really eat healthy but sometimes I try to eat more vegetables. Fried foods are my weakness.

I don't like the idea of getting older. And the biggest reminder that I'm no spring chicken is when I come home on Wednesday nights from 2 hours of tennis. I play doubles with a mix of players, all at the same level, however we range from mid 20's to early 60's. And every week *I* am the one limping off the court. By the time I get home, my lower back aches so much I can barely lift my legs to take my pants off. And the muscles in my shoulders ached as well. I couldn't wait to gingerly crawl into bed and rest my head on my great neck support pillow my grandma got me from QVC!

I even got these new orthotics from The Walking Company after the salesperson told me they would help my lower back pain (and I didn't even tell him I had lower back pain!) after standing on that cool simulator that tells you where the pressure is in your feet. I wore them in my new sneakers last night and it didn't help one bit.

The weird thing is that I usually woke up in the morning and feel a little weak in my back but not bad at all. Perhaps I should be visiting the chiropractor today but I won't since I usually feel better the next day. Instead, I lay in bed this morning and reflect on the fact that my body seems to be slowly giving out on me. Perhaps working more on strengthening my core would help. I gotta get back into doing some yoga.

Big Birthday

Ladybug's birthday was earlier in the month, but I'm just getting around to downloading the pictures. It was totally insane. I invited her whole class, neighborhood friends, and family. There were about 35 children and 30 adults (I was surprised at how many kids from her class brought their siblings unannounced). We had it at her gymnastics place, and they did a fair job. (There were some issues but the fact that all I had to do was bring a cake outweighed them.)

She had a ball. The kids had a great time. The parents thought I was nuts inviting all those kids. It's funny, both my husband and I never really had birthday parties. I guess that's really how it was long ago. But kids today seem to have a party every year. My husband feels like Ladybug's birthday is also a time to get together with family that we don't see often. And I felt guilty not inviting every child from her class. I think I'm going to change my position for next year, however. Every year I say I'm not going to invite so many and somehow it always catches up with us.

But it's ok. Ladybug was on top of the world for a day. That's something our parents never gave us.