ambiance

What are the components of ambiance? Architecture, landscape design, lighting and smells. Inspired by "Women of Walt Disney Imagineering: 12 Women Reflect on their Trailblazing Theme Park Careers," I have been putting in touches of ambiance into our home to evoke opulence and cozyness.

I've written previously about which aromas I have, which ones I really like, and which ones I want to buy next. I have found that the oils containing musk just aren't to my liking. In my humidifier, it ends up smelling like "wet dog" and that's just the worst!

http://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2024/01/mom-rage.html

I have been following Provost Park Pass's Walt Disney World hotel challenge on YouTube. One day, I put on the corresponding aroma while watching the resort tour and it was really fun. I immediately felt more immersed and transported, which is important if you are stuck at home, saving money.

The YouTube videos are all in a playlist, but it doesn't say the hotel name in the title of the video, it just says Day 1, Day 2, etc. so I made a list of which hotel was on which day and which scents I have already.* If there is an ❌ then it means there is a corresponding scent but I just haven't bought it (yet).

1. All Star Sports Resort

2. All Star Music Resort

3. POP Century

   ❌ Century

4. All Star Movie 

5. Art of Animation 

   ❌ Animation

6. Caribbean Beach

   ❌ Caribbean Resort

7. Port Orleans Riverside 

8. Port Orleans French Quarter 

   *Orleans Resort

9. Coronado Springs Resort 

   ❌ Destino

10. Polynesian Village 

   *Polynesian 

11. Contemporary 

   *Contemporary

12. The Grand Floridian

   *Floridian 

13. The Wilderness Lodge

   *Wilderness Resort

14. The Boardwalk Resort

   ❌ On The Boardwalk 

15. The Riveria Resort

   *French Riviera

16. The Beach Club

   ❌ Beach Resort

17. Yacht Club Resort

    ❌ Yacht Resort 

18. Saratoga Springs Resort 

19. Old Key West

   ❌ Key West

20. Animal Kingdom Lodge

   ❌ African Lodge

https://magiccandlecompany.com/collections/resort-collection

Century: green tea, lemongrass

Animation: lemon, aloe, lily of the valley, rose petals, white tea leaves, sweet musk

Caribbean Resort: lemon, orange, pineapple, lime, caramel, coconut, buttercream, coconut milk, vanilla bean, musk

Destino: grapefruit, peach, pineapple, cassis, Meyer lemon, Brazilian orange, rose, jasmine, ylang, sandalwood, amber, musk

On The Boardwalk: sweet clover, aloe, marine air, lavender, bergamot, sea minerals, green tea, fresh florals, driftwood, amber, sea moss

Beach resort: green clover, aloe, jasmine, lily of the valley, ylang, cedar

Yacht Resort: green clover, aloe, watery green floral

Key West: coconut, passion fruit, guava, pineapple, banana, melon, grapefruit

African Lodge: sandalwood, jasmine, violet, orchid, bergamot, sweet plum, sheer vanilla, cashmere, amber

🌟 BUY 2 GET 1 FREE SALE - Use Code: B2G1

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3OTvS5E1CgmMRpKmAioGiTgIRHwFGySP&si=Tny05EgIoHYLVFeW

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGCmsltIxRpHYch1hzoJ2ksIyLK95JbX8&si=HXJvGz1Hls6pvRxh

There's another YouTube channel called Park Pass TV that does walking tours of the outside of resorts. They also have a curated playlist of the resorts. I like and watch both. Park Pass TV has motivational 45 minute walks that live stream. I find it somewhat fun to participate in the chat. These content creators are amazing. I so appreciate the work they're doing to inform, entertain, and inspire!

Disneyland and family reunion debrief

The second half of May was epic and fantastic. I've barely had time to process or recover but I do feel like I need to post this debrief to try and capture some of the magic 🪄 ✨ before it totally evaporates like the June Gloom.

Friday, May 17 

7:30am Kayla took Albert to Daycare 

11:20am Kayla picked up Albert from Daycare, drove to airport

Steph arrived BUR 12:45pm

Food Truck Friday on Chatsworth St

We got to road test the Mountain buggy double stroller.

