worst weekend ever

i've been such a slacker over the last couple of weeks with the blog posts!  man...i've been so busy trying to get ready for that christmas boutique (which is over now, by the way, and i'll recap it a little later).  and last week - oh, last week was such a mess.

so the bean had her second cheer competition last weekend up in bakersfield, which is about 2.5 hours away from home.  she'd been feeling a little under the weather with a weird stomach bug earlier in the week that came out of nowhere and made her barf, which is unusual for her.  she's never been a barfy kid, and i can count on one hand the number of times she's thrown up in her whole life.  but by friday, she seemed to be back to normal and we hopped into the car after school and made our way up to the bakersfield marriott.

after we checked in, we decided to head out for some dinner and found this place via yelp:

and that's where things started to go south.  as we sat at our table, laughing and chatting away, i started feeling off.  exhaustion hit me like a ton of bricks, and when the food came i just wasn't in the mood to eat any of it.  and as you know, that's very unlike me.

before we went back to the hotel, we made a stop at cvs to pick up some pepto for the bean, who was still feeling a little unsettled.  i was really feeling like crap by then and sat in the car while the two of them went inside and loaded up on meds and snacks and water.  and when they got back and we started to make our way out of the parking lot, i knew things were about to go down and i asked the hub to stop the car so i could get out.  i opened the door and sat there for about five seconds and then realized that it was coming...so i jumped out of the car and barfed all over the parking lot.  lovely.

i thought i was feeling better, and made it all the way back to the hotel where the hub dropped us off at the door before finding a parking spot.  the bean and i headed into the elevator, and as we got out and started walking down the hall i felt that awful feeling again, and i pretty much shoved my poor kid out of the way as i ran into our room and got up close and personal with the toilet.  it was just horrible, and i was aching from head to toe.  the bean, that poor thing, sat on the bed with wide eyes waiting for me to come back out, asking me if i was okay, telling me how sorry she was that i was feeling so sick.

the hub came into the room then, armed with the bag of medication and bottles of water, and after making sure that we were okay decided to head downstairs to grab a drink and enjoy a cigar after the long drive up.  and while he was gone - well, let's just say that my body wasn't quite through yet,  ugh.

he was gone for a couple of hours and when he finally came back it turned out that his quiet time downstairs hadn't exactly gone as planned.  most of his time was spent in the restroom, as he somehow got hit with the same thing that plagued me.  we went to bed and tried our hardest to get some sleep, but neither of us really slept much that night.

the next morning, i felt like i'd been run over by a semi.  the hub was feeling just as terrible, and it was all i could do to pull myself together enough to do the bean's hair and makeup and help her get dressed and ready for competition.  i walked her down to meet up with her team, and with a few hours between their call time and her first performance i sent her off with one of the team moms to join the rest of the girls while i headed back upstairs in an effort to try and get some rest.

unfortunately for us, we were so wiped out by this thing that we both ended up missing the entire competition.  my mom bestie tried her hardest to go live on instagram when it was time for her to perform with both teams, but the reception was terrible in the arena and i sat there in bed crying miserably at having missed my kid perform in a competition for the first time.  it sucked.

we stayed in bed trying to gather up enough strength to get packed up and outta there, lingering in the room so long that housekeeping was trying to get in to clean the room for the next occupants. it was a good two hours past checkout time before we finally got out of the room, apologizing to the desk staff and explaining why we hadn't left when we were supposed to.  they were sympathetic and sent up a staffer with a cart to help us bring our bags down, and we circled the arena a couple of times looking for a spot to park and wait for the bean to come out.  and when she finally did, i got out of the car to thank the coaches and my friend for keeping an eye on her for us.  but the bright side:  the bean's team took first place in the competition!  yay!

i felt terrible that the hub drove us all the way home feeling as terrible as he did.  i tried to get him to let me drive even part of the way, but he waved me off, saying that we were both feeling awful and it didn't matter which one of us did the driving.  and i tried my hardest to stay awake, but i was sitting in the back so that i could help the bean take her hairpiece out and clean off her makeup and when she passed out cold, so did i.  we were all grateful when we finally pulled up at home, where the old lady, her special friend and stevie the dog were waiting for us.  they'd taken care of molly for us while we were gone, and made a quick exit not long afterwards.  the old lady had also been hit by this stomach bug earlier in the week, and for some reason even molly had barfed a couple of times.

