Sex in My City

Yes, I saw it on opening day. Yes, I loved it. I loved it because it was 2.5 simple hours of re-visiting the girls, and fulfilling the dream of every fan of any show that's ever gone off the air. Where are they now? What are they doing? Has their life moved on, or are they still wandering around NYC without finding the thing that fulfills them?

Would the movie have been able to stand on its own were there not hundred of thousands (dare I say millions) of fans who are already invested in the 10 years of the evolution of these women's lives? Probably not, but its target audience is the aforementioned. This movie is a luscious escape at its best, still full of great one-liners from the crude to the cerebral.

Yes, it has a certain cheese factor. Yes, there were parts that were extremely silly. Yes, the clothes and hotels and apartments are not attainable or practical for the vast majority of the population. Did that make me enjoy it any less? Absolutely not! Without spoiling anything, here are some of my thoughts:

I love where they took Carrie and Big because he, for once, was not the bad guy. I love that the focus was back on the four-some and there were no superfluous Jennifer Hudson characters to be a horrible time suck.

Miranda and Charlotte have a frank conversation about motherhood, which just shows how in-tune with their audience the writers are. They know that a lot of the people who've followed this show forever are most likely moms by now, and they didn't try to paint the picture perfect Park Avenue Princess mother; her guilt-laden emotions certainly resonated with me and, from the sighs and grunts of agreement, with most of the women around me.

I know that several reviewers have been pretty hard on the movie, but I liked this review of the reviewers. What's wrong with a little fluff? It's not as if the whole movie is fluff. There were certainly the trademark scenes where relationship issues are openly discusses and the tough issues are hit head-on.

I felt like the first scenes of both movies felt a little bit stiff, but it's hard because they're not in those roles week after week so they aren't as second-nature to them. I would obviously love to see the show come back, even if it was just a special summer season, but I know that won't happen.

For the time being, I'm more than happy to plunk down my $12 and re-visit the dream-world of fashion and feistiness to which I'll forever be indebted for getting me through a short stint of bed-rest when I was pregnant with H. Between SATC, The Sopranos and Gilmore Girls, three shows I'd never before seen but whose boxed sets were available, I breezed through what would have been a very long and boring 12 days.

And, yes, I'll be purchasing this installment as soon as it's available; with all the special features I can handle.

Hot To Trot

Today was a super hot run! We ran as a team in 99 degree weather with I don't know what percentage of humidity. For 5.15 glorious miles we sucked in what air we could and sweat profusely, but at the end we were done. And we'd all done it together.

The race is coming up quickly, and I feel pretty prepared. I'm certainly nervous, but the course is out now, and we've run every bit of it in training, so there are no surprises. Tonight's run was rough also because I came off of a very good week. Last week, I ran both runs without stopping to walk, which felt amazing. The weekend long run was over eleven miles and it was hilly, hilly, hilly. After we'd completed it, we were told that if we could complete that run, we were golden for race day.

This evening when I felt the sun baring down on me, I started to worry; what if it's like this on race day? Although I know that it will most likely not be 99 degrees by the time I finish (hopefully before 11am), it could very well be quite uncomfortable. Runs like tonight serve only to help me not be as concerned about the effects of weather on my performance. Thanks to an incredibly unpredictable New England Spring, we've run in every weather condition from sleet and snow to insufferable heat.

I'm getting closer and closer to that thirty pound mark, and after spending the last few days hitching up my shorts, I think it's time to break down and buy a couple, since I don't see altering my current shorts happening anytime soon.

A friend from high school started a team for the Portland Marathon in October. While I won't be training for the full marathon, J has become inspired and just might. I'll be doing the 10k at the least, and the half at the most. I'm excited to have events that I'm committed to at least through the fall so that I can be motivated to continue training.

Losing this initial weight and getting into shape is making me feel more confident about presenting myself to new people when we move. This whole process of 'dating' other moms is hard work! Almost as much as getting ready for your annual exam.

With a 'four and three-quarters' year-old who's starting to express his anxiety about making new friends, I've got to be ready to hit the ground running (literally, probably!) in order to make connections. J rolled his eyes about this idea, but I'm doing it anyway; I asked the realtor for some of our new neighbors' stats and will be sending them a letter 'from H' letting them know that we're coming to town; as luck would have it, the neighbors across the street have four boys ranging in age from three to twelve. I'm all about letting my freak flag fly.

Tomorrow will be crazy busy, but I get to cap it off with...that's right: Sex and the City 2 comes out tomorrow! I'll be in the theater with a smile on my face, will you?

The photo is of me after the 11 mile run. I was SO proud of myself! We ran at just over 12 minute miles for the whole time...and no, that's not a WWF championship belt, or a really big rodeo buckle, just turned the camelbak around before they took the picture!