Saturday, May 18 - 

9-11am month of Mama celebration class

4-6pm Reseda Art Walk  

Another opportunity to road test the stroller.

Sunday, May 19 - Kayla 3 mile training run 

Holleigh Bernson Memorial Park Pick up Fitlicious

Packing for Disney 

Zoom call with grandparents

Monday, May 20 (Disneyland) - Rope drop Jungle Cruise

Tuesday, May 21 (DCA) - Rope drop Little Mermaid

Wednesday, May 22 (Disneyland) Rope drop Pirates of the Caribbean

Thursday, May 23rd - 

7-9am Campus walk 

Disney unpacking 

2-3pm pool

Family dinner with Anne

Galactic Grill Salads 

This day Albert tossed my phone in the pool.

Friday, May 24th

8am Yoga

9-11am campus walk 

Goddess Salad lunch 

Group nap

3-4pm pool time 

Family dinner - Chicken fried rice stir fry

Saturday, May 25th 

7am strength training 

8:00am Kayla apply for unemployment

IKEA and it's a wrap day

Family dinner - Tacos

Too good to go - Leo's Superfood Vegan Cafe

Sunday, May 26th -

3 mile run / Northridge park 

Pym test kitchen bread pud

Pick up Fitlicious

Beach day in Ventura

Too good to go Fish Grill lunch

Pedicures (tarball removal)

Family dinner - pasta

 

Monday, May 27th - **MEMORIAL DAY**

Major cooking day 

Family dinner - baked potato

Bengal BBQ 🥓

Troubadour tavern 🥔

Our cousin Joey came over and got to spend some time with us and the little ones.

Tuesday, May 28th -

Cinnamon rolls 

LA County Arboretum 

Galactic Grill Salads

Steph packs suitcase

Found out that if you have a membership for two adults, only one of the adults needs to be named on the membership. So we all got in for free. And we arrived around 8am to beat the heat and take advantage of early hours for members only.

 

Wednesday, May 29 (Departure 1:30pm) Steph’s date of departure

Red rose 🌹 Grey stuff 

11:30am Drive to the airport

SWA 6017 Steph departs BUR at 1:20pm, arrives 7:55pm OMA

Non-Disney Day Ideas that we didn't do 

Wi spa (kid-friendly) https://wispausa.com/  

Open 24h

$30 regular daily admission fee

2700 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90057 (drivetime 35 - 80 minutes)

Grand spa https://www.grandspala.com/services 

Open 24h

$30 general admission

2999 W. 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90020 (drivetime 35 - 80 minutes)

LA Zoo / Griffith Park / Traveltown 12 month membership started on May 24, 2023

Open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m https://lazoo.org/plan-your-visit/reservations/ 

$22 for adults, $17 for kids over 23 months

5333 Zoo Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027 (drivetime 35-55 minutes)

Kidspace Museum in Pasadena / Rose Bowl 

Open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Tuesday-Sunday (closed Monday)

$15.50 general admission https://kidspacemuseum.org/visit/hours-and-admission/ 

480 N Arroyo Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91103 (drivetime 35-65 minutes)

Discovery Cube LA

Open 10:00 am – 5:00 pm https://www.discoverycube.org/los-angeles/visit/ 

$18 for adults, $16 for kids, Children ages 2 and under are free. $17 for seniors (age 62+)

11800 Foothill Blvd, Sylmar, CA 91342 (drivetime 22-40 minutes)

Ventura / Underwood Farms / Beach* https://underwoodfamilyfarms.com/somis/ 

Open 9:00am - 6:00pm

Admission to enter the fields and pick is $3.00/person. Under 2 free.

5696 E Los Angeles Ave, Somis, CA (drivetime 45 - 70 min)

Aquarium of the Pacific / Beach / Huntington Dog Beach* parking $8

Open 9am - 6pm https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/visit 

$44.95 adult, $41.95 senior (age 62+), $29.95 child (age 3+)

100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802 (drivetime 55 min - 120 min)

Malibu / Zuma Beach*

Venice Beach

CA Science Center (free tickets via library) / Blue Line / Metrolink

La Brea Tar Pits (free tickets via library) / Miracle Mile https://www.lapl.org/explorela 

Downtown LA / Grove / Beverly Hills Public Library (storytime, free)

Universal Citywalk / Bus

Totally Toddlers / My Gym / Local*

Bike Ride / Orange Line Bike Path*

LA Dodgers game - a friend has season tickets! Children 3 and under can enter the stadium free, provided they sit on a parent's or guardian's lap. Should the parent or guardian want a child aged 3 and under to have their own seat, a ticket must be purchased.