we're all back to normal now, thank god.  but all i can say is BEWARE.  this crap comes out of nowhere and hits HARD.  i wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.  bleh.

post-birthday week wrap-up

with all of the birthday princess hoopla over and done with for 2017, i somehow managed to get smacked in the face with my annual late-summer cold.  fun.  it started off with a sore throat and worked its way into a full-blown head cold that had me tired and miserable and cranky as hell.  and since i was right in the middle of the 20-in-30 class challenge at xtend barre, i was extra annoyed at the timing.  i'd been right on track to finish strong, but ended up having to skip a bunch of classes and it looks like i'll only get to hit 17 by the end of the month.  it's the first time i've not managed to complete a challenge since i started classes there four years ago, which really pisses me off.  ugh.

with the regular doses of emergen-C, dayquil, nyquil, sudafed and mucinex all failing to help me kick that cold's ass, i turned to starbucks and their secret menu "medicine ball" for help.  the barista who made it for me used two bags of mint tea, added a shot of peppermint syrup and a packet of honey, and along with the half water/half steamed lemonade (which sounds gross, i know, but it wasn't, i swear) it really did help me feel better.  the sore throat went away and it was comforting and soothing as i sipped on it.

and then i met up with a handful of mom friends from school for a fun friday morning brunch.  there were three of us who were celebrating september birthdays, and what better way to do just that than with a flight of mimosas?

our server also brought us each a stack of fluffy birthday pancakes, complete with a candle to make a wish on.

hopefully this will become an annual tradition for us.  it's always fun to hang out with these ladies.

the bean got to attend a fun pool party-slash-sleepover for her cousin.  they're just a week apart and it's fun to watch them get closer as they grow up.

with both girls gone for the night, the hub and i got to have a movie date night.  we saw "kingsman: the golden circle" and although i didn't really know what to expect, i thought it was really good.  and i mean...channing tatum. he helped me get over the fact that the shitty nachos that i love so much and always get at the movies aren't the same anymore.  they changed the crappy cheese sauce that was always the best part, and i'm so bummed:

on a happier note, i got my second-ever second place ribbon from the fair in the mail!

and the bean had picture day at school.  the old lady and i made a special trip to the mall so we could pick out an outfit for her to wear, and we were pretty stoked when she loved every bit of it:  dress, necklace, headband, socks, boots.  i confess that i totally posed her in this shot, but she looks just like a typical fashion blogger here, doesn't she??

she looks so much older here, though.  maybe let's just hold off on the growing up so dang fast, yeah?

a total emergen-c

so in the days leading up to the hollywood half marathon, i found myself cramming in one ten-mile run at the rose bowl.  i hadn't really had the time nor the motivation to train, and it showed even in that run.  it ended up being such a hot, miserable day with the temperature in the low 80s by the time i was done, and i found myself doing more walking than running.  but i wanted to get the mileage in, and so i stuck with it until it was done.

and then on wednesday, i felt it - the early warning signs of getting sick.  i was extra tired, coughing on the regular, and just plain not feeling great.  i started downing this stuff every hour on the hour in the hopes of warding off a full-blown illness:

as i usually do, i'd signed up to help at the expo the day before the race.  the old lady and i concocted a plan - she would drop me off at the train station and i'd take the metro to union station, transferring to the red line and ending up at hollywood & vine.  it was a short walk to the hollywood palladium from there, and then after my shift i'd go hang out at the hotel until she and the bean could drive out after girl scouts.  perfect.

the hub's schedule happened to work out so that he was able to be the one to drop me off at the station.  since i hadn't seen much of him that week, i was happy to have those few minutes to spend with him before heading off on the day's adventure.

it was an easy train ride, and it was fun to glide past on the tracks while a ton of other folks were sweating it out in heavy traffic on the freeway.  the entire excursion took just under an hour from beginning to end, and before i knew it i was emerging from the station below out onto hollywood boulevard.

i had timed it so that i had a chance to grab a quick breakfast first:

and then i made my way to the palladium.

