Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Mar 7, 2011, 12:53 pm
It was inevitable. Despite all the well-meaning people (thank you!) who showed up with coloring books, sticker books, learning books, activities and books in general, Sassy has become quite addicted to the TV during her three weeks of hanging out in a full leg cast. More specifically, she is addicte...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Mar 1, 2011, 4:56 pm
In August, Big I came to me and made a request. She wanted to quit ju-jutsu so she could concentrate more on swimming. After she failed to achieve county qualifying times for a single event and after missing out on a ribbon at the novice meet too, I was a little surprised. In the past, she tried t-b...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Feb 25, 2011, 10:33 am
On the day I found out I was pregnant, one of the first thoughts that popped into my mind was coffee. How would I live without coffee to get me through the morning and the rest of the day. Sometimes, on days when I'm up really early, I need that afternoon blast to get me through evening swim practic...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Feb 23, 2011, 11:28 am
When I was out for dinner the other night, all my friends were ordering glasses of wine or beer. I had ice water. There aren't many restaurants that offer both decaf and diet beverages so I'm pretty much condemned to 9 months of water. It's not a bad thing, but putting water into a nauseous stomach ...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Feb 20, 2011, 6:18 pm
Last night was our annual "celebrate the February birthday girls" night out. It started out with a huge reservation to a hibachi restaurant, which actually went quite well, considering my three days straight of near constant nausea. I think it had something to do with the ginger dressing and sauce t...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Feb 16, 2011, 1:30 pm
In a span of 13 days, our cat died, I found out I was pregnant, and Sassy broke her tibia. Please tell the operator of this ride called life, that I would like to get off. . . NOW! Hit the emergency button. I can't take one more thing. To say that I am overwhelmed with my life would be t...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Feb 7, 2011, 9:59 pm
Last week I was feeling absolutely miserable. After Bear being put to sleep on Sunday, I spent much of the week with puffy eyes and a stomach ache. I started going to bed earlier because I was having trouble sleeping. I was super tired. I felt like my world had been turned upside down. . . again. &#...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Feb 2, 2011, 10:37 am
About a year ago, we were told that our cat, Bear, had cancer. They gave us all the options and none of them were any good. Radical surgery when your cat already has heart issues, isn't an option; and so we made the decision that we would try to treat him and keep his quality of life good by using s...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Jan 25, 2011, 2:41 pm
Last week, I realized that my "clicker," also known as a wireless presenter, was missing its USB plug-in-thingy. Yes, technology and I are close friends. Can you tell? Then, I promptly forgot about it. . . until yesterday afternoon. Today is the day in class where I stand up and show the...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Jan 21, 2011, 9:52 am
I've been taking care of Finny the cat this week while my parents are away on a trip. Tuesday was one of the days I had to go over there, and after the horrible weather we had in the morning, it had to wait until after Big I's orthodontist appointment in the afternoon. While we were stil...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Jan 12, 2011, 11:13 am
A couple days ago, Mr. BBM was talking to me in the kitchen when he said, "Your butt is small." I turned around and glared at him. "So, what? You're telling me my butt was big before?" "No!" he yelled out, "I'm saying your butt is tight." "Wait," I said, "so now you're callin...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Jan 5, 2011, 10:03 am
Like clockwork, New Year's Eve is usually a bad night for us. We don't usually have any plans and so I imagine this great night at home, ringing in the New Year with my husband. I create this whole fantastic night in my head that looks like a soap opera. We toast with champagne; my hair is teased hi...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Dec 29, 2010, 11:54 am
I tend not to like shows like "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?," that crazy show that used to be on where girls would like up and wear dresses and people would try to win money, and the latest craze, "Minute to Win It." The contestants are always way too happy. They display too much PDA (public displ...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Dec 14, 2010, 7:03 pm
On Saturday, I took Big I (who hates her blog name and wants to be renamed asap!) shopping for a dress for her Christmas concert that was on Monday night. I think I probably speak for every mother of a 9-year-old when I say that this is a tough age, fashion wise. She doesn't want to shop in any of t...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Dec 8, 2010, 9:34 am
Yesterday, I took Big I to an orthodontist consultation. After dealing with "shark teeth" issues for years and finally having our conservative dentist hand us the referral card, we knew it was time. This post will not discuss how I feel that my nursing boobs failed me and how I was told that if I ...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Dec 6, 2010, 4:16 pm
It's that time of the year where I go into lock-down mode. I don't talk to anyone. I live in my pajamas and I pray that the next portfolio will be better than the previous five, because for the love of God, have I not taught them anything this semester? I shudder with disappointment when...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Dec 2, 2010, 2:31 pm
