Trotting Along

Today I ran my second 10k.

This time I was even more nervous than the first one... this time, there was a standard to live up to! I thought I did pretty well for a beginner before, and I couldn't stand the thought of getting a higher time now. I've maintained my work out schedule pretty regularly, but I've been doing spinning, step class, and other cardio things... not as much running. So I was worried.

I got up at 5:30 so I would have an hour before I needed to leave to hydrate, coffee up, eat breakfast (which I don't usually do that early), pee a hundred times, and feel calm heading out.

Somewhere between the wake up call and the starting gunshot, I got siiiiick.

Maybe it was the nerves. Maybe the last supper was haunting me. Maybe the caffeine, maybe just carsickness... but I really, REALLY thought in my head it was going to be ugly.

I'll spare you the details (Lynn, it involves the 'd' word!!)... but lets just say, we ended up running late, parking a mile away, and I was on the toilet in the tasty beach bathrooms until the moment we needed to be on the beach.

Not.pretty.

This race was a lot lower budgeted. There weren't any professional photographers (so no pics, sorry). There wasn't a party at the end. There were no mile markers to moon walk across along the way. It was also dreadfully foggy, and I didn't wear a watch, so I had absolutely no idea how far along I was at any point. Last time, we could spot the pier about a mile away to know hope was in sight. This time... zilch.

Until all of a sudden... we were there!

And.

The final times aren't posted yet, but according to Kari's expert timing techniques... we improved our time from last time by over 3 minutes.

Also... it hurt a lot less, we both agreed.

So. I think one day soon I just might be ready for a half marathon....?

Thanks for watchin the kids, Mom... and for getting up early and making an awesome running mix, Kari.

I ran my second 10K this morning, and MAN, it felt good!

xo

Ticket to Ride

I've been dying for a bike for several months.

My interest was sparked by my 'wife' Kari, who is a triathlon super stud. I thought to myself that someday I just might be crazy enough to enter one... but alas I don't own a bike!

So I started doing my homework a little bit...

I started spinning at the gym semi-regularly, and found I no longer felt like I was going to puke blood half way thru the class.

I asked around to people I knew or knew of who are cyclists.

I visited the local bike shop and asked as many questions as they had time to answer.

I 've been watching craigslist vigilantly to familiarize myself with 'good deals,' what is hard to come by, what is more expensive, whats reasonable to expect to pay for a decent second hand bike, and so on.

I had pretty much concluded I would settle for a decent mountain bike since they are less expensive all around and you can change out the tires for road biking... even though I really wanted a road bike, because that's what all the cool kids ride. ;)

Then, I saw this little beauty:


I pondered it for a few hours, couldn't get it out of my head, alerted my spouses (Tyson, Kari)...

I couldn't decide if I wanted to go thru with it. It retails between $600 and $700, and was listed for $199. I had hoped to talk him down, but in the end there were several other offers and it all came down to who could get there the fastest.

This is the part where I realized how much I wanted this bike, because when Tyson was stuck at work, and I was on my way to swim lessons in Paso with the kids I was soooo bummed out that there wasn't any way to get over there and even look at it before one of the other prospects swooped in.

Then my phone rang.

SuperKari to the rescue!

Whats this? You want a bike, wifey? You can't go get it? Well, why don't I just find a telephone booth real fast and put on my leotard and cape, fly right on over, heckle the man who says he might sell it out from under us until he begs and pleads for us to take it off his hands, spot you $200 in cash, and then deliver it to your doorstep?"



Tyson (possessing supernatural abilities of his own) was completely on board, and even came home with cash in hand to pay Kari back without my saying a word.

How spoiled am I to have people looking out for me and being so supportive and *sob* I am just so freaking excited and feel blessed to have gotten some new wings.

Celebrating Independence

We spent this 3 day holiday weekend celebrating our independence on a number of levels... starting with a trip to the beach with some fabulous friends on Friday (which I took off... but Ty had to work).

This is the woman Dawson INSISTS he WILL marry. It creeps me out, he is SO adamant about it. Kailee is so sweet to him, I am so thankful for their friendship. She is the girl next door in every sense of the word, its the sweetest thing for a mom to watch.

Anabelle (and her other half) Addie took turns burying Kailee, the kids dug holes, splashed in the sludge, snacked, climbed rocks (well, Dawson), and just laughed and played for 2 hours that flew by. The 4 kids were PERFECT angels while Kari and I lounged on a blanket like lizards and talked about nothing. The whole day was a touch of heaven.

Saturday morning we headed out for our annual Apple Valley 4th of July neighborhood parade.

Grammie surprised the kids with a patriotic lollipop, which Anabelle took upon herself to share with the entire block.

