workout at BJ's

Alexander and I just got back from running a few errands (and a bonus lunchtime visit with Scott!). Our main destination was BJ's. It's been a beautiful day, so instead of carrying Alexander into the store and getting a cart inside like we normally do, I put him in this super rad car/cart that was parked in the outside corral.

This is just a picture from the internet, but it's identical to the one we used today

I'd never even noticed them at BJ's before and I've never used one anywhere else. For some reason it stuck out to me today and I just couldn't deny my son the experience of being able to drive his very own race car grocery cart!

Well, I think one time was enough. It was such a silly experience for me as the mom, the one actually doing the "driving." It might not seem like it in the picture, but this thing was SO long and ridiculous to maneuver. I didn't even a have a winter jacket on and by the end of our trip, I was so stinkin' hot from my unexpected workout! I had to apologize a million times as I passed by or turned near other shoppers because I inevitably got in their way with my boat (or car) of a cart. I even tried to explain to one person how tough it was to turn with, but they certainly were not interested in an explanation of why I was taking so long to get out of their way. Ha!

Anyway, yes, Alexander had a great time with the steering wheel for the first 10 minutes of our trip, but maybe I'll just buy a portable steering wheel that he can pretend with in a regular old grocery cart 'cause this momma ain't driving that piece of goofiness again!

Here's a "just because" picture:

This was from a couple of weeks ago. There is no good explanation for this except that this is what happens when you leave your husband, your son and a removable bra strap in one room...

hawks & chocolate

(disclaimer #1: this is from Google, not route 81)

I noticed a hawk in a tree today. I never would have imagined myself thinking that was exciting, but today I did. And I might from now on.

You see, my husband has ALWAYS noticed hawks in trees and on fences and sometimes in pretty obscure places. To be honest (and this is probably news to him), each time he's pointed them out to me I didn't much care. He points them out a lot and I can never figure out where he's looking anyway.

Well, when I was driving home on route 81 today and spotted my very own hawk perched up in a tree I was so excited that I had noticed it! And then I got thinking about how awesome marriage is. Strange segue, I know, but what this bird sighting meant to me was that my husband has been influencing my life in a way I didn't even realize. I'm sure it hasn't been a goal of his to train me to spot hawks, but all of the time I've spent in his presence while he finds them has made me aware of a small, beautiful part of life that I bet I'd be missing out on if I weren't married to the man I am.

I think I'll try harder to find the ones he's pointing to from now on.

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On a completely different note, I am addicted to chocolate. Not in the funny-saying-on-a-refrigerator-magnet kind of way, but in a real way. I sneak an inordinate amount of chocolate into my mouth every single day. I have wrappers stuffed in every crevice of my car and I even sneak wrappers into my purse so I can throw them away when I get to work so no one at home will see what I've been eating. I'm seriously addicted. And it's not funny or okay. The problem is, I don't know how to change.

Recently I've had a few conversations with people about how I know I need to totally revamp my diet, but the second no one is around, I shove chocolate into my mouth . It's disgusting.

(disclaimer #2: this is from Google, not my life)

 Taking care of the body God has given me should be a motivator. Being an attractive wife for my husband should be a motivator. Being around to raise my son should be a motivator. But obviously I'm a self-absorbed jerk who values 2 seconds of deliciousness over God, my husband and my son.

I know this is going to seem completely trivial to a lot people, especially if this isn't a struggle you have, but I would love it if you could give me some (helpful, and hopefully kind) thoughts. Have you ever overcome an addiction? What did you do? How did you attack it? What worked, what didn't? What was the hardest thing about it?

I need to make this change. There's too much to lose if I don't.