ShannonAlbert.com - June 2009

With all of the work craziness, I realized I had gained a lot of weight over the last 6 months and needed to change some things. About a month ago, we started working out again and I've decided to follow the Couch to 5K running program. Most of you know that I have had asthma my whole life but last fall discovered that I could actually RUN (or at least jog). This program has been really good for me because it increases gradually and I'm amazed that I can even do it. I'm currently on week 4 and have done 2 days of that. Week 4 is very hard for me so I'm going to repeat it again next week to make it a wee bit easier before continuing to week 5. The thought that I could run a 5k is mind boggling. I keep saying that it's like telling an amputee that they have limbs now....when you've lived your whole life one way and then it changes drastically, it takes a while to get used to but I'm not taking it for granted and hope to train to get better and better.

Along with the exercise, I've also been doing Weight Watchers Online. The thought of going to meetings didn't really appeal to me but the site has been great. Their online tools and info are right up my alley. I've already lost some weight after using it for just a short time and I really like it.

Incidentally, the running/Weight Watchers combo is what Kami started doing about 3 years ago and she's really stuck with it and looks great and continues to take part in various lengths of runs. She was originally inspired by my weight loss to get started and now I'm inspired right back!

At the YMCA where we workout a few days a week...

Me: "Is the running track here 1/8 mile?"
Girl at front desk: "I have no idea but I do know that 9 laps makes a mile."

With work slowing down finally and the dreadfully long winter going away, I'm finally ready to post to the blog again. Here's what we've been up to...

Andy
Keeping busy with work and getting ready to transfer to a new work location across town next week. He's been looking into getting one of the fancy RC airplanes and earlier this year, he mentioned that he was going to take advantage of the flight lessons that Cessna will partially pay for. He's also recently been helping Payton with her tennis practice and trying to workout more.

Me
A few months ago, this happened to my car:


Blake and I were on our way to his daycare when I slid on ice right through a stop sign into oncoming traffic. I had some minor neck issues that lasted a few days and the car was totaled. We're buying Andy's dad's 2nd car that he had to take the place of my car.

Work has been good but intense. I hired a new guy which has helped take some of the burden off of me. I'll probably be hiring somebody else w/in the next few months to help even more.

I continue to plan trips for us and we'll make it to Colorado later this month (Casey, be ready for us!), Mexico in July for our 10th anniversary and back to Disney World in September.

Payton
Friends, friends, friends. She's always doing something with friends whether it's walking to the movie theater to meet for a movie, taking a walk or having sleepovers, the friends are pretty much what she does. She's also continuing to do quite well in school and will be put in some advanced placement classes next year in the 8th grade.

I've signed Payton up for several things this summer (with her approval of course) including tennis lessons. Since she's a teenager now, she's in the category with all teenagers including 18 year olds which has Andy kind of nervous. Andy and Payton play tennis a few days a week to practice before her lessons begin in June.

The only way to capture Payton on film - from far away when she's not looking.


Blake
Blake has changed the most of anybody in our house recently. Not only has he grown 2 shoe sizes, 1 clothing size and lost 2 teeth but he's also grown increasingly independent. He learned to ride his bike recently without training wheels (2 weeks ago he was on training wheels and now he's so good, we're going to take him on bike rides through the neighborhood). He's also signed up for baseball this summer (on the same team as Mia) and we've been practicing with him a few days a week. He's a good hitter, a fast runner and is doing better on catching the ball.

Blake's also finishing up kindergarten and just had his music program yesterday. The nerdy boy who has an easy time in school is a HUGE fan of his music class. When we were buying some clothes for summer, his only request was that he have a shirt that says "I love music."

Blake at his kindergarten music program (he was very serious!)...


A random recent pic - notice the two bottom teeth. The permanent ones are half way in.


We have other things going on that I'll post about soon but this should get us caught up from last time!

Andy: "Blake, how would a frog feel if you touched it?"
Blake: "Scared."

Payton's taking a broadcasting class and wanted to setup the camera on a tripod and ask me some questions.

At work, we have a foosball table, a pool table, beer every Friday afternoon, unlimited pop, unlimited M&Ms, the ability to take 2 hours of personal time as needed, the week off between Christmas and New Year's and we were just chosen as a "Best Place to Work" by the Wichita Business Journal. The environment is fun, the people are smart and talented but...it's the hardest I've ever worked in my life.

My days are jam-packed w/projects and deadlines and meetings (longest so far was an 8 hour conference call but 4-5 hours is more typical) and the work day typically consists of a fairly typical 8:30-5:30 schedule but after having some dinner and playing a little Wii, I'm back to work at home using my laptop. Weekends are also spent working (last night until midnight and now several hours today, for example). I've had very little time w/Andy and the kids, no time to spend w/friends and family and also no time to update my blog. Burn out potential is very high but I'm holding on tightly because it will be better soon. I was given the go-ahead to hire somebody w/the ad going up on Monday and the project that takes a bulk of my time will be calming down a lot in a few weeks.

I'm going to try to get back to updating when I can and I've added a Twitter to the left margin which allows me to text short blurbs which will show up automatically. Look for more updates soon.

Hello blog readers!

Haven't finished the trip reports for Disney World, New York or South Carolina but hope to at some point in the near future. Back to work and it pretty much kicks my rear everyday and doesn't leave a huge amount of time for things like eating let alone blogging. Here's what's going on w/us right now....

Blake - discovered the world of Webkinz and also continues to be Wii-obsessed. Just learned how to play Blokus today. He stays very busy between those things and I use them to get him to accomplish some things around the house.

Payton - turns 13 in a few weeks so we're planning what she'll be doing for her party. She seems to have mentally turned 13 already and has the attitude on occasion to show for it. Just contrary for the sake of being contrary sometimes. That's her job right now.

Andy - hard to know what he's up to as he pretty much just watches sports lately and is reading a book by Charles Barkley. He vows to work on obtaining his pilot's license this year.

Me - work, work, work. 5 people were recently let go at work and 2 of them worked in my area which means a temporary surge in work activity on top of an already heavy workload. My resolution for this year is to read at least a book a month. First books will be The Color Purple and The World is Flat.