Yesterday was a fantastic day for me. First, I reunited with my awesome personal trainer. I have never met anyone who is able to motivate me the way that he does. He's also really good at catching weights as my spaghetti arms drift them slowly and awkwardly towards my face while on that incline benc...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Nov 25, 2010, 10:02 pm
Today was a good day, but it was also a tough one. I thought about it as soon as I woke up this morning. My Grammom is gone. This is the first Thanksgiving without her. I figured that the first round of holidays without her would be difficult, and I was right. My sister made the Cope's c...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Nov 21, 2010, 11:33 am
My Mom was watching my girls this week and was discussing how it will soon be Thanksgiving. "Then, once it's Thanksgiving, before you know it, it will be Christmas!" Sassy got that familiar look on her face that tells everyone she is skeptical or just plain irritated. Then she said, "Gre...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Nov 18, 2010, 1:19 pm
It happens to every blogger. At some point, someone leaves a rude comment or even one that might be scary, and it makes you think. Am I taking unnecessary risks? Am I putting myself out there in ways that I shouldn't be? Is blogging really worth whatever risks I might be taking? I've tak...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Nov 15, 2010, 10:32 am
Writing, working out and karate are all therapy for me. It can be challenging to find time for these three things in my life, but when I don’t there is a big difference in how I feel. I realized last night that for the past few weeks, I haven’t been writing nearly enough. I haven’t gone to the...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Nov 9, 2010, 4:21 pm
The curse of death for any board meeting is the phrase, "Tonight's meeting should be a quick one." It never quite happens like that. This week is a crazy week for me and I didn't count on spending four hours in a meeting on a Monday night. That will frustrate the living daylights out of any normal p...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Nov 8, 2010, 1:54 pm
It is really challenging to get a 5-year old to hold a camera really still. Exhibit A The pictures I tried to take of myself didn't turn out so great either. The flash made my hair look bright red.  So these are the best I can do for now. . .
...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Nov 7, 2010, 8:38 pm
On Friday, I had a hair appointment. I went in expecting that I would get some highlights. I figured I'd leave there with a darker blonde overall look and the same cut. I left looking a lot different than I expected.  My stylist told me that the fall colors are deep, rich shades without...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Nov 2, 2010, 11:29 pm
I had an absolute blast this Halloween. While many of my friends were creating fantastic family themes for themselves, their husbands and children, Mr. BBM and I just didn't have it in us to create a wholesome family costume theme this year. We got an idea and we just thought it would be best if the...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Oct 26, 2010, 4:56 pm
Even though last year, I wanted to win in the election to be a member of the board at our local country club (which is more like a swimming club with a clubhouse), sometimes my three year term there feels like a life sentence. I go through these periods where I'm super hopeful and happy about thing...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Oct 20, 2010, 3:54 pm
Yesterday, I was driving Sassy and her friend to preschool when I heard Sassy whisper to her friend, "My Mommy is dating someone else's husband." I nearly wrapped my car around a telephone pole. I most certainly am not!  "What did you say?" I asked her. "Nothing,...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Oct 20, 2010, 9:47 am
Yesterday I was making my way around my classroom and dropping in on peer editing groups. I joined one group and was in the middle of telling my student that she should really avoid ending sentences with prepositions when I realized it was a bit drafty in my basement computer lab classroom that lack...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Oct 18, 2010, 2:47 pm
You know that machine at the gym that works your inner thighs, Suzanne Somer style? You know, the one that you sit on and squeeze your thighs together while every man in the gym tries to ignore the fact that there is a girl on that machine, but they. just. can't. do. it. It's. just. too. temping. to...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Oct 17, 2010, 7:12 pm
Today, I've been married for 12 years. We've been together for 16 years. After being together for that long, sometimes you just want to try something new, to reintroduce some excitement back into the relationship. Last night, we had dinner at a nice restaurant where I ate filet and sippe...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Oct 12, 2010, 8:18 pm
For the past six weeks, Big I has been participating in a club swimming conditioning program to get her ready for the winter swimming program at her school. There are rampant rumors that the girls locker room is haunted. Each night, there are stories about toilets mysteriously flushing and screa...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Oct 8, 2010, 2:01 pm
If you ask Sassy what she wants to be when she grows up, there is absolutely no hesitation. "I'm going to be a superstar!" she says. She lives for her "singin'" lessons each week and would much rather sing Lady Gaga than anything else. This past week, she taught herself "the swim meet song,"...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Oct 6, 2010, 1:34 am
It's that time of year, the time of year when fantasy football is in full swing and I start realizing that my draft strategy was similar to throwing darts while blindfolded, facing the wrong way and possibly after being spun around 20 times as if I was about to play "pin the tale on the donkey."...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Oct 5, 2010, 4:13 pm
