Halloween...check. Is it Christmas yet?!

As of today I have five more lbs to go before hitting my goal. I only made it halfway and yesterday was my deadline. :(

I did finally call the Y today so I can really get started working out. It's time to pull out the stops (note: I didn't say all the stops...yet). We did have a family membership at the YMCA last year and I didn't renew it for several reasons. Ready for the rant?

1. When I took Lucy to swimming lessons at 6 months old, there was nowhere in the family private locker rooms for me to set her while I get dressed or to dress her with. I found this to be rather unsafe. No changing table, no regular table, nothing. It was pretty unclear to me how I was supposed to change out of a wet swimming suit into clothes and socks and shoes while holding a wet infant. I called to speak with whoever was in charge to talk about this (and the fact that our swimming instructor didn't acknowledge us and "swimming lessons" was actually just open swim with our babies with a girl standing there waiting to blow her whistle after half hour and tell us to leave). I was very unhappy. This was really the start of my calling-to-complain-about-things kick.


2. After asking for my suggestions and promising something would be put in the dressing rooms, nothing was done. (As of about a year ago, anyway. If anyone knows different now, please let me know.)


3. When I went to workout on my own, half of the time (I do admit it was only half) the daycare babysitters who were high school girls also did not acknowledge Lucy or me when I walked in. They acted as if I was supposed to set her on the floor and walk away. I spent most of my workouts feeling guilty as the last image in my head was Lucy's entire body thrown against the glass window crying and screaming "Mommy!" as I walked away.


4. I had to actually pay extra to use the daycare on top of our monthly fee.


5. The facility is actually rather old and did not seem to me to be worth the $50/month on top of the reasons listed above.


6. Tony wouldn't use it anyway. There weren't enough meatheads to hang out with :).

So here I am at a crossroads again. I would join a different gym but there aren't any other ones with a daycare or a pool. Now that winter is upon us I have to do something. Do I just suck it up and join again or do I call to see if anything was ever changed since I last went? I just don't know.

Two friends of mine in town, though, have asked if I belong so we can work out together and I definitely do need that. I also decided we could make room for that extra $50 in our budget once we get a certain somebody potty trained.... Don't get me started on that.

On a lighter note, we had a great "Halloweekend" (a'la Target marketing). We had two parties, one with the kids and one without. Miss Lu really enjoyed trick-or-treating this year and got the hang of it after about two houses. I had a good time walking house to house with friends Emily and Dawn with their little ones. The girls were both going to be green faced witches but between Lucy's snot rubbing and Clara's nuzzling, it just wasn't working out. We had green paint everywhere but their faces so we went with plan B. Lucy was still a witch who wouldn't wear a hat, so more of a girl in striped leggings with a black dress and pigtails, and for Clara, the Princess Leia costume made an encore appearance. I really do think we should just buy another one and the girls should both be Princess Leia every year...forever. It's like the trump card costume. I am yet to find anything as cute. OTHER than the adorable garden gnome costumes at Target. Did anyone see those? I wanted Lucy to be the girl one and Jonas to be the boy, but Jonas was pretty set on Bob the Builder and I thought without a boy gnome, Lucy's gnome costume by itself might not make much sense.

This morning I made a physical list, finally, of all of the sewing projects I want to accomplish. In no particular order I want to start and/or finish

• Clara's crib bumper (CHECK! I just dotted my i's and crossed my t's finally)


• Paint and hang the wooden letters spelling C-L-A-R-A for Clara's room (paint is drying currently!)


• A new swing cover for Clara's baby swing


• Ruffle and bow pillow (spoiler alert) for Amanda for Christmas


• Find cheap frames (will share details later)


• Rocking chair pad for Lucy's rocking chair (which is done being painted!)


• Shabby Chic Christmas stockings!!


• Shabby Chic tree skirt...to put around a fake tree for the girls' ornaments...both of which are yet to be bought


• Boy gifts for all the baby boys who have been born this year


• My ultimate ruffle-inspired project, though, is this Urban Outfitters duvet cover I've been drooling over for months. I decided I will make it for when Clara gets a "big girl bed"

(Anyone else as obsessed as me?? This duvet cover is just so great.)

I have my work cut out for me. I have a lot of things I'd like to get done and I already have a hard enough time just keeping up with my regular things around the house like cleaning, laundry, dishes... (I can't believe I talk about such things on a regular basis. Who am I? A mom? What??)

I am holding off a bit to start Christmas decorating, but it's hard. Today is November 1st and I am ready to crank my Christmas music!! Considering the weather is still beautiful, I think I will save it for the day it gets cold and dark outside, as in later this week, most likely :). Yay, Christmas. I get giddy just thinking about it. Deep breaths.

I am going to burn off my energy by cleaning and trying to refrain from eating anymore Halloween candy!