Freeze Your Thorns Off Virtual 5k

I like to pretend I am a runner. I do run, although I'm sure some actual runners might contest that. But let's face it, I'm on the wrong side of 35, and I have birthed 5 children. I wasn't that fast before the extra 25 pounds decided they didn't want to leave, and time has not improved things a whole lot. So I am pretty happy to get out there in my running shoes and shuffle along pretending like I'm cool like that. I want to point out that we live on a military base. The Navy folks have to run 1.5 miles for their PFT. Yep, a whole 1.5 miles. I may be a little embarrassed when they all dash by me in their zippy yellow and black PFT gear, but I definitely feel gloaty and triumphant when they turn around, and I know I'm going to run more than twice as far as they are. (And some of 'em can't even do the 1.5. Hah!)

But enough about me. I have more about me to cover. I do run. And I do like to read about running. My favorite running blog is The Boring Runner. And he has a virtual 5k. I decided I needed to actually do a 5k to prove I might actually be an official Runner. So I did. Today- Saturday, was the appointed race date.

I confess, I ran mine on Thursday. I had to be somewhere else this morning, but I still wanted to participate in this landmark occasion. So, Thursday morning I abandoned my smallest tricycle motors and ran my course alone. I had a personal goal to do sub 10 minute miles, which I made, but my unicorns peeing rainbows goal was to run it in under 30 minutes. The rotten thing was that it was a muggy 72 degrees when I went out there at 9:30am. Ug. Humidity stinks, and 72 degrees of it in January is just wrong! But I had a race to run!

My course: a lovely 4+ mile loop from my front door, down the roadside trail, past the flightline and back. I like to walk the first and last 1/2 mile or so, which works perfectly for me to run 3.5 miles regularly. Its all road and pavement trail, and not too shabby. This day, I was just doing the 3.2 miles.

Sometimes, when I run, I get to watch the jets take off and land. It's pretty cool, but pretty loud too.

This is what I usually get to push when I run. And this is the end of the trail where we turn around and head back. A very boring course. Which is why it is so much more fun when you get to watch the planes take off and land.

Here is my official time. Mock me not! Sadly, this is a decent time for me, although as I mentioned, I had hoped to make it in under 30 minutes. I think I must need some competition, because I was faster on the last (fine, also my first and only!) 5k in December. Of course, it was also a good deal colder then...

So, to sum up....

I ran all by myself, which was boring and not very competitive. It was hot and humid and I was glad I wore my black shorts that don't show the sweat. I think freezing my thorns off would have been more helpful. But I ran, and I met my realistic goal and now I have something to shoot for next time. Thanks Boring Runner!!

Things that have nothing to do with each other.

*** I thought I would have so much free time now that the littlest 2 are in Mother's Day Out 2 days a week. Alas, I am just as busy and have not actually done much for myself, I've only gotten to do stuff All By Myself. Today I went running (okay, that was for me!) and to the commissary. By the time I got dinner in the crock pot, it was time to get the girls. Tuesday I had a doctor's appointment so I could get a referral to an allergist. That took forever. Then I went to visit Callie at school and hung out with her during PE. That may be a whole story in itself. I'll just say it was fun and she was delighted.

Here's Callie learning to do 3 man drills with a basketball. I, personally, think Recess would be more beneficial than PE, but they get PE and not recess.

*** Running- I have signed up to do the Boring Runners "Freeze Your Thorns Off" virtual 5k. If you like to run or want an excuse to run, check out theboringrunner.com and sign on to do his 5k. And enjoy his blog. As for my actual running, the weather has been so warm. As in almost 80 degrees of warm. It is also quite muggy. I do not like these things. It is killing my running. After a chat with the doctor on Tuesday, she said I probably am susceptible to heat stroke and that is why I end up with headaches when I run in the heat. That stinks. What am I going to do this summer?!!

*** Delaney likes to say she is going to Preschool. She is quite excited about it. Rylee is less enthusiastic. She wanted to go right up until she could. When we pulled into the parking lot this morning she started hollering "No Pee-Coo!" I dropped her off and ran away and she was just fine. Delaney loves going. She is such a social kid. Its awesome!

Here's Delaney, playing outside when I went to pick her up from "preschool". Such a great kid!