...alright, maybe not the whole block. Just her favorites.


For the evening festivities we headed up to our neighbor's vineyard for a BBQ and a fantastic view of the Meridian firework show.

There were at least 20 kids there, and we all had an absolute blast. Even Anabelle getting sick (from ??too much junk food and motion sickness from flying down the hill on the back of this here golf cart hangin on for dear life??) didn't come close to dampering a brilliant holiday for a brilliant country we are blessed to be a part of.

As thankful as I am for our many freedoms that we have as American citizens that other parts of the world only dream of, I also found myself suddenly appreciating new freedoms in parenthood as well. Between all the festivities... the beach trip, the parade, and then the firework show... Tyson and I actually managed to get in some quality grown up mingling time while the kids entertained themselves peacefully with minimal adult interference. Its almost like we have an identity of our own again!

I am both amazed at how fast it goes and how accomplished I feel at knowing that the toddler chapter is officially closed, and we are now on to the best days of our lives enjoying our second childhood vicariously thru our beautiful blue eyed babies.

I'm so in love with you, Independence Day.

Floating Stinker Bugs

Dawson and Anabelle had their very first ever swim lessons on Monday at Paso Robles Swim and Tennis Club. There are only 3 kids in the class... Julie is the third! Perfect excuse to get together and have some girl time by the pool while the munchkins swim for dear life at the mercy of someone besides their mother.

They pretty much hate it, as you can tell...

I was actually a little bit surprised to see the uncertainty of the whole "dear LORD, the stranger I JUST MET wants me to TRUST her, and put my FACE in the water and SWIM?!?!??" realization as it occurred to my generally eager and outgoing kids.

But our darling Julie... who is a full year younger than Anabelle... was so cool as a cucumber, so loving the attention, and so willing to be dunked, motor boated, and flipped any direction the instructor saw fit that she actually ended up peer pressuring my older monsters into trying just about everything they were asked to do in the end.

Atta girl, Julie. I can't wait until they all get to school, and Julie can show them that 'all the cool kids listen to their teachers and do all their homework before their parents even ask them to...'

Also, on a side note... the Lions Club sponsors the swimming pool up the street so the kids can swim free all summer long. We've already spent a few afternoons there, and on Sunday our whole family went so that Tyson could take Dawson in the big pool (they usually just stay in the separate wading pool area where most of the younger kids play).

Anyways, Dawson had a blast jumping off the edge of the pool to daddy and getting piggy back rides everywhere his little heart desired... but he was NOT about to get his head under water. I couldn't stand for it. After several minutes of unsuccessful attempts to verbally persuade him... I did what every desperate mother does when all else fails: I whipped out a big fat juicy bribe.

Me: "Dawson, I want you to try something new, I wouldn't ask you to do it if it were dangerous or bad for you, but I can see you're a little scared. So I'll make you a deal. If you put your WHOLE HEAD under the water... when we leave the park, we will go to the store, and I will buy you ANY candy bar you want."

Dawson: (...giggles... contemplates... shivers with excitement...)... "Ok, I'll try it. But Mom...? Whats a candy bar?"

Ha~!

I told you I don't do it that often.

Little Turtle Goes to Vacation Bible School

So, last week was Dawson's first week ever of vacation bible school. I almost didn't sign him up when I saw it in the church bulletin, because at the time I wasn't sure he would have a ride there and back every day. But (what do you know!?), God provides! And it could NOT have been a better experience for my 4 and a half year old soon to be kindergartner.

He came home day one singing chants for his team (gooooOOOO TURTLES!), quoting bible verses ("Exodus 3:12, God said, I will be with you"), teaching me hand motions, showing off his crafts, talking about his big buddy Joel, and telling us about all the "cute little snacks" he got to eat.

I caught him playing VBS and 'preaching' to our kitten on Friday. "Jesus died on the cross to take all YOUR sins away, kitty!"... and one day he came home super excited telling me all about how "God appeared to Moses in a bush that was on FIRE!... but don't worry, Mom. It wasn't really on fire with God. It was actually just a red light bulb..."

They made crafts one day to send to kids in Africa, and raised money for the missionary our church supports there. We talked about what it means to be a missionary, why the kids there don't have parents, and all the things our family has to be thankful for.

This was such a great week for our family on so many levels. It felt like the timing was great, Dawson has been home just long enough to be getting 'bored' during the day. Half the kids from our neighborhood ended up being there, including our personal favorites (the Hammies!), and I love that it was the 'cool' place to be.

