30.93 Years In Review

So I just reread my 30 Years In Review post and realized just how little I've done since then. Oh, wait. I've done quite a bit, but no where NEAR as much as I should have done. Did I get those letters out? Nope. Did I change my wardrobe? A bit. I've also done challenges, but that didn't last the entire year either. Well, I happened upon another challenge of sorts, that got me thinking AGAIN about those challenges. However I decided to just continue to strive to do & be better than I am instead of going hard on some challenge that I'm not ready to tackle. Anyway, back to that challenge.

She called it The Birthday Project. I think it's kind of a Pay-It-Forward type of deal and it very ambitious for me giving my past year in review. Anyway, I was going to try it this year, but then I reread that 30 Years In Review post and said I'm not gone set myself up for failure yet & again. Instead, I'll keep doing what I'm doing and getting better at sticking to my self-challenges. However, I do like the whole idea of doing something nice for other folks for my birthday. I don't know, but it's my thing lately. What should I do? No idea, but follow along as I figure it out.

The birthday countdown begins today because I like the number 25 ... Woo hoo!

Oh yeah, I'll also be posting something everyday of the month of May. Some of them will be my normal post length, but others (maybe most) will be short and sweet me. Heh heh heh! I may include more pictures as well so I can begin connecting TableTalkN to my instagram in a meaningful way, but not making any promises there. I probably should begin to flesh out posting to Facebook as well, but we'll see.

O.O.F.S

OOFS: Out Of F*ing Shape

Well, I started my lil stair exercises and found that I am all kinds of totally out of shape. Totally out of effing shape. Yeah, that bad. I have a lil 20 minute routine and can't make it past the 10 minute mark. Honestly, I'm barely making it there! However, I'm having fun cause the lil person seems to enjoy doing the different exercise with me. Well, really he's not doing anything but running up the stairs and sliding down them, but still. It's time we spend together in which he sees mommy run cause I don't do it much. While sometimes he's in the way, I really wouldn't have it any other way. His lil "Mom, come on" takes my mind off of the frustration of not being in shape.

So. So far I've only done the exercises twice and I KNOW I have a LONG way to go. It's both encouraging and frustrating. Encouraging because it gives me a goal to work towards and will challenge me as I strive to get there. Frustrating because I just didn't realize just how out of effing shape I am currently. I mean, I know I haven't been doing my due diligence working out, but whew! The good thing about it though is that I am determined to be able to complete this doggone exercise routine so I won't be giving up any time soon.

Oh yeah, I guess I didn't tell you the routine. Probably shouldn't until I can really finish it so you're not judging me, but whatevs - I didn't make it up on my own. I found the routine here. I made lil Reminder Cards for each step. The Steps are:

1. Walk up/down - 2 minutes
2. Jog up/down - 2 minutes
3. Walk up/down, Skip Step - 2 minutes
4. Jog up/down - 2 minutes
5. Jog up/down, Skip Step - 2 minutes
6. Push-ups - 1 minute
7. Walk/Jog up/down - 1 minute
8. Split Squats - 2 minutes
9. Plank Step Ups - 1 minute
10. Tricep Dips - 1 minute
11. Walk/Jog up/down, Skip Step - 2 minutes
12. Walk up/down - 2 minutes

As you can see, I haven't made it to the push-ups just yet. Push-ups have always been my kryptonite of sorts. Also, hated them. When I was younger I'd choose something else if I had a choice in the matter. My upper body is weak, but my legs are pretty strong - I'll choose kickboxing over regular boxing any day. I might be able to actually do some damage that way. Anyway, that's my OOFS Story of the moment. I'm sure I'll have plenty more as I travel on my #DoBetter&Exercise Journey. 

Any exercise startup stories out there? Extra motivation & encouragement is always welcome! Good luck getting/staying healthy & fit out there. 

Thomas & Friends Easter Basket 2014

So our lil man is a huge fan of Thomas & Friends and actually all things train. That means most gifts somehow include trains. It was Easter soooo ... you know it was a train-focused Easter Basket. Shall you join us on our journey to a Traintastic Easter? Chugga Chugga Choo Choo!!