*** Our house is small. Squeezing 7 people into is isn't the problem. The problem is all our STUFF! The trouble is, if I get rid of something, sure as shooting, I'm going to wish I had it next time we move. So the dilemma is whether I should hold onto something in case we need it, or do I get rid of it and perhaps buy it again in a few years? Sigh. To create a little more space in Callie and Marian's room, I bunked the beds yesterday. It was quite the ordeal because the bunk bed ideal for bunking was the one Delaney was using. So I had to take apart Delaney's bed, then Marian's and Callie's. Then Delaney got a new bed and I bunked the wooden set for Callie and Marian. I do love our wooden bunk beds, but it requires 12 long screws to be screwed in to put it together. Ug. Somehow, that took me nearly the entire school day. But the room is so much more spacious now!

*** Rylee is a hoot. She is talking a lot now. She is so funny when she repeats things back to you and the kids love to give her big words and giggle hysterically at her attempts. Last night she decided she thought it would be great to bump elbows. You know, like a fist bump, but with elbows?! Rylee kept poking me with her elbow so I would bump elbows with her. How can you not laugh?

Rylee climbed into her baby doll's play pen for her nap. See, she has her snuggly blanket and binkey in there with her. I could not stop laughing! Such fun to be the mom!

I Cry

Tears of sorrow:

Last night Joshua was using my laptop to do some research about colonial Georgia for his homework. And it crashed. Actually, it didn't just crash, it was violently attacked by some vicious something and it vent up in virtual flames with a spectacular bang. I am so sad.

I hate having to figure out how to get my computer repaired. We had a marvelous lady we discovered in North Carolina, but other than that, we have had pretty rotten experiences with computer repair. So now I have to figure out if it is fix-able and to do that I have to find someone who can honestly tell me and who won't charge me more than the darn thing is worth. Sigh. It isn't even a year old. Hold me.

Tears of Joy:

Rylee starts the Mother's Day Out Program today!! Can you see me grinning from ear to ear?!!! I think this will be the very first time in 10 years that I will have 2 mornings a week that are totally kid-free! Both Delaney and Rylee will be there Tuesday and Thursday mornings and I already have a doctor's appointment scheduled today, and a bunch of errands that I am so excited to do ALL BY MYSELF!! I might even go back to the library. Delaney had a meltdown there yesterday and I never got to renew something, and I certainly didn't get a chance to peruse anything or to inquire as to whether they could walk me through the process on how to check out online media.

Oooh, I'm dizzy with the possibilities of things I can now do unencumbered!

Kid Quotes

While driving with Delaney the other day she told me, "Well, you know, I do hate Invisible People, especially when I'm about to bump into them. You know.... because I can't see them."

This morning, Delaney said something cute. I said, "I'm so glad you are in our family. Life would be so boring without you!" Callie looked at me and said (quite seriously), "I thought your life was already boring. "

Wishy Washy

I want a dog. I think it would be great for the kids in a lot of ways. I like dogs, and I want one. Then I think about the logistics. Where on earth would I put a kennel in this little house? What would I do with it when we went on weeks long jaunts to visit family? And Moving.... let's not even go there! Even thinking about taking a dog out to pee in the rain, and picking up poop, and buying dog food makes me reconsider. I do realize it would be a lot of work, but I think the rewards would be worth it. Maybe not worth it right now, but eventually, I really would like to have a dog. Unfortunately, that will have to be heavily negotiated first. I think dogs belong in the house. Dan firmly believes they belong outside. So we have to get that settled first. And then the host of other issues will have to be dealt with. I don't think I am ready to deal with all that yet.

I thought maybe we should start small. You know, get some of the benefits of pet ownership without all the difficulties. However, after looking into it, I think any pet is going to be difficult! Something small and portable and more easily loaned to a neighbor during vacations still has a cage that will have to be cleaned. Ug. And it will have to be held and socialized without being overly squeezed or smooshed or released into the wild. And the problem of where on earth to put it is still there.

I think I must be in a nesting mode. Rylee is a little short of 2 1/2 yeas old. I haven't ever gone this long without conceiving another. And that's not happening again, so I think I must be nesting and needing a new baby that requires less care (and gestation!) than the previous ones. So I have been researching dog breeds and different types of pets. They all look great and adorable and I want them. Then I think about the care and money and time and I'm a little less enthusiastic.

However, I told the kids if they can show how responsible they can be and if we can keep the house in better order, I would be better persuaded to get a pet. How long do you think I can milk that?!!

So Proud!

This week Callie was chosen as Student of the month. I would have enjoyed it more had I not received the call less than 24 hours before the luncheon, and had I not had a sick, vomity child to deal with. Difficulties aside, Callie was so pleased and quite adorable. They gave her a shiny certificate, a school shirt, a school water bottle, and this lovely sign to put in the yard. She was quite celebrated. (So it was surprising when she had a meltdown at bedtime and shouted that she wasn't really student of the month because her teacher gave something to another student.)