It also felt like a great way to just further prepare him for kindergarten, to teach him that even though his Mom and Dad aren't constantly with him, that he will still be taken care of by other grown ups in his life that are there to care about him... and that above all that God is always with him (and his boring mom and dad aren't the only ones saying so)! It felt like he was 'catching on,' putting the pieces of the puzzle together in his sharp little mind and connecting the dots between the Bible stories we read at home and applying it at a 4 year old level, and it was all just so... cool. He was SO into it!

They closed out the week with a special ceremony, where it was clear that the adults who helped orchestrate the event put every ounce of their spare time and energy into being the best they could possibly be. The kids were LOUD, they were decorated, and they were having an absolute blast.

Kari went all out and bought a bunch of spirit in a bottle to decorate our children with before we headed down, and I was lucky enough to get this little gem of video footage... I love when they co-operate for the camera! Also... get a load of how Dawson just looks at Kailee like he would kiss the dirt her dainty feet walk upon if she asked him to. He just adores her (she IS pretty adorable...)

Of COURSE the little sisters wouldn't DREAM of being left out of the fun....

Dawson even painted his fingernails. And then asked me to take it off the moment he came to his senses when it all ended.

Anyway, needless to say he had a great time. I am so thankful he had this cool opportunity in his little world, and I was one of the proudest parents out there watching my little turtle coming out of his shell.

Cant wait for next year.

Where in Blog's Name Did She Go?!

I know all 6 of my faithful followers can't stand the suspense!

Did the kid's finally get the last ounce of her sanity?

Has she run off with the traveling circus for good?

Is she locked away in the serenity of a padded cell and finally getting the well deserved nap she's only daydreamed of these last 4 years?

No, no, friends, rest assured. I am still here in good old Apple Valley... as crazy as ever!

It one of those things where I let a couple days go by... a few blog worthy things happened... I meant to get around to them, but didn't... then a few more things happened... people came and went... more days passed... and suddenly its been 3 weeks and I am overwhelmed with how far behind I am in blog world and I am completely unmotivated to blog at all because I feel I have SO much catching up to do!

So, I have come to a solution.

Here is a summary of the blogs you missed.

1. It rained... IN JUNE! So of course, that meant there was only one thing to do...



2. The garden is coming along quite nicely, it has doubled in size since this picture was taken. We should have squash soon, and already made a berry pie. The gnome has officially been named "Paprika," and I think I just about have the kids convinced that he comes alive at night to do my bidding upon naughty sleeping children. They have been exceptionally well behaved recently...


3. At 3.5 years old and 45lbs, Anabelle still manages to fall asleep ANYWHERE and sleep thru ANYTHING. We get some strange looks in the store as shes snoring away and TOO BIG FOR THE CART.



4. We had company for several days visiting from Tennessee, and had a blast. Come back soon, Austin, Tiffany, Moira and Sabra!



5. Happy 21st Birthday (again) Carly! I love you mucho mucho mucho. xoxo



6. Happy Father's Day, Tyson. Thanks for being the best Dad our kids could ask for and then some. I can't wait until the day they realize how lucky they are.


7. We*(Tyson)* got a kitten. Anabelle named it Forest. "Like the forest, because he is beautiful." Oh, ok honey, thats cute.
Then, she took the liberty of cutting his hair 'to make him beautiful like the forest.'

Then, he in turn took the liberty of scratching the h*ll out of her beautiful little face.

Can't say I blame him.
Its been a blast.

Run

I've been dying to put my seemingly useless long distance running ability to good use for awhile now... and last weekend the perfect opportunity finally presented itself.



Family Care Network holds a fundraiser every year, its a 10k along the beach sand between Morro Rock to Cayucos Pier. 6.2 miles, baby. I planned on doing it months ago when I first heard about it, but lost hope when I missed the early registration cut off. As luck would have it, my mom and her girlfriend did sign up, but couldn't do it at the last minute, so I drug Kari kicking and screaming by her hair all the way down the beach.



Anyway...



It.freaking.ruled.



I want to run MORE. But that is another blog I suppose.



It was so inspiring to be there... with so many other people... all taking off at the same time, all crossing the same finish line at different paces.



Because I am cheesy (and unashamed to admit it!), Tyson and I made the ultimate play mix for me and Kari the night before so we synced our pods. I seriously got chills from all the adrenaline and energy bursting thru my headphones and all around me and my fabulous friend.






(I know, I'm a dork. Take me or leave me, baby).



So, I only ran it for me. Not for my stats. But they didn't end up being half bad for my first run, I thought! Guess that's what happens when you have absolutely no expectations for yourself... haha.

347th place... out of 1614 runners.

My time was 57min and 42 seconds... that is a 9:18min/mile.

I think I can beat it next time.... I want to do the same run again in July.

We'll see.

xo