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This work by Sean A. Donahue is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Uberblog of April of 08 Part 2

As we last left our intrepid hero, he had just got to Texarkana and back on his birthday, which happened to be Easter with the kids.

Now Ryan was missing some easy putts and he was feeling not ok.  I thought this was the traditional “I miss Mommy” part of the trip.  But he was really good and excited because I promised him that we would be going to Texas Motor Speedway so he can go around a real track, like where his favorite driver Dale Jr. drives around.

But he looked puny in the morning.  REAL Puny.  So I tried to get him some breakfast to make him pick up.

No dice.  As I see my mom of the corner of my eye start into the kitchen.

“Daddy, I don’t feel g (PUKE)”

Now I turn to find the comforting glance of my Mom, but it is NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.  Then I remember that Mom is a sympathetic puker and she left to get away from the nauseous sounds of my son puking on me.

I took care of putting him down so he could rest with the puke bucket next to him.

I tried to give him medication but the poor boy couldn’t keep any of it down.  I really felt like that the week was going to be totally ruined until he suddenly came out of the room 8 hours later and even felt like taking a picture with my brother.

But then the next day we were off, as I promised to Texas Motor Speedway.

Ryan was wearing his Dale Jr shirt and Shelby wanted to remind me that she was pinch proof.  Now we weren’t able to go on the track because the Fox people were setting up Gopher Cam (which is stupid BTW) and they were not even on the track at all, but the security morons said no.
Ryan was so pumped when I showed him this particular pit stall.  Because “Dale Jr. may have pitted here.” He got excited and tried to go over the wall but he wasn’t big enough he told me.  “If I grow up I could do this Daddy.”

You’ll grow up Ryan, I know you will.

NEXT I bought the traditional overpriced souvneirs for them and headed back to the house.  I bought all the grandkids that Mom was watching Happy Meals and we went outside to run around  (more them run and me watch)

Then I knew Ryan felt 100% better when he started pulling out the bunny ears.

But then what happens to the one who pulls it out?

The next day we went to the C.R. Smith museum where the kids got to fly a flight simulator.

Ryan enjoyed the ability to fly and he told me that if he couldn’t be a racecar driver that maybe he could be a pilot.

Shelby enjoyed going up and down the Flaghip Knoxville

and we even saw the brick that Dad bought for Tara.

The next day I had planned to taking the kids to the Ft. Worth Musuem but it was closed for renovations.  So no IMAX movie, no planetarium.  I was disappointed.  But Shelby and I played some cards and we went to the bookstore after my eye appointment to get the kids books.  Shelby was determined to get more science and Nancy Drew books.  I am so blessed to have such two young bright and determined kids.

So I was determined to make the last couple of days powerful.  I got the kids up early so we could go on a train ride, but not any train.

So we took a ride on the vintage railroad and Ryan was soooo happy.  Shelby and I laughed as Ryan was super excited.

Shelby wanted to ride the pedal cars and the kids had alot of fun.

Now when we got back from Thomas Dad had gotten back from the doctor.  This was the big exam. It was the test where Dad would find out if he was going to have to be on the IV Antibiotics for another two months.

Dad came back…

and his IV port was GONE!

YEAH!

So Dad only has to take Antibiotics by pills.

Very good news.

I could tell my Dad was on the way back to recovery when I took these two pictures:

 
Before I left with the kids the next day to drive them to Little Rock. The kids and I were getting on the scale to see how much they weighed and they convinced me to get on the scale. (Something that I would rather not do at all.)

Shelby was a bit heavy in my mind and she wanted me to lose weight, “cause Daddy, I know you give good bear hugs but you are toooooo big!”

So I made her a deal, for every pound she lost I’d lose two.  Shelby agreed and as I put them to bed Mom talked to me on how I needed to lose weight so I could walk her down the aisle.

I kinda poo pooed her and went to bed.

As I drove the next day to Little Rock, Shelby was serious about our deal.  So I promised her that I would try my best.

Driving back from Little Rock I found little things that amused me, like

Which begged the question was the team mascot the Hookers?

and my favorite sign of Rednecks in Arkansas…

Ironically, they were from Texas.

So I had totally forgotten about the whole weight loss thing by the time I had gotten home.

Mom, however did not.

“I’ve tried nagging, didn’t work.  I’ve tried asking, didn’t work. So I am going to come to your level. I’m going to make a bet with you.  You have to lose 43 pounds by the time I lose 50 pounds.  If I do you get ($ figure that impressed me)  If you lose you owe me $100.”

So I was getting good odds on my money, but I didn’t think I could do it.

“Portion control is your demon, beat it and claim the money”

So last week I started at 243.5 lbs on my goal to 200 pounds.  I stopped drinking soda and replaced it with water.  I replaced salads (and to those of you who laughed when anyone asked me if I wanted a salad and I replied “Do I look like a rabbit?” I’m eating them, reluctantly).  I’m eating breakfast for the first time since high school and as of this morning I weighed in at 235.5 pounds.

BOOOOOOOOOM!

I’ve got to keep up the hard work and I feel your pain GCox when you say everything looks good.

What could be better?

Well I jogged/walked my second 5k in under a month. I am serious about trying to beat my 5k time every time I do one.  I did this one (non alcohol enhanced time of ) 43:20.  So the goal is to beat that and to run in another organized run in April.

Yup, at least once a month.

I think I may need running shoes.

So to sum up:

I’ve started a diet.  I saw my kids come and go, and I went to a convention and LOVED it. I ran in two 5K’s one Alcohol inhibited and one not.  I improved my time (by over 4 mins) and I am going to run another one soon. I’m getting glasses and I just may have started my mid life crisis.