Marian went roller skating for the first time this weekend! She went to a roller skating birthday party and had a lot of fun. It was so great to see her starting off so uncertain and afraid, and to work at it and become confident. Well, mostly confident. I loved seeing her learn something new successfully. She really had a good time.

Dan is sick tonight. I was just going to put the kids to bed, but he said he would still read the girls their bedtime story. Here he is, all fevery, huddled under blankets for story time. They were just so cute, I had to take the picture. I love my family!

Spreading the Love

I had the opportunity to help out a friend this week. It was one of those times where I really didn't have anything I needed to do and I was fully available to help. I think for her, it was a big thing. For me, I was just so glad I was available to lighten her load. And honestly, it wasn't really that big a deal for me. It has gotten me thinking about things people have done for me that were a big deal to me. I have a hard time letting people do things for me because I hate not being fully self-sufficient. However, there have been times when my life was made better by those around me.

Some things were big.

When Delaney was born and flown to the Little Rock Children's Hospital (3 hours away from home), we were well taken care of by people we knew years before, but were not really close to. Them opening their home to us during an incredibly stressful time really eased our burden. Knowing people cared about us helped, and being able to leave the craziness of the NICU behind and to sleep in a real bed soothed the scariness we were going through. I will never be able to thank them enough for that. And it has inspired me to try to be more like them.

Sometimes small things were a big deal to me.

Years and years ago, I had to drop Dan off to go to 10 weeks of OCS. Then I went to church with new acquaintances and then I had to drive 3 hours home.... alone. After church, my new friend made me a bag lunch. And she put a lollypop in it. I don't know that I ever thanked her, but it was the most thoughtful thing. I had food so I didn't have to stop on a Sunday to buy something to eat, and I had a lollypop to help me stay awake on the long drive. For some reason, that really touched me, and 12 years later, I still remember that. Julie probably doesn't, but that's okay. It has inspired me to go ahead and do the small acts of service, because those do matter too.

Sometimes it was from total strangers.

The Christmas before Dan and I got married, he came to Arkansas with me to meet the family. We were suppose to drive back to BYU- Dan, me, and my brother and sister. Unfortunately, we had some issues, that cumulated in a tire flying violently off the car in the middle of a sleet storm. Several people stopped to assist us. Did I mention it was sleeting and cold and dark? These people stopped, offered assistance, and when they were done, they quietly disappeared. I hope that I can be that kind of person too.

This week gave me hope that maybe I am not so far behind on the charity curve.

I eat; Therefore, I run

I have been diligently running. I have been running 3-3.5 miles 3 days a week for a while now. I made sure to run while on the cruise, and I made sure to run while at my folks' house over the holidays. I keep waiting for it to get easier and to feel better. But it doesn't. Every single time I get my shoes on and hit pavement, I start to psyche myself out. I don't want to do it, it's too hard, my legs hurt, I'm tired..... I usually manage to push through and make it to 3 miles, but there has been a time or 2 when I didn't. And just to mention it, I am usually pushing the double jogging stroller with 2 whining girls quarreling in it. So its loads of fun all around.

I was doing 5 miles before I got pregnant with Rylee and got too sick to do it anymore. Then I didn't run until this summer. Is it the nearly 3 years off that's killing me? Or have I really lost my running mojo?

I thought it might also be something else. The Marine Corps Times had an article in it focusing on 6 different athletes and their diets. Yikes! I cannot imagine restricting my diet the way they do! I love my sweets and I love my variety. I could not eat that healthy every single day. I know that what we eat effects our performance, but I was hoping that just referred to people who's performance might hinge on a second's difference! For a 10 mile a week runner, shouldn't I be able to stuff whatever I want into my pie hole?

According to the scale, apparently not. Sigh.

Promotion

On Thurs we piled into the nice courtroom at Dan's work where his boss read the promotion warrant and then re-affirmed the oath.
Callie and her sister were trying to run the show with all the picture taking as you can see from the last post. Here's a nice pose with Daddy.

If Kids Ruled the World

If you were only 3 feet high and you had your mother's camera, what would the world look like?! Wonder no more!!

Oh, this is what mom looks like from Callie's angle.

You can always give your little sister the camera and see how she views the world. Or at least how she views you.

You can even make the silliest faces you want and not get in trouble!

You could take extreme close-ups!

And you could be as funny as you wanted to be. Plus, you can go back and look at your own pictures too!

Hey, you can even find out what you look like with your eyes closed! How amazing is that?!

And your mom won't even mind.