Easter Basket

It couldn't just be any ol Easter Basket. We would have done a bucket, but we found this lovely thing at a train show months ago and I knew immediately what it was meant for in our household.

Learning Tools

Can't just be giving out gifts without some possible learning tools. What better way than to include a few books? Got these books at the same train show as the basket. Also, we found these leapfrog products on sale at a closing KMart. I had totally forgot about them until I went to take these pictures.  

Trains & Tracks

Trains, trains, and more trains ... The tracks wouldn't fit so we just save those for when we want to change up the tracks on his train table.

Eggs

There have to be eggs in an Easter Basket right? Well, his were candy eggs cause I had to give the child some candy.

So here's our basket for lil man. He was very pleased.

Trying to find a focus...

Greetings & Salutations,

Today I come to you in a "funk".  We've been at this "blogging" thing for quite some time now.  We (me and my lady wife) actually started out with separate blogs, and then we combined them as we expanded our family and added the boy - By the way, this is actually what I call them when we are just kickin it around the house or I'm telling stories about their latest adventures.  Now we are taking this blogging to a new level.  A more "focused" & defined level.  While the purpose of this blog is to cover topics that we, everyone, would talk about at the dinner table, over coffee/tea, at the water cooler, it still needs to have a purpose.

A few weeks ago, lady wife discussed how she was looking at the different "journey's" that she goes through: As a mother, a wife, person, etc.  It actually inspired me.  {She does this quite often, though I don't share that fact with her enough.}  I want to make sense.  I want to have a point.  Even if my point is "no point" I would like to have people have a sense of what they're getting when they read something I wrote.  I'm not so conceited that I would imagine that everything I put down was gold (I am conceited though...) but I would like for others to read my works and at least consider it.

With this thought in my mind, I wanted to focus on "entertainment", movies in particular.  But it has come to my attention that I don't see as many movies on opening weekend, as I would like to, especially to stay current.  You see, once you throw a little person in the mix, especially one you (a) like being around & (b) don't want to just drop off with anyone, it becomes difficult to just go see the latest thing out.  I then moved on to DVD's, I figured, maybe I could just review newly released movies on DVD's or even perhaps the latest in a specific genre of movies & DVD's.  Perhaps some other form of entertainment.  Concerts, venues, DJ's...  Do you see where I'm headed here.  Once again, lack of focus, lack of a commitment.

So here I am back at the drawing board, trying to figure out what is the one thing that I'm passionate about? What can I always "stay up on" & make sure the commentary is relevant?  Some would say, "why does it have to be one thing?"  It doesn't, but I would like to start somewhere and have a baseline of knowledge. So while I search and try to think of something that will continue to draw interest and continued support by others, I reach out to everyone who reads this-- What would you consider worthwhile and interesting?

Holla back...

Journey Journal

So as promised ... here are my thoughts surrounding my new Journey Journal concept. It's not new - I just Googled it and landed quite a few blogs about it - but it's a new concept to me. I didn't exactly know what I meant until I typed them out. I do that a LOT and I just happened to actually admit it this time. Anyway ... Journey Journal

My Thoughts

I We go through a lot of journeys throughout our lives. Most of the time we are referring to traveling such as road trips, vacations, and excursions. We also hear folks talk about their spiritual journeys to wherever they have decided to lay their faith. Then there are still others who talk about their physical journeys through health crisis and life changing ailments. And still others who speak on their healthy eating and living journeys. Lots of lots of journeys here. So I've decided to pick various facets of my journeys to be highlighted for my Journey Journal. I've even thought of some of them already - how on point (for the moment) am I?

Some of my current Journey Journal facets (more like topics eh?):

• Reaching JDM3: Raising An Engineer, Raising A Gentleman, This Kid
• JAM-N-Marriage: DateHour, "Free" Dates, Antics of the Best Husband Ever, Lady Wife Joys
• Moore Travels
• Struggle Bus Stops
• Health Check-ins: Yoga, Bike, Insanity, etc
• Foodie Observer

While these are the only ones so far, know that I'll most definitely add as I get more accustomed to this thing.