DIY Popcicles

Yesterday, while we were riding in the car, H had brought with him the latest Land Of Nod catalogue for his perusal. He's been having a great time looking at all the kids' magazines to make his ever-growing birthday wish list, and to pick out all the things we'll have in our new house. After several reinforcements of 'you aren't going to get everything you ask for', I've decided to just let his imagination run wild.

Today, he added 'popcicle machine' to his list. Once I saw what he was talking about; the plastic molds for popcicles, I told him we could actually get those that day. As an alternative to traditional dessert, I've been giving the kids frozen Horizon Organics Yogurt Tubers or Del Monte Fruit Chiller tubes, and they love them. I realized that this would give me a great way to use the frozen strawberries that I have in abundance since I accidentally ordered 6 cartons of strawberries instead of 2 the last time we had Roche Bros. deliver.

A quick trip to Target and we had a set of four popcicle molds, which H quickly identified as being enough for our family, 'but not enough for Granny and Papa', so we may be getting more if this is successful.

I found a recipe that calls only for three ingredients and we got out the blender. Within ten minutes we had four fruit pops in the freezer, pictures uploaded and blog post complete. We even had extra so that the kids got a smoothie with their dinner.

Frozen Fruit Bars (makes 4):

1/2-3/4 c. strawberries

3/4 c. skim-1% milk

Sugar (to taste...I used almost a tablespoon, but you don't have to use any at all)

Pour into molds and freeze overnight; enjoy!

It's the Climb

I know that I have been quite remiss in my posting, but the last month brought with it so many deadlines, details and deeds to be done. Family and friends came out for a visit, so I let the tour-guiding and hostessing commence.

I've been run, run, running except now it's not just to the grocery store. Over the last 3 months, I've logged almost 170 miles, according to my training tracker on dailymile.com and I'm starting to feel the aches in my joints as they protest such a large woman punishing her body like that. But in return, my body has been shedding weight and I'm now just shy of the 30 pound mark.

Despite that loss, when I look in the mirror I still feel frustrated because I have so much further to go, but then I take a step back at moments like Wednesday evening when I sprinted up the block to finish a 7.28 mile run, of which I didn't walk a step! In an hour and thirty-two minutes (less than the time it takes to loaf on the couch and watch a movie) I burned almost an entire day's worth of calories, and to date, I've lost over 10% of my former body weight. Now, it's time to focus on the next ten.

While I was feeling flustered, I also paused and thought how I would feel if one of my friends had told me they'd lost 30 pounds in three months. That's a huge amount of weight and I'm so much more comfortable in my skin because of it. But, more than the weight, I feel so much more fit. I may have the aches and pains that temporarily cause me to feel like an octogenarian, but overall, I'm in the best shape I've been in in a long time...maybe even ever.

I had the realization hit me of just how important this team, and the goal I have of completing the half-marathon on June 13th is to me. With my obsession with Sex and the City firmly established, I should not have to explain the underlying sacrifice in this decision; my girlfriends are going into New York City this weekend, but I declined joining them because I have a long training run that I know I won't complete on my own at another time. Yes, my friends, that is dedication.

I've had movers and cleaners come out to give quotes and faxed back contracts, I've purchased appliances that I picked out online, while talking to the Sears employee in Walla Walla, had delivered to the house which I had not yet seen the finished interior of, and a third party met them there and installed them for me. I had a minor moment when I thought the wrong tile was used on the fireplace surround, but additional pictures taken by the realtor and emailed to me, showed me that lighting was everything. That also gave me the chance to see my gleaming new appliances properly installed and just waiting for that Thanksgiving dinner or birthday cake. Bottom line; the assessment is done, the certificate of occupancy has been issued and all that remains is some sod being laid down and the closing of the deal

I have so much to cram into the next month before we leave; overwhelming doesn't quite hit it. In an effort to keep it simple, the boys' joint birthday party (H isn't technically 5 until August, but I want him to have a party with his friends) will be a breakfast in the park, with a tower o' glazed donuts serving as the cake. I'm getting rid of everything that I don't see even remotely using in the new house, while trying to remain realistic about the things that we don't really need to replace right away. All those towels and kitsch add up so quickly!

And in the mix of it all, I have these two beautiful boys who I need to prepare for the huge life-changing event of leaving all that they know, and making a new home across the country. It's such an odd feeling to be returning to my 'home' while at the same time taking my kids from theirs. I am so excited for the next phase in our life, but I'm also terrified to leave the one we're in.

And, that's the ten minutes I have free for today!

Sonicare for Kids on Knitty Reviews

See how much H loves the new Sonicare for Kids toothbrush!