Honestly, I would not have changed a thing about the experience. We had a lot of May Gray. Nobody got sick except Mike. The LoveSac couch made a nice bed in our living room. It was a good decision to clear out the downstairs closet for our guests. I think it made it much easier for them to see their clothes Inventory and know what was clear and dirty. We did laundry almost every day. We ran the dishwasher more than once per day. I showed them the bunk beds so they know they have options for future visits.

Our landlord showed us the empty unit that will be up for sale soon. It seems small but maybe that's just because it was empty. It would be wild to be homeowners. And wild to vacate this unit after we have made so many memories here.

CdM Scenic 5k 2024 Race Report

The Corona del Mar Scenic 5k is a fun event in Orange County, Southern California. We originally started running it with my sister-in-law because the event is sponsored by Hoag Hospital, and she worked there.

3.1 miles. Lots of turns. Well-marked course. Right along the ocean. 60 deg F at the start, 64 deg F by the end. There was a marine layer, a calm and cloudy morning, which we call the "June Gloom." Very humid, even a bit of drizzle.

There were maybe less than 2000 participants. There were dozens of port-a-potties. There was a fun aerobic warmup and balloon arch start line. It was fun to let the men go first, then women second, and walkers third. 

I had forgotten that there were a lot of loops in the course where slower runners could catch a glimpse or wave to faster runners. So, it was fun for families and spectators.

Followed a Fit4Mom 10k training plan. Three days per week of runs and two days per week of strength training. One day of active recovery and one rest day. Not in that order.

Started off wearing a visor to keep the sprinkles off my glasses. Ended up swapping it for my sunglasses, which was the original outfit I had planned. Retiring my Brooks Ariels after this event.

I ate a cinnamon roll 3+ hours before the race, 4 egg whites ~2 hours before the race, and a Prime sleeve in 500mL of water. 

I got a bit psyched out in the first quarter mile because I think I started too far forward in the corrals, and almost everyone passed me. But then I put on my training playlist, and it really helped me calm down mentally. I had trained to it for most of my two-mile Tuesday morning runs, so I knew I was going at the right pace for me.

It was so heartwarming to run by my kiddo and husband who were spectating. The BOB jogging stroller was my aid station and SAG wagon. I swapped out my visor for a pair of sunglasses and immediately felt cooler (temperature-wise).

We walked the course the day before very slowly. It was good to program my brain with all the landmarks, and it was fabulous to see all the homes and gardens at a snail's pace. An unforeseen benefit is that I felt like I was flying on race day because I was going so much faster than the day before, and I had no anxiety about going the wrong way.

My pre-race A goal was to run continuously, and I achieved that. My B goal was to cross the finish line, and I achieved that. I didn't have a time goal, but I finished in under 45 minutes, and my pace was under 13 minute miles. I showed improvement over my last 5k race. 

I didn't have a lot of feels crossing the finish line, until I saw the other gals that were with me for most of the race hugging their family members. I said congrats and good job, and it was nice to run with you. Hearing how happy they were to complete their 1st organized 5k event brought tears to my eyes because I know how empowering it is to undertake your first 5k and what a significant accomplishment it is. Yes. People do much longer races, but for a new runner to be born is a thing of beauty.

Restaurant Row did not disappoint. There were three types of burritos, doughnuts, creme brulee, banana, and pasta—truly a feast. There was plenty to share with my husband and son. We didn't do the dolphin dash this year, but we might in the future.

Overall, I love this race and would completely do it again. This was my sixth time running it. I keep going back because it’s that awesome. Not only is the restaurant row at the finish line unique, but having the women's start staggered from the men's is also.

