What I learned this weekend and Michael Phelps.

This weekend, my husband and I spent the night away from the kids. It is the first time since I had my son almost 3 years ago that we have had a total kidless night. It taught me a good deal about aging, but I will get to that in a minute.
After the plumbing drama we had this week, we needed time to decompress. Thursday and Friday was so stressful. Our yard has been put back together for the most part. We are trying to grow grass where it was dug up. That is the last piece left. Once it comes in, the only reminder we will have is what is left to pay on the plumbing bill.
Jon and I left the house about 2p on Saturday. Jon's mom stayed with the kids. She is great with them, and they love her. We went shopping which was nice, but I started to stress more and more about the kids, particularly Maggie, my 10 month old. Let me tell you a little bit about her to explain why leaving her was so stressful. Maggie started walking at 8.5 months old. She tries running now at 10 months. She climbs everything she can find and has no fear what so ever. She scares me because she does what she wants and goes where she wants. My son always listened even at an early age, and he was much less adventurous. I just kept thinking about her getting away from my mother-in-law and climbing the stairs and falling. That thought stressed me out a good deal for the night. I knew, though, once it was 7:30pish that the kids would be getting ready for bed so I could relax a bit, and I did.
We went to dinner at 7p. I ate way too much and got sick. I enjoyed the beer we had and the margarita, but not like I did 10 years ago. We also went out to a bar for a little bit at 9:30p. It was fun, but I felt too old to be there just hanging out. It was nice to be away, but I missed my kids.
So what did I learn from our Saturday night away?
1. My stomach is used to small meals now. Bonus for me with living a healthier life, but minus on trying to load up on the one weekend I want to enjoy.
2. Alcohol is no longer my friend and honestly, I don't really want it that much any way. I am truly ready to embrace a healthy life. The occasional beer is fine, but in excess, I don't really care for it.
3. I like being a mom. I am not enjoying the stupid Mickey Mouse Club video I am watching right now, but I enjoy being with my kids. They are a lot of work, but very amusing, and I genuinely like them.
4. Maybe I don't want to be young again. I just want to look young. I think that is the key. Or if I want to be young, it is with the experience and wisdom I have picked up over the last 10 years that way. I wouldn't drink like I did back when I was younger nor would I smoke at all. (I smoked for 4 years until I was 23.) I would also take better care of my body.
5. The best Monte Cristo is made at the Cheesecake Factory, and for all of you health people, I only ate half of it!
The night was good, but I am glad to be home and in my regular routine. I hope that this a better week.

Congrats to Michael Phelps. He is an amazing swimmer, but seriously, I wish his sisters or his publicist would make him do something about his eyebrows and teeth. Ok, he has a ton of money so he can afford it. I don't get working that hard to win medals and then not caring that your eyebrows look like caterpillars above your eyes and that your teeth are all crooked. Dude, spend some money on your appearance. You have a wonderful physique and could look a lot better in general. It will cost you a small part of what you make each year. It is worth it!

I am off to my routine in a minute. I don't feel like running tonight, but still want to walk at least. I need some time out of this house. Last week was a terrible week and that may have been why the time away wasn't as ideal. Jon and I really needed time to decompress and not try to party, I think.

Speaking of running, I was thinking earlier if I had to do it all over again, maybe I would be a distance runner. Are there any 40 year old distance runners in the Olympics? I wonder if Kyle Bush digs runners. He seems to prefer brunettes so that is a strike against me.