Well, let's go.

Purposeful Social Media

What do you use your social media accounts for? Just to socialize online? To express your creativity, political ambitions, etc? What? Do you use them at all?

Well, I'm one of those "who the heck knows?" kind of social media personalities. HA! I guess I'm that way for real now that I think of it. Eh, well. I'm about to change the social media personality because otherwise I should probably just disable all of my accounts. Seriously, they tell you very little about me. I generally like that, but I recently decided I'd like to share certain facets of myself with the people. I've been sharing through blogs for years now, but I very rarely provide visuals. I'd like to do better with that and be more purposeful at the same time.

How do I do that? No idea. Y'all know how many picture & video challenges I've done. None of them made it to the light of day. Shame on me. So beginning this weekend (today as a matter of fact), I will post with a purpose on my IG.

Our family train trip will be the highlight of the beginning of my journey to socializing with a purpose. I'm deeming it my Journey Journal. I'll start with IG and branch out from there. I do fairly well with twitter, but my FB sucks! I'm gonna do better. So here's another goal for me.

IG: I commit to post at least 3 times a week. I commit to post purposefully through the eyes of my Journeys (whatever they might be). Through the use of my IG, I plan to be more active on FB by the end of the summer. My ultimate goal is just to continue to build this TableTalkN crew as we get big things coming across the Table.

I guess my next post will be to explain this Journey Journal of mine. SMH! I'm so backwards. I probably should have done that first, but hey ... it is what it is.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review

Gooooooooddddddddd Mooorrrrrnnnning Everybody!

I hope this day finds you in good spirits and ready for whatever is coming up next for you!

The Table TalkN Review Board had the opportunity to go and see Captain America: The Winter Soldier last night. Let me start off by saying - It was GOOD! I think it was better than the first one that came out a few years back.  While I enjoyed that as well, this one was better.

The thing with the Captain America stories, is that you have a story about a person, with super powers that is still a good person and works for a secret agency.  It's hard to be a good person that works for a secret agency, so I've heard...  In reality, this story, to me, is about a man who is all alone in a world that is always moving forward, changing, and he must determine who to trust and who to "apprehend" with the included dilemma of having a moral compass that ALWAYS points North.

This movie happens right in line with the timing of all of the other Marvel projects; after The Avengers' (including the battle in New York) and after the Iron Man's - it is the next chapter in this big book of Marvel.  For those of you who watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on television, every Tuesday (or via Hulu like I do) there are some "tie-ins" that will make sense of some of the things to come in the next few weeks as well.

When it comes down to it, I find it amazing that Captain America hasn't said "Screw it" and left out to be on his own yet, but he has a remarkable sense of responsibility and high personal accountability.  He keeps on fighting the good fight and will do what it takes to ensure the safety and preservation of life.

In addition to Captain America, this film showcases a few other Marvel characters, new and old.  Of course there's the Black Widow & Nick Furry, along with the primary antagonist, who is not the Winter Soldier as one would think, but the evil New World Order group - Hydra.  There's also the introduction to Sam Wilson, AKA The Falcon.  Marvel has done an amazing job of taking a comic book character that was over the top and making it believable to the average viewer.

I believe that Anthony Mackie truly makes a great addition to the cast.  I would even go as far as to say that without his addition, this movie would just be "ok".  His character helped keep the movie rolling without being "over the top" or more than "the Black friend".  He contributed and became a true supporting cast member/partner to Steve Rogers, Captain America.  I would hope that Marvel continues to utilize him in upcoming films.

I'm just really glad that more people are finally realizing that you need to stay to the end of the credits.  The post-movie scenes are almost as important as the movie itself now-a-days.  They give insight and help to build anticipation to the future.  And this time you were blessed with two.  So make sure that you stayed glued to your seat if you plan on seeing it.

Well, I'm done for right now.  Be on the look out for my DVD rental reviews coming soon...

Until then; Keep the lights low and the phones on vibrate!!!

Table TalkN Review Board Out...