I saw many Disney runners sporting their long-sleeved shirts from the long-awaited return of the Disneyland race in January 2024, so it was fun to say, "I was there, too." The CdM Scenic 5k event is so fun. I highly recommend it. This was their 42nd year.

This was my sixth time running this course, and I am happy with my time.

2024     40:15     13.0 min/mi

2014     40:29     13.0 min/mi

2013     39:00     12.7 min/mi

2012     40:00     13.0 min/mi

2011     35:30     11.5 min/mi

2009     44:00     14.0 min/mi

On the left, I was a newlywed, still in the honeymoon phase of marriage. Still in the honeymoon phase of graduate school. Still in the honeymoon phase of my fitness journey. These were the good times. 2010 is where things started to go off the rails.

I've been through so much since then. I finished my PhD in chemistry in 2012. I chose to live a sober life in 2013. After a barrage of fertility treatments, I got promoted to mommy in 2020. I advanced to Senior Lecturer (rank C) in 2022, which is equivalent to a promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor for a non-tenure track faculty member. These accomplishments are the promises come true.

If I could say anything to my 15-year-old self, it would be, "You've got this, sweetie." You're going to be challenged beyond what you think you can handle, but you CAN handle it. You will survive, and you will eventually find yourself in a happy, joyous, and free life!

The dark years (January, January and May 2010)

In January 2010, my husband moved to San Diego without me. I could visit on the weekends, but only every other weekend. It was soul-crushing because I wanted to be with him, I didn't know how much longer I would have to work on my PhD, and we were so tight on money because we had to maintain two separate living situations. Also, I had always wanted to live in San Diego, and it felt so unfair that I only got to be a part-time resident. My body was screaming that it was time to have a child, but my boss told me that it would be a deal-breaker. And if I got pregnant, then I just shouldn't return to work.

Running was something that allowed me to escape my reality. I was really running away from my problems instead of facing them. I did eventually start seeing a therapist, but I felt that he was more amused by me and not actually able to help me wrap my mind around accepting reality and getting me to a point where I could have a healthy perspective on my life. If I had realized that the time frame of the PhD would be 5.5 years and no longer and that I could have been happy and enjoyed it instead of striving for perfection and always falling short, I might have been able to keep my head on straight.

I will say also that even though I took these photos of myself to document my weight loss achievement, I was crumbling inside. I was so unhappy. It was bittersweet to reach a goal weight, goal time, or other milestone (to be faster than anyone on a bike) but to feel so worthless, useless, and wanting to die rather than to keep living. I can say that those were the dark years of graduate school after year 3. It was a continuous stream of experiments, failures, showing up to work and feeling undervalued, disempowered, and abused by coworkers. I felt more like roadkill than the badass I was. 

When I look back at this blog and the posts I wrote in 2009, 2010, and 2011, I realize I wasn't completely honest with you, dear reader. I wasn't able to be honest with myself about the amount of pain that I was in. I couldn't be honest with my boss about my strong feelings regarding family and my desire to have children. Now, it's too late. I'm happy to be "one and done," and I feel grateful that I could become a mother. But it still stings when people ask if we will have another kid. I'm turning 44 soon, so people should be able to see my age and know that this is not possible. Although a friend told me I don't look or act my age, so I should learn to forgive people for this question.

shin splints

I am getting ready for Aunt Steph to visit and Aunt Anne and Cousin Evelyn and Cousin Joey. I'm so excited for everyone to get together. I'm finishing up grades today (hopefully I can submit them today and then have tomorrow free). I'm looking forward to a great time with family, making memories, at Disneyland and elsewhere.

I'm looking forward to my race weekend June 1st. But I'm also kind of feeling the pain of training. I guess I can be grateful that I will have a bit of time off after the Corona del Mar Scenic 5k. The next race weekend I have on the calendar is Sept 8th which is the Santa Monica Classic. But Miss Jenna, the franchise owner for Fit4Mom has suggested that maybe we take all of July off for training because of the heat and it seems these mamas don't want to get up early. So maybe we can have the Mission Inn run as our next finish line. I'll have to re-work the training plan for Session 3 of RunClub+ accordingly.