When I was pregnant with Lil C, I was ecstatic but I also wanted her out as soon as possible. I was a gestational diabetic and I felt that every day that she was inside of me was pushing me closer to becoming a Type 1 Diabetic, which is exactly what happened to my Mom when she was pregnant with my s...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Sep 30, 2010, 2:24 pm
I don't wish to make light of the recalls that have been happening across the toy and baby care world lately. Ok, maybe I do wish to make light of it. It's just that when I read them, sometimes I have to laugh a bit. If it were my child, hurt by a faulty product (and truly the product's ...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Sep 29, 2010, 1:16 pm
Today was my last day of physical therapy. These "last days" are always bittersweet. I'm happy and excited to be on my own, but it usually means I'm saying goodbye to new friends too. I walked into physical therapy with a bad attitude this time around. I had not expected to need PT after thi...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Sep 28, 2010, 6:42 pm
Today I arrived at my orthopaedic surgeon's office with a folder full of grading to complete. I finished all but three speeches. That's how long he typically makes me wait. Usually I am accompanied by Lil C who puts on quite a concert in the exam room, but today Mr. BBM kept her at home whil...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Sep 27, 2010, 11:24 pm
This may come as a giant surprise to many of you, but today I actually comtemplated throwing in the towel and taking a break from blogging for a while. I am so ridiculously busy with running the girls to all of their activities and running myself to physical therapy, that I just haven't found mu...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Sep 22, 2010, 1:50 pm
Sometimes I get really crappy comments on my blog. As a blogger, it's pretty much a fact of life. The longer you blog and the more your blog grows, the more idiots show up to try to bring you down with nastiness. Some people just weren't raised right, and on the internet they are given a fre...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Sep 16, 2010, 1:08 pm
This morning, the phone rang at 6:11 a.m. I was in a deep sleep and the ringing jarred me awake and scared the living daylights out of me. I told Mr. BBM to grab the phone and he handed it to me. On the other line was a recorded message from the superintendent. The high school and one elementary sch...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Sep 13, 2010, 10:11 am
Friday was Lil C's Preschool Open House. She got to bring her favorite person with her (me) and it only lasted for an hour. Even then, she was a bit tentative and nervous. When we came home, I asked her why she wanted to sit with me and eat her snack instead of with the other kids. She said, "Be...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Sep 8, 2010, 9:00 am
On Sunday, my dad was high up his extension ladder wielding a chainsaw as he attempted to cut down unruly tree branches. He seems to enjoy tempting fate and the angel of death, because he does this little acrobatic routine quite often. I should also add that his chainsaw doesn't have an automati...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Sep 3, 2010, 2:19 pm
Today I received a really crappy email from someone who doesn't know me, has poor reading comprehension skills, and is obviously completely and totally intimidated by a woman who speaks up and out. I'd love to publish the email contents, name of the sender, his website, home address and his ...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Sep 2, 2010, 12:26 pm
Today was listening quiz day. It's one of my favorite days all semester. It's the day when students get completely terrified because "My God, she's giving us a quiz already." Then they get into the guts of the quiz and start acting like total fools (or they sit around and watch everyone ...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Aug 30, 2010, 9:35 pm
Tomorrow, I will not be surprised one bit if people are calling me Egor, as I drag my useless leg around behind me. I can't recall what movie that creepy, monster dude is from but tomorrow I will become him. I'm half way there already. Yes, that's right everyone, I had another PT app...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Aug 28, 2010, 10:16 am
Yesterday, I came home from swimming lessons and told Mr. BBM, "Oh, by the way, my friend is coming tonight to do body work on me and a neighbor at around 7:30." Mr. BBM: He's coming here? Me: Yeah. Isn't that cool? Mr. BBM: Wait, so let me get this straight. . . you're going...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Aug 27, 2010, 9:20 pm
Physical therapy today was about a thousand times better. Doing something for the first time is always intimidating, especially when you just want to be better already. It could also be because I knew I was getting a hefty reward tonight: free body work from my good friend. Today, I arrived with...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Aug 24, 2010, 10:13 pm
I remember my first day of physical therapy so clearly. It was days after my initial knee injury and I could barely form words. Knots that felt like rocks formed in my throat and threatened to explode into torrents of tears. I was miserable. I remember the PT asking me why I was there and I blurted ...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Aug 21, 2010, 8:42 pm
Yesterday I was busy cooking lobster macaroni & cheese for our guests who were coming later in the day. Earlier in the day, I had been in the grocery store choosing my cheeses. I needed extra sharp cheddar and started reaching for the yellow block of cheese. Then something inside me stopped my hand ...
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Black Belt M. posted an article on Black Belt Mama - Aug 17, 2010, 10:56 pm
I'll admit it. My pet peeves are plenty. But if there is one thing that absolutely drives me insane, it's waiting in a tiny room for a doctor forEVER. Today, my appointment with my ortho surgeon was at 1:45. I was the only person in the waiting room. The office staff was just back from lunch...
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