the expo has been in this same spot for the last few years, so it was pretty familiar to me.  the only difference was that the "legacy lounge" for folks like me who've done this race since the inaugural run was located upstairs.

 i wasn't feeling it for the photo op this year, so i just walked right on by.

i did manage to grab my own bib before the expo opened to the public, though.  as we were getting set up and got our final instructions from the organizers, we got word that the line was already wrapped around the block.  and it was raining, so people were going to be extra grumpy.

the time went by pretty quickly, with lots of people rushing in and out of there.  i worked all the way until 3:00 and then headed across the street to the coffee bean, where i got to spend a few minutes catching up with my friend trish.  it was nice to see her and spend a little time just hanging out, and then i headed back up the street towards the w hotel, my home for the night.

i always love the blinged-out peephole on the door.

i've stayed here a few times before - it's on the pricey side, but it's a nice hotel and in the most perfect location...right at the finish line.  the room is fairly simple, but comfortable.

want a DIY bloody mary? it can be yours for only $65...

my view was a little less than fabulous.  that's okay though, i wasn't really all about sitting there, gazing out the window anyway.

i got in a bit of a nap before the hub decided to surprise me with a visit and some grub.  he brought some delicious pasta and burrata from a nearby restaurant, and stayed with me until the girls got there.  i was in bed for good by a decent hour, and all i could do was pray that i'd wake up the next morning magically feeling better and ready to run 13.1.

yeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaahhhh.

spoiler alert

i finished the race.

and now i'm full-blown sick.  bleh.

i'll recap it soon, i promise (if you care).  but for now...i'm in bed.  for, like, day 2 1/2.  bleh x 2.

how about a yay!/boo.?

you know how i've been trying for the past few years to get in on the disney social media moms' action, right?  well, yesterday morning i opened my email and found this:

i'm going to portland, you guys!  i'm super excited to attend this conference and learn something new, meet fun people and do some networking.  i may be a pretty small-time blogger compared to lots of others, but that's okay.  this is going to be fun.

but then there's this:

i feel like some real, genuine, usda-certified 100% crap.  ugh.  i hope it passes quickly.  ain't nobody got time for this.

don't take breathing for granted

this bronchitis, man. it is seriously the suck. i already went to the doctor last week and got some meds, plus this new toy.

i'm so lame, you guys. because this thing is totally foreign to me, these words actually came out: "this goes in my mouth, right?" the doc looked at me sideways and said "yes, and the pharmacist will give you specific instructions on how to use it."

so anyway, i got through the five days of the steroids that were supposed to help get my lungs back to normal and i was using that inhaler even though i didn't feel any better with it. but the coughing just wasn't subsiding at all, and i just kept feeling shittier and shittier. and so i took my happy ass back to kaiser to see a different doc and get checked out again. 

while the nurse went through the check-in routine (weight, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen), i was really surprised to find that i was down another four pounds from the last visit less than a week prior. and i'd already found that i was down three pounds during that appointment! shit man, this bronchitis is better than weight watchers for weight loss. 

before you smack me, i'm kidding. sorta. i mean, i'd definitely rather not be sidelined with this crap. but i guess i'm not really complaining about this little side benefit. heh. 

after listening to me wheeze and hack and basically suffer through his very basic examination, the doc had me go to radiology and get a chest x-ray. 

i even had difficulty holding my breath for the five seconds it took for each x-ray, but we got through it. after that was done, i got nebulized.

happily, the x-rays came back clear - no pneumonia! and so I walked out of there with two more prescriptions, plus a nighttime cough syrup and a spacer to help that inhaler be more effective.

but i am dying here, people. i haven't been able to do any kind of exercise in over a week. i feel flabby. hell, i couldn't catch my breath after climbing three measly flights of stairs. plus, the doc said i needed to give it at least another 5-10 days before trying a run again. then last night, i coughed so hard i barfed for the first time in i can't even tell you how long. ew, it was gross. and during one of my coughing fits, the teen looked over at me and said "dude, your life SUCKS." indeed.

oh man. that nike half is gonna be fuuuuuun. not. 

longest 6.2 miles of my life

so, the inaugural disneyland 10K.  when they announced it, i knew i was totally gonna register for it despite the fact that 10K is truly my most hated distance.  i don't know why, really.  it just is.

