Almost Halfway Done

We are almost halfway done with the year. July 1 will mark that point. A lot has happened to me this year so far. I've only reached a few of my goals, but I'm okay with that. Sometimes I think that we worry so much about the planning that we forget to enjoy the moment. I'm definitely trying to enjoy the moment this summer with the kids.

 

Image from 215squadron.org.uk

I look back at my Vision Board to see what it is that I've accomplished thus far and one big sentence pops out at me. "HOW TO BECOME THE PERSON YOU WERE MEANT TO BE." If anything, that's the one I've been working on the most. I ask myself this question almost every day. I struggle with what I should do versus the what I want to do.

I've also done a lot of reading and I'm working on my spiritual health as well. There's still a lot of areas to work on, but I'll get there eventually.

In the exercise department I'm trying to do more with my daughter. We've been roller skating and I recently discovered one of our neighborhood pools at Stude Park. I was really impressed with what I found and we are starting weekly swim lessons tomorrow. One of my goals this summer is to teach her to swim properly. Believe it or not, I was on the swim team in middle school. I wasn't great but I enjoyed it. I want to teach her how to do the freestyle, backstroke and breast stroke. I can explain the butterfly to her but it's not a stroke that I can do very well.

Who knows, maybe she can swim on her school team in middle school too. Next year is her last year in elementary school so it would be great if she is swimming really well by the time she starts middle school.

Our exercise routine will fluctuate between walking, roller skating, and swimming this summer. My hope is that I will be a good example to my daughter while getting healthy myself in the process. So then I'm working on my exercise and health goals together with my family goals.

Profile Pictures

I am about to say something that will probably make a lot of people angry, even some of my friends. But I have to say it and I'm sure many of you have noticed it too.

I don't understand why some people have profile pictures on their social networks of them with their spouse. I can understand if it's their anniversary and they want to honor the memory and all, but that's about the only time I think it's appropriate.

One of my many profile pictures. Me in front of the Municipal Bldg in NYC.

Why do I feel this way? I know you're going to ask. Well, I just feel like the social network is your page, not your husband's page, not your child's page, just your page. Sure, you'll talk about your family.  You'll even post pictures of them, so why is it necessary to post a picture of yourself with your spouse? We get it. You're married and you're proud of your family. I do it too. I just don't understand the profile pictures.

Yes, I know it's every person's business what they want to post as a profile picture, so I really shouldn't even be bringing this up, but I wanted to point it out because I wondered if I was the only person who feels this way. Apparently not. I Googled it and I found this article. The couples shot made the list.

I feel like my profile on whatever social site I'm on is about ME, not about anyone else. I feel like as women we lose our identity so often. We become a wife and then a mother so we forget who WE are. We don't live for ourselves anymore, we live for others.

It's admirable and I can understand why it happens, I'm a mother too, but that doesn't mean that I can't have my own profile and my own identity. And I think that's something worth protecting.

Summer Nights

"Summer days driftin' away, to uh-oh those summer nights.." Summer Nights from Grease

Image from clevelandseniors.com

It's summer and I need to get my exercise on! I failed miserably the first week. I had all these grandiose ideas and then I came home and did something else every day instead. So today I am hell-bent on starting back on my running/roller skating schedule. Every day we are either going to roller skate or we are going to go running at Studewood Park.

I'm starting a row of clothes that don't fit me in my closet so I can view them as an incentive. I have a couple of really cute skirts that I love, but they don't fit me. I think ten pounds will make a world of difference. That's my goal by the end of the summer.

So we've started Week 2. I've been very fortunate to have my mom-in-law helping me so far but I have a feeling my days are numbered because she may end up going back to work. It was great while it lasted. She gets here at 7:30 every morning and starts breakfast while I make coffee. The kids have been eating very well. On their first week with her they went to the library and the Children's Museum. This week they're going to spend the night with her on Tuesday and they're super excited about doing that.

I said in another post that the summer is going to fly by. I really do believe that. I need to use my time more wisely and I need to take advantage of the extra time that I have to exercise and to write. My writing calls and I need to finish editing my novel for self-publishing. I can't forget about that.

So here we go. Week 2: Roller skating today for half an hour.

Slave for Fashion

You're probably going to say, "Wait, we thought you were a slave for fashion when you named your blog Shoegirl Corner." Well, regardless of what you think I don't have a thousand pairs of shoes or very expensive ones at that. The most expensive pair are by Ann Roth and they are worth $300, BUT I bought them for $98 in a sample sale.

No, I don't have the most expensive clothes, but I do love clothes. Here lately, after I lost enough weight to fit into them, I became a huge fan of Cabi clothes. I have bought so many Cabi pieces now that I should probably start selling it. I think it was because I was so excited that I could finally fit into them. The sad thing is I've gained some weight back and I'm growing out of the clothes. So sad but a goal worth working for.

http://sherrycousins.cabionline.com/collection

I just blogged over on skirt! about the beautiful plus sized models on the cover of Vogue Italia and how much I love clothes, shoes and make up. Fashion is part of feeling good about myself at any size.

So my latest purchase was this really cool skirt (above) that can also be worn as a dress, blouse and halter top. Needless to say I won't be wearing it as a halter. (I can almost hear you sigh in relief.) I will be wearing it as a skirt, dress, and blouse. In fact, I'm really excited to wear it tomorrow to work.

I didn't own a belt and I needed one to belt the skirt to look like a blouse. When I went to Avenue to buy a belt I came out with a really cool pair of shoes too. I bought the natural color below. So now they've become part of my outfit tomorrow too.

http://www.avenue.com/

The jacket in the photo with the skirt above is on back order, but as soon as it arrives I'll be wearing the Sigourney as a dress just like this. I also have a purple Cabi jacket from last season so I can wear it with that one too or when I wear it as a skirt.

Yes, I have become a slave for fashion in my old age and I like it!

Summer is Here!

I know it's not officially the first day of summer (June 21) but it sure feels like summer. It is HOT out there- 98 degrees already! Plus the kids are out of school! That's the best part.

Image from thebearcottage.com

I can hardly believe that I don't have to wake up early and run around stressing while trying to get them to school early. I can take my time, enjoy a coffee, while I get ready, and then drive 10 minutes into downtown. Yes, I live that close, but I never get to enjoy the short drive because I have to take the kids to school first.

Hence, summer is a vacation of sorts for me too. I have so many plans for the summer, namely getting back in shape roller skating and running with the kids. I want to get an inner loop running club started for moms with kids. I'd like for the kids to start running so they're ready to run in a kids' run by this fall. My daughter wants to join the track team in middle school so I think this will be a good taste of what it will be like. My son needs an activity that will help him burn energy.

There's also summer reading to do. We do the HISD Millionaire Club every summer to encourage them to read. I'm trying to get them to use the library more so I got them both their own libary card.

I'm also thinking about summer vacation, like a lot of parents I'm sure. I'm trying to decide when is the best time to take vacation around my work schedule and before the kids go back to school. I'm also trying to decide what to do and where to go. When I look at the calendar I know the summer is just going to fly by! Let me just savor this moment of the first day before I start thinking about the end already.