I am trying to stay on budget, but also not skimp either. I got a new hat for Albert and some new shoes for him because that little bean sprout won't stop growing. His last day at the AS Children's Center at CSUN is tomorrow and he's been going there for 2.5 years so it kind of hit me today that we're moving on from that place and I got a wee bit emotional. It's so hard when you're crying at drop off but you don't want your kid (or anyone else) to see it.

I have to say that my Mother's Day wasn't really anything special. It just felt like any other day, except my husband did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen. We went to the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens with my MIL and SIL and it had the potential to be magical but it was actually really stressful trying to chase after a 4-year old but keep up with the group. It was also pretty expensive. I think I would have enjoyed it more if were were there by ourselves, as a family of three, and we could have taken our time more and let kiddo run wherever he wanted to go instead of trying to stay together as a group of 6 adults (who didn't trouble themselves at all with doing kid-friendly stuff) and 1 wild child.

I also wanted to report that I think I have shin splints. It sucks and I don't know what to do about it. I jumped on my foam roller for 30 minutes today and it seemed to help. I had a crappy run on Tuesday because of where I'm at in my menstrual cycle. And I feel PMS moods for like 10 days before my period now, which my friends have confirmed is a symptom of perimenopause. And now I really should get back to working on grades. Le sigh!

Bike Month and Month of Mama

I’ve been adding and deleting songs from my DANCE DANCE DANCE Amazon music playlist. If the song doesn’t keep me hyped while running, I delete it. If the tempo doesn’t seem right, I move it to earlier or later in the playlist. I keep increasing the playlist's duration as I progress into longer runs. I’m almost up to 6 hours now, but I will need more bangers for the LA Marathon training.

I've been keeping a list of running items that I love so it's easier to re-buy them or to recommend them to friends. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2QFV2N9VEFW0Q?ref_=wl_share

I do plan to bike to work on Thursday, May 16th, but it's not really necessary.

What I plan to do to celebrate Month of Mama is just to keep up with my running program. I got a book called "Master the Marathon," and it was super-readable. The author Ali Nolan talks about how she got a job as the features editor at Runner's World magazine. She has a BA in English literature and an MFA in creative writing. It shows! I loved how reading it felt like talking with a good friend. She was very candid about her first marathon experience and what a disaster it was. Because her goal was to *prove* that she belonged at Runner's World magazine by getting a Boston-Qualifying (very fast) time. She also admitted right away that she won't be the world's foremost expert in marathoning because she has only completed two, but that she was surrounded by much more experienced runners and coaches while writing the book.

I am inspired to speak to the question: Why enter a race?

I think entering a race is a great motivation to train. On the race-day, the race course is supported so you can run without carrying water. There are clear roadways and port-a-potties. More than these logistics, it's fun to run with a big group of people. When everyone is running together, something magical happens. You can vibe with the other runners and that just makes it fun. I never came from a family of runners and I kind of found it by accident. But after my first organized race, I was hooked. I realize that it might not motivate everyone, but maybe they just don't know how magical it is.

Runcation Debrief

We had our second runcation or racecation this past weekend, if you consider our runDisney weekend the first. This trip was so relaxing. We arrived at the OC Marathon expo around the time it opened. We parked and walked through the expo about 3 times. Then our nephew (who was actually running the marathon) arrived and we walked him through bib and t-shirt pick-up. Our son actually loved the expo and had a really fun time at the fairgrounds.

$12 for parking x 2 days (expo admission free)
$97 for pre-race food (grocery store and fast food)

$60 for post-race food (food truck and in-n-out)

$5 for race-day finish-line parking

$299 for hotel 

$37 for overnight parking

$522 total (45% of the cost of the runDisney weekend)

Then we went to a couple of stores while waiting for our hotel's check in time. We picked up a few groceries but could have bought a few more. We had brought a lot of food from home, but we didn't even know if the hotel would have a fridge available. Arriving at the hotel was great, the lobby was welcoming and fancy. Parking was easy. There were luggage carts available to take our stuff to the room. The room itself was great. There was a big sliding glass door to the balcony, which overlooked a lake with a waterfall and a fountain. 