Spring Bike Riding With A Purpose

Hey folks! I know I've been yapping quite a bit, but that's what the blog is for, right? Anyway, I'm not sure I've shared this on here or not yet, but I wanted to post about it after I posted about my Yoga Core Strengthening yesterday.

Soooo I decided I want to get into biking seriously. Lofty, but I am so serious. I'd love to be able to actually bike through town on a nice sunny day instead of gassing up the car some times. Now, we generally get out and bike ride several times a year. However, it's usually just to go over into the next neighborhood for the park. Not necessarily a short ride, but not as far as I want to be able to go. I think it's only half a mile or so. I want to get up to 20 miles or so.

I'm looking for one of those couch to bike type deals. Haven't found one just yet, but my goal is to find some kind of program by the time the weather pans to a consistent warmth here. It's getting there. So I figure I need a plan for those days where I can get a quick something in AND I need an ultimate goal. So my quick something is to ride around our area to get reacquainted with my bike because it was loaded down with an extra passenger since day 1.

*Flashback* We bought bikes to use for exercise. We decided to ride up to the library one day. It was just right around the corner from our house ... or so we thought. You know how things seem a LOT closer in the car. Yeah. Well, the library was actually about 3 miles or so from our house. These were new bikes and we hadn't rode bikes in years. AND I was about 3 months pregnant. Wasn't the best idea, but we made it there & back home. The ride home was easier (downhill), but still took a LONG time cause I was pregnant (needed lots of water & breaks from that uncomfortable seat). Did I mention I was pregnant? Well, apparently that was not okay for me to do based on the Grands opinions of what a pregnant lady should be doing. I got fussed at by several of them for it, but it's a good laugh to hear us tell about that doggone journey. *End Flashback*

So yeah ... fast forward to every ride since then. We got a bike seat for me to ride lil man around in. Great times! We'd talk and watch for all kinds of things as we rode along to the park or wherever it was we were going. Lil man slowed me down though and I'm pretty sure my bike has a permanent lean from that doggone bike seat. It's cool though - I wouldn't trade it for the world. That time with my extra person was priceless, but I'm looking forward to making my bike just for me.

We got lil man his own bike for Christmas so we're all set for those family bike rides using our own separate bikes. AND we're only about 2 miles from the library now. Not sure lil man can make it that far, but I'm sure he'll be ready before too long cause he's a pretty ambitious lil man.

My goals for biking are as follows (remember these begin once it's warmer to me):
I commit to riding at least 3 times a week so I can get more acquainted with my bike. I commit to learning the signals for street riding for safety. I commit to just keep trying. I would like to be able to ride up to the library and back with no breaks by the end of this summer. My ultimate goal is to ride up to 25 miles.

Any of you ever done one of those bike races or marathons? I'm not sure I want to do one, but it'd be nice knowing I could at least finish it if I ever did. Also, any biking tips & tricks?

Yoga Core Strengthening

I just got on Instagram because my sister kept posting pictures of my niece that she hadn't txt to me. I felt left out. Anyway, I finally decided to join. I have posted no pics or videos just yet, but I have a plan for that. I've decided my Instagram has a purpose. Soon my twitter & Facebook will as well. Ya know - aside from random social media outlets.

Anyway ... back to what I'm really here to post. One of my old friends has been posting all types of yoga poses that she's been mastering. Pretty sweet! I saw her do a headstand pose & BOOM! I decided I wanted to do that. Yeah, well I don't know how to do that. I'm afraid of gravity nowadays. Sssooo instead of going head first, I decided to work up to a headstand.

How does one work up to a headstand? I didn't know. I did some research. Well before I did research, I asked my husband. Had there been video cameras in our household that night, we'd be a bit richer. We have issues and LOTS of fun when mom lets loose. What'd we do? We did headstands against the couch. Well, not really. I couldn't get the hang of it because I'm afraid of gravity. My husband was able to do several of them, BUT he also works out so many times a week & is obsessed with his abs. I do not work out like that (I should, but I don't) and I am not obsessed with my abs (I just cover them up). And of course lil man had to get in on it. While he can't do a headstand, he thinks he's a pro at flipping so we flipped. Yup my grown behind was flipping around the living room. Lil man thought he was teaching me how to flip, but really I just needed his encouragement to get over my gravity issue. So we flipped. And bbbboooyyy - one of those times, my grown behind THOUGHT I broke my backside. I flipped and it certainly sounded worst than what it was. I stopped flipping for a bit cause it did hurt just a little bit. Good thing I'm quite curvy - those curves cushioned that fall. Gravity tried to take me out, but it's cool. I shall get this.