and then it got even better when i found out that the theme was going to be "alice in wonderland."  if you recall our halloween costumes from last year, you'll understand why this worked out so perfectly for me.  i mean, i already had the perfect costume hanging in my closet, just waiting to be worn.

my favorite racing buddy kelley had signed up for the same run, and she was kind enough to let me crash in their on-property hotel room for the night.  in fact, the girls joined the party too, and with kelley's husband running the 5K and li'l d and the bean registered for the kids' run, it all worked out perfectly.

as always, disney runs start before the buttcrack of dawn.  that early morning wake-up call came all too soon, and i dragged myself outta bed to get ready.  now, i'd been battling a nagging cough for several days by then, and as soon as i was upright i knew it was gonna be a rough morning.  my chest was feeling a little tight and i was having a little trouble with my breathing, but hey!  we were at disneyland for one of their awesome runs, and i was counting on some of that disney magic to work on me.

it was super dark when we arrived at the staging area.

i don't know exactly how they figured out placement for everyone in this race, but i was somehow back in E, while kelley was assigned to F.  and as we headed towards the corrals, we overheard some chatter from folks who were in G.  seems that for some unknown reason, there WAS no corral G - and all those people were just kind of stranded, hanging out wherever they could find a spot, and those last several corrals were uncharacteristically disorganized.  when the first few groups were released, the crowds started moving up, and although i'm typically a stickler for rules, kelley and i hopped over the barricades to join a faster corral.  sorry not sorry.

we passed the announcers, dressed like tweedledee and tweedledum.

then we scampered through downtown disney.

these two did most, if not all, of that 6.2-mile run holding hands.

mile marker!  i missed the first one, as i was panting and waving my way through.  the temperature was already nearing 80, with horrible humidity that was doing nothing to help my coughing/wheezing/breathing dilemma.

i didn't stop at a single character photo op.  instead, i settled for taking run-by shots so as to get closer to the finish.  i was seriously struggling, yo.

although the weather sucked, mornings at california adventure are always so pretty.

i got someone to take this for me as i stopped for a walk break.

i tried to use the sight of this sign as motivation:  "you're halfway there!  you can do this!"

as much as i try to stay positive and upbeat through most situations, it was damn near impossible for me during this race.  between my sickypoo situation, the unusual early morning heat, plus that uncomfortable humidity, i was afraid i'd have to flag down a medic or something.  i pretty much walked the entire second half of the run, and i was feeling beyond awful.  but as is typical of me, i soldiered on and found myself entering disneyland at last.

just beyond the archway was a very welcome water station.  when it comes to well-organized runs like the ones put on by disney, i don't usually worry about bringing my own water.  this time, though, i could've used some hydration well before this point.  the water was warmer than room temperature and did nothing to help cool me down, but it helped a little.

two to go!

i think this is one of the super old-school parking lot trams from back in the day.

i always enjoy catching a glimpse this kind of stuff - things you normally wouldn't get to see unless you're one of the cast members...or doing a disney run.

i wonder if this chick did the whole 10K in those flip-flops.

heading back through downtown disney towards the finish was...frustrating.  there were zero barricades set up to make a clear path for the runners, and people were everywhere.  i had to dodge a number of strollers and even one or two little kids as they wandered through, and i was really annoyed.  not cool, man.

finally!

finisher's swag.  why yes, those ARE skittles in the snack box.  how very odd.

i may be smiling in this picture, but that joy is simply due to the fact that i finished without collapsing.  i'm so sad that i was so miserable, considering the fact that run disney events are my most favorite.  but i'd definitely overdone it this time.  bah.

but hey - i earned my bling.

i'm paying for it, though.  i spent the next two days on the couch, wanting to die from the pain of it all.  and when i finally threw in the towel and went to the doctor, it turns out i'd managed to give myself asthmatic bronchitis.  i got meds and an inhaler for the first time in my whole life, and a week later i'm still struggling and about to go in for another visit.  i haven't been able to run since that day, and i've got a half in freaking san francisco to do in just over a month!  help. me.

oh, the things i do for disney medals.  send me some happy healing vibes, will ya?  i need all i can get right now.