3350 Avenue of the Arts

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

2 Queen Lake View Balcony

It was super peaceful in the room. We started binging a show on Netflix. When we got bored / hungry we went out with the car and got some fast food. Using our room key, we were able to leave and come back with no issues. We watched maybe one more episode of the show while eating and then went to bed. I laid out all my running clothes before falling asleep so I could get dressed quietly in the morning. I woke up around 4am and went out to run on the marathon course while the roads were closed. 

The room had a Keurig coffee maker and we had brought our own pods. The only thing I wished we would have had were:

• half and half
• my "Tron" running vest

Other than that, I felt our packing list was complete. We used everything we brought and we didn't bring anything extra. After my early morning run, I came back to the room at 5:30am and Albert wasn't even awake yet. It was great to go and check out the prices of room service and the restaurant in the hotel and then just eat what we brought because it saved us so much money.

The expo gave us some vitamin lemonade, some sports drinks, and some energy drinks, not to mention stickers and candy. Albert wanted to go back after the race but it wasn't there anymore. I also got some awesome compression sleeves personalized with fit4mom and a running woman.

Thank you @Kia @OCMarathon @FIT4MOMhq #runclub pic.twitter.com/TeV2E42aYL

— Dr. Kayla A. Kaiser (@hamerk02) May 7, 2024

Packing List

Overnight Duffel Bag
⭐Underwear (2), clean socks (2), PJs, Regular everyday bra (2), regular clothes outfit
⭐Running outfit (shorts / top), Running belt, Running shoes, Sports bra, running socks, running undies

⭐Toiletry bags, Night bag w/ earplugs and eye mask
⭐Pull-ups (2) + wipes
⭐Stickers, bedtime books, bag of cars
⭐Three hats, Three sunglasses
⭐Park bag/purse
⭐Snacklebox: Electrolyte tablets, Salt tablets, Gu, Bloks, fruit strips, Sesame crackers

(non-insulated) Snack Bag
⭐milk, juice
⭐banana
⭐goldfish
⭐Keurig pods
⭐Honey, Starbursts candy

Insulated Cooler
⭐watermelon, grapes, blueberries, strawberries
⭐Bagels, Cream cheese
⭐Pasta (with sauce)
⭐plastic fork, knife, reusable straws

BOB stroller

Race-day Timeline

5:30am Marathon begins
6:50am elite runners pass hotel
8:50am Jack arrived @ hotel
10:45am Jack finished marathon

I'm looking forward to the second half of May. I have some big things coming up. A last trip to Disneyland. A visit from my sister and my aunt and my niece. So some major girl power.

happiness chemicals

I don't have much to say except I'm sick right now. I got caught up grading my CHEM 101L, but I'm still far behind on CHEM 422L. I have 3.5 weeks until my sister arrives, so I'm praying I feel better soon to get back on the ball and rock out the rest of the grades.

I saw this cute graphic on #chemtwitter, and it made me think of my run club.

• Serotonin
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2010/10/selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors.html
• Dopamine
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2016/09/a-bargain-is-not-always-bargain.html
• Endorphin (endogenous morphine)
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2017/01/opioids.html
• Oxytocin
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-best-drugs.html

Fit4Mom encourages all these things: sun exposure, exercise, meditation, self-care, celebrating small-wins, eating well-balanced meals, giving compliements, volunteering and giving back and laughing out loud. No wonder it's so addictive. 

In an updated graphic from this blog post I can see that run club has brought my weight down a bit, but hopefully it will keep trending that way.

• Mashup Mom Meal Plans (Nov 2020 - Jul 2021) + Body Well
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2020/12/mashup-mom-to-rescue.html
• Commit to be Fit (HIIT) + MyFitnessPal (macros) + Eat to be Fit
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2019/04/fertility-part-8.html
• The Obesity Paradox
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-obesity-paradox.html
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2014/06/what-does-200-calories-look-like.html
• The opposite of happiness chemicals: Cortisol
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2014/03/cortisol.html
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2011/01/carbs-calcium-cortisol-oh-my.html
• Vitamin D
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2019/03/fertility-part-3.html
• Vitamin E
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2011/05/bathing-beauty.html

Coaching Run Club has got me thinking about diet and what meal plans have been effective for us in the past. Also, one of my students analyzed the vitamins I've been taking and it was weird to see it broken down into its constituents and made me re-think whether I need to be taking that or not.

