Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Remember me?

I know.  I'm a bad blogger. And it's not really so much that I'm a bad blogger, it's that the past year dealt some punches that were doozies. When life throws sixteen heavy things at you, it takes some time to muddle through them.

As I am currently eating a spinach salad and watching Scandal, I'm thinking about how two years ago, I was a gym rat. I had lost 40 pounds.  And then divorce helped me gain some weight.  And then falling back in love helped me gain some too.  Because those date nights and good food, actually having someone to eat supper with, that's a lot of food. 

A couple of months ago, my sister's best friend Lori (and who used to cheer with in high school), invited Jamie and me to do Zumba at the local gym. Jamie and I trepidatiously showed up.  Thirty minutes early like we always do.  One very sweaty hour later, we were hooked. I love Zumba. I can't shout it enough. But it also made me realize how much I actually missed working out. Which is something I never thought I would say. Sure, I like being lazy and watching Netflix. But I hate missing Zumba and I hate that it's only twice a week.  I also decided to try a couple other classes and forced TJ to get a membership so we can go together and stay healthy. I also got us FitBits and found out I'm very competitive. Which helped me find out that I don't sleep well, either. 

The fun thing is, if we work out at home, Wilder copies us. He likes to "work out".  He's barely three and we're teaching him to be active.  And my sister! She used to groan about how often I was working out and how she didn't get it. But she gets it now! I have friends inviting me to do 5ks but I haven't done a 5k since the mud run and before that it had been two years. I did two miles earlier but it took me 33 minutes of walking and running. I want to be a distance runner, but I'm a better sprinter for now.

So, I'm on the fitness wagon again. And I hope you help hold me accountable. Mainly through Instagram, maybe? You can find me @agirlandmerle. Or add me on FitBit! My email is caseylee610@yahoo.com 

Here's to the rabbit food.  

Monday, February 9, 2015

Weekending

This weekend we went to the local trade days, Second Monday. Ultimately, I was looking for a dresser to refinish but we ended up just walking around and eating some yummy food. There are vendors from all over and the weather was perfect.  We hadn't been since November when we were looking for up pies and ultimately ended up with CiCi.  We passed the roasted corn vendor three times before we finally broke down and stopped to get one.  TJ also insists on getting an onion burger when we're there, even though it barely 10 in the morning.
I had mine smeared with butter and tequila lime salt.
With mustard, of course


Looking at the animals has always been one of my favorite parts of Second Monday, I remember doing it as a kid. 
There's so much to see and do and it can take you all day if you have that kind of time.  There's games, any and every type of food, clothing to buy, anything your heart desires.  While I didn't find what I was looking for, we still had a fun Saturday.  I would really love to go to Canton one of these weekends.  I can't even imagine what it would be like.

Sunday, however, Wilder and I had some sort of stomach bug and we're still recovering today.  I hope y'all had an amazing weekend!

Thursday, January 22, 2015

.Purpose.

In Hope Floats, one of my all time favorite movies, Birdie's (played by Sandra Bullock) mother, Ramona says to her, "Look at me.  My life has no real meaning or direction or purpose, and I'm happy."

I think when we, as women, become mothers, we just assume a motherly purpose because we want to raise decent, hard working, kind human beings.  Our purpose to ourselves gets pushed to the back burner or even completely off the stove.  I am one of those believers that thinks time to myself as a person greatly and positively affects my child.  Because Wilder's father's schedule has never changed in the three years he's been alive, I now can tell every time when Wilder and I need a time out from each other.  Which was hard for me to admit.  I wanted to take on everything when it came to Wilder.  I didn't leave him alone with anyone until he was almost 11 months old.  I didn't trust Clint alone with him.  I dealt with it all.  Then, it came to a point where Wilder didn't trust anyone but me.  He would flip out if I left the room.  Mother was my purpose.  But, I saw the detriment.  I had offers to have some time to myself, from Clint, my mom, friends.  It wasn't fair to me or Wilder that I wouldn't give anyone else a chance to prove themselves, or give Wilder the chance to trust anyone.

Clint supported my blogging when I started.  It was a way to get me out of Mommy-mode and just be adult Casey.  He kept Wilder so I could go to meet-ups.  Gave me time to help plan a get together last year.  My mother would offer to keep Wilder overnight, just because that's what grandparents do.  All these factors got me to loosen the reins.  To remember that Casey, pre-motherhood, was lurking under the surface somewhere in there.


Divorce, though it sucks, has given my son more opportunities to spend with my sister.  She, her husband and daughter are watching him Saturday so Tj and I can go out.  It will be the first time they've watched him.  That might sound mean but really, it's just that I know sometimes he's crazy and he's doing the tantrum thing now and I don't want to put that on anyone.  Integrating a new man was a smoother transition than I expected as well.  He and Tj get along swimmingly, which has allowed me to try new things, like Zumba and going wine tasting, knowing that he's in excellent care.

I turned 27 last June.  I realized that it took me 27 years to take chances and say yes to new experiences.  To realize that I don't have to cut myself down to having one friend in case no one likes me, that I can have a community of multifaceted women I can call my friends.  If I get invited to try a new restaurant, I'm doing it.  Renovating a kitchen because I know I can, I'm doing it.  Raising a decent, hard working, kind human being, I'm hopefully doing it.  I don't think motherhood is my soul purpose.  I think experience is my purpose.  As many opportunities to experience whatever I can.  I think that's a good purpose.


Thursday, January 8, 2015

Girls Who Wine & Dine

On Saturday, I loaded up my sister and her best friend, Lori and we headed to Burleson to the Lost Oak Winery for the wine tasting and tour I won a couple of months ago at the Texas Women Bloggers Farm to Table event.  There we met my blogging girlies, Becky (The Java Mama), Michelle (Mind Of Meesh), Adrian (soul sister/Revelry Beauty) and Taylor (Pink Heels Pink Truck).
Becky, Me, Taylor, Adrian, Michelle, Jamie, Lori

Roxanne gave us an amazing tour, even though it was the dormant season, showed us through the 8 acres of vineyards, how they make the wine and then we got to sit down for a tasting.

I've never done a wine tasting before and I picked the best women to do it with.  We had amazing book talk, girl talk, blogging talk and just flat out laughing.  After we got our tipsy selves to Olive Garden, we continued our talking over carbs and more carbs.  Saturday is what I loved most about being a woman.  We all came together, supporting each other, hearing each others stories, bouncing ideas off each other, planning future get-togethers.  Lost Oak was so beautiful and I'm so glad they gave away tours as a prize at the dinner.  I will definitely go back.  Hopefully around harvest time.



 
Designed By Poppiness Designs