So I researched poses cause clearly my family is way too adventurous for me. I need calm, slow steps. All that "just flip" and "just do this" stuff didn't work for me. I researched and found that I'd better tighten up the core to be able to do that headstand. Bbbbboooo!! I'm not a fan of crunches, sit ups, and push ups. There has to be something else. Well, I kept somehow going back to the yoga poses and exercises. Yoga it was - something new for me, right? Nope. I had done yoga before so I found an old yoga DVD. I went through it and realized at the end why I had put it away. It was more about relaxing your body. I need no help with that. I'm darn good at relaxing and going to sleep, which is what I did for about 10 minutes at the end of that DVD. Not good & not what I wanted. So back to Google ...

I then found poses that were supposed to lead up to the headstand. Something about working up to holding them 5 minutes each. Hecks yeah! I wanna do that. I started with the shoulder-stand cause it looked like something that I could do. I did it. Somewhat. I even made it 5 minutes. I did it, but I know my posture was nothing like it needed to be. So back to my core focus again. Well, I found something that at least worked last night & I'm still feeling it this morning.

This Yoga Workout For Your Abs did wonders for the beginning of my journey: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/yoga/yoga-workout-for-your-abs. I'm actually looking forward to mastering these poses and strengthening my core. I wasn't bored with the workout nor did I feel overwhelmed by it. Perfect! So while this is just Day 2 of the workout, it's been a good week or so for the yoga obsession. This could possibly work. So here are my yoga goals.

Yoga: I commit to practice my yoga poses everyday. I commit to taking a picture of a pose once a week to start and increase it as my confidence increases. I aim to be able to do a headstand by the end of the summer. My ultimate goal (before I move to loftier ones) is to be able to do a headstand for 5 minutes.

What's your current workout obsession? Do you yoga? You hardcore gym-ing it? You pole dancing? Let me know. I always need inspiration to keep going and I'm all about sharing your story if you let me. Oh and feel free to lend some advice & tips here. Y'all know I get sidetracked easily.

Toddler Interlude: Hitting

Lil Man: Mom, [insert child's name] hits me some days.
Me: Huh? Did you tell the teacher?
Lil Man: Yeah.
Me: Okay. No one should be hitting you. That is not very kind or nice.
Lil Man: Well, mom & dad sometimes hit me.
Me: No, we spank you. There's a difference. It's a punishment. [Insert child's name] isn't allowed to spank you so you tell someone so they can address it.
Lil Man. Okay, but you & dad do hit me sometimes.
Me: Okay. That's true.

Conversation ended there as far as he was concerned, but for me it lingered. I realized that my child doesn't understand the difference AND that I really don't want him to understand it. I think it's okay to think that hitting is wrong - all the time. I just have to figure out more stern consequences for my boy that provide the same result as a spanking. Did you read my Weird, Huh? post? If not, check it out. This conversation happened the day before I wrote that. I haven't spanked him in some time, but it still bothered me to know that each time I have, he looked upon it as just a hit; not the result I wanted. Well, I fell off and now I'm hopping back on to my no hitting plan. When we're consistent and attentive, we get less push back anyway. So here's to sticking to the plan.

What is the plan? Aside from no hitting, we use rules, conversations, distractions, music, and breathing techniques to solve most problems. A rule is something that can't be questioned and are usually for ensuring the peacefulness and efficiency we like in our household. You know what a conversation is, and we use ours to teach & learn throughout the day. Distractions work when what he's doing is just rather annoying, but not necessarily dangerous. Music is our "let loose and just be free" thing. Breathing techniques are used to calm us. What are some things you use?

Whelp, that is all for now folks. Later ...