• Women's Hormones
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2019/03/fertility-part-5.html
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2013/09/impatient-scientist.html
• Trouble sleeping?
• https://bitchonabike.blogspot.com/2018/01/insomnia-part-ii.html

It would be interesting to write about relaxin. I feel like there must be so few studies of lactating women who engage in extended breastfeeding and what effects there may be on hormone levels, and how that impacts weight gain or loss. It would be interesting to write about zyrtec and benadryl. One thing I noticed this past week is that going for a run the Sunday after taking benadryl on Saturday night as a sleep aid, I had an easier time breathing. It's possible that I have some seasonal allergies that are really aggrevated right now after all this rain, we're definitely having LOTS of spring flowers.

I don't even know what the point of this post was. 1) I feel sick. 2) I have no sick days. 3) I can't tell if my symptoms are from PMS or if I have a cold. 4) this cold medicine only works for 2 hours but my lab is 3 hours long. The theme of RunClub this week is nutrition so I've been rethinking my past successes and what made them successful. 

I just love this picture. Circa July 2011.

growing pains

 

This kid is such a string bean. I'm struggling to keep him in clothes that aren't ripped or stained. He has two pairs of regular shoes in size 12. We found a couple of pairs in size 13 at the consignment store called Children's Orchard and they are his emergency shoes that live in his backpack. He has one pair of Speedo shoes that are size 12/13 that he uses at his swim lessons and hopefully they will continue to fit. I was shopping for some kind of sandals for the summer. It would be great if he had a pair of shoes that he could more easily take on and off by himself.

I took my sewing machine in for repairs because the timing was off and I couldn't use it. I have a stack of pants with holes in the knees that I would like to repair but who has the time? The number of pants that are in his school wardrobe are rapidly dwindling but luckily it's spring and I'm starting to see that we need to transition to shorts soon anyway.

He's coming home with more "ouch" reports. One was a shovel that hit him in the eye. Just yesterday a kid bit him on the finger. I titled this post growing pains because he's either undergoing some serious brain development, muscle building or just getting taller again. He's so hungry all the time and sleeping deeper and longer than usual.

Every time he outgrows something that I really loved, I am sad. The pants he wore on Easter were Shaun White and a really nice color. At the start of the day, no holes. At the end of the day, huge rip in one knee. I can patch them up and keep them in the rotation or just accept that he probably will be too tall to wear them again next winter and the patches I might or might not sew on there more than likely will be worn by the next kiddo.

Easter went really well. Albert really enjoyed finding the hidden eggs, opening them to find the candy inside, then putting the candy back inside, then hiding the eggs again, and repeat, repeat, repeat. I had a separate set of eggs with $0.25 in each egg. I had 7 x 12 of them. Basically two rolls of quarters ($10 each) so that's 80 eggs with quarters in them. Then there were 2 with plastic tiny cupcakes inside and 2 with the quarter roll wrappings (trash). This was enough entertainment to get us through dinner without him bothering me at all. It was nice that my SIL recognized that this was the first holiday meal that Albert wasn't sitting on my lap or napping during, that he was entertained enough to leave me alone and let me eat. So that was definitely a genius idea.

I feel like I need to complete this inventory to make sure we have enough in the next size up. 4T isn't going to fit much longer! It was funny that I had a shirt for Pi day and a shirt for his birthday but I didn't have any specific outfit for Easter. Mother's day and father's day are covered. I sent him to school today in a football shirt, which I had planned on him wearing for Superbowl Sunday, but we didn't go to any football parties this year. And it only just now really fits him. It was too big during "football season" aka fall of 2023.

Clothing Item Type	3T	4T	5T
pants / jeans	12	12	5
pants / sweats	5	x	x
outerwear	19	12	2
long-sleeve T	19	8	8
shorts	9	10	5
t-shirts	37	34	18
tank tops	2	4	0
PJs	3	15