This week so far...

So John is out of town, living it up in a nice villa just outside the DisneyWorld Park (SO JEALOUS!!!) but he made it safe and sound. In the meantime, I am left to my own to hold the fort down, which isn't too bad, except when yesterday, I had a neighbor come to my door to tell me that Ben was standing on a second story ledge outside his window because he "was trying to escape" since I sent him to his room for talking sassy to me at dinner.

I actually wasn't too surprised because it wasn't the first time we caught him trying to scale out his window because he said he was running away (I swear we are good parents, and usually send him to his room to have a time out) but the way he says it, makes me feel horrible. Anyway, so by the time I made it up to his room and tried unsuccessfully to pull him back through the window, I had an audience from my neighbors, and had one gentlemen offer to help. So he came up, and preceded to climb through the window himself to help hoist Ben back up to me (the ledge is much farther below the window than any of us thought, so it's not a good escape route in a fire) Anyway, I'm glad that guy didn't break his neck, but as soon as Ben was safe back in his room, I thought I just might break his neck!

Anyway, I love my little Ben, but he tends to think he is so much older than he is, in fact when other older kids come around, I seriously see him puff up his chest and he starts using the word "dude" every time he tries to talk to them....it's so funny! He is also convinced that if I would just let him try, he could drive the car.

He also already has his first crush on a girl at school and he tells me that he loves her and wants to marry her. When I asked him if she knew, he said no-way because it was a secret and that after his mission, he will tell her (so cute). This kid also worries too much about the future. He always asks me stuff like: "Mom, how old do I have to be until I can go to Space Camp? or how old do I have to be until I can get married? when do I have to get a job like daddy? When will I get to drive a car? When I have kids, will I get to make the rules? etc... Stop growing Ben, and just have fun right now! Don't worry about the future and stop thinking that you can do it on your own. There will be plenty of time to worry about these things(and times when you wish life weren't so complicated). Have fun, follow the rules, and yes, someday, you will get to make your own rules to torture your own kids with, but until then, just trust me Buddy....we are trying to do what is best for you because we love you!

With that said, I think I am surviving so far, but Monday won't come fast enough (that's when John gets home). But until then, I have things to keep me occupied, like Ben's Soccer practices, my Dragon Boat Racing practices and Dance classes. Sunday will hopefully be here before I know it.

Oh yeah, so after 24 weeks of Fitness Boot Camp, I have gone from this:

To This:

Just kidding...I have lost over 15 pounds, and about 18% body fat...however, I still have about 10 to 15 lbs. to go, but I am burnt out right now with my routine and the diet and just needed a break. I'm still camera shy (besides, I'm usually the only taking the pictures, so there are rarely pictures of me on here), but once I loose all the weight, I will put up a picture looking as hot as Heather Graham above (but with more clothes on of course). :)

Anyway, so I'm taking a break from Boot Camp for a while, and now my new thing is that I have joined the U.S. Navy Women's Dragon Boat Racing Team, who have also won the dragon race in Naha 5 years in a row against the Army, Air Force and Marine Women's Teams...so yeah, I'm pretty excited. The race is in in Naha, Okinawa in 10 weeks and it will be along with the local Japanese Dragon Boat Race, so it's important that we do it right to avoid embarrassment.
Here is the Women's team from last year in the race:


I'm also training (not as good as I should be) to run in the Okinawa EI Island Half Marathon in 6 weeks, and I know it's going to kill me, but I am going try anyway. I haven't been running in almost 2 weeks due to being sick and now with John out of town and my new hobby, it doesn't leave much time. So we'll see how that goes.

As for Mia, there is nothing to report about her heart, as the Cardiologist determined it is an innocent heart murmur and that after looking at it by ultrasound, that her heart looked mis-shaped because it is rotated a bit, but that everything else looks normal. So, I'm been told not to worry about it. Yeah!

Alright, well I need to go and get ready for the day. Have a great day!