Half Marathon

My half marathon was this past weekend and it was amazing! I had an absolute blast! I have to give a shout out to Ali and David. Ali, my sister made it possible for my husband to accompany me to the race. Thanks for coming over at 4:30 a.m.! David is my brother in law. He picked up my race packet for me. I didn't have to make the hour long trip twice in one weekend. Thanks! Back to the race, it was amazing. Did I already say that? I am addicted to the half marathon. I realize I have only run one, but it was so fun. The race itself was certainly challenging, specially since I did not train as much as I should have, but, I did not walk and I almost reached my original goal which was 2:10. I ran 2:15.51! I was psyched. Eventually I hope to run the half faster than this, but it is a good start for me! I loved the atmosphere and just running. People have asked how I can do it. I just love to run. I think you either do or you don't. If you love to run, then it is not hard. If you don't well, you don't. I am already overwhelmed of my next goal which is running a marathon. I am registered for October 2009! 16-20 weeks of training await. Early morning and evening runs are a must this time around. There is none of this wait until hubby gets home and then go for a run, maybe! I have to get my butt in gear and go. However, I am taking this week off. I might run Friday if I can't make it until Sunday. My body needs it though. After running yesterday, my knees need the rest!

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! It is fast approaching and the topic of every phone call and conversation between my mother and I are what are we going to do for Mother's Day. I don't know about you, but as I mother I am finding it hard to come to terms with this Mother's Day dilemma. I want to celebrate at home with my children, enjoying their company and not worrying about grocery shopping. laundry, or other household chores. However, I do feel compelled to recognize my mother for all her efforts over the past year, not only for me but my children as well. And then, I also feel it is important to recognize my mother-in-law for the same reasons. So, what do we do? Go out to dinner? No, too expensive with a family of 6! Stay home? Well, then I get stuck cooking at least part of the meal. So, what is my solution? Brunch at my house. It means the house has to be clean, but I can do that Saturday (not Mother's Day). I have to cook. But, at least I am cooking in the morning. And I will have the rest of the day free to enjoy my family and play with my kids! Brilliant!

Dazed Again

Well, it didn't take long. After spring break, I felt so good! I had organized the garage, we pulled out our nasty bushes in the front of the house and mulched, and we had our new swing set installed and cleaned that area of the yard up. It was so nice having gotten that all done. I am so had time to relax and hang out with the kids. The kids were so well behaved. I think that is because we did constructive things and I gave them more attention than I am able to give while working. Now, just two weeks later, I am completely frazzled! My daughter had strep last week. My middle son has Fifths Disease now. I am worried about my pregnant sister. And the biggest fear I know have is Swine Flu. I am in a complete panic! I am worried sick! I am praying that it does not become a world wide pandemic. On top of all that, the kids Fun Fair at school was this past weekend. I am the volunteer coordinator of the PTO and spent the whole weekend at the school and organizing volunteer information. I am still not done as I need to total the hours for each classroom teacher. My house has become total chaos! I am behind at work! Totally forgot about a meeting this AM. It is crazy! I am counting the days until the end of the year! It can't come soon enough.

Public Props

Weird title huh? This past Saturday was my son's 1st birthday and in my grand tradition, I had to call in reinforcements. My sister has helped me with every 1st birthday party and many other parties over the years. Two hours before this party was to start, the cakes had not been decorated, the house had not been cleaned, and I was not even close to ready. Thank goodness she was able to come over and help out. She said I would have been able to do it without her. But, there is no way! I was still getting stuff out when people were arriving. How could I have done all the things I did plus all the things she did too! Silly girl! Anyway, we had a great party and a fabulous weekend celebrating the birthday! I can't not believe how quickly kids grow. I also can not believe that almost immediately after my son turned one, he became a true toddler. He was a baby last week, but he is communicating and climbing and walking everywhere. He plays with toys appropriately and really is a little boy now! It is bittersweet. I love to see him grow and who he is becoming, but I will miss that baby as I do all the others. Since he is our last it is all the more difficult. But, I have all that growing and fun stuff to look forward to! I wonder what is in store over the next year?

Easter Eggs!

Yesterday I had a great idea for a keepsake craft and I am so eggcited with the results! I decided to make wooden Easter eggs with the kids. I want to do this each year as a craft we do together. When they are grown and out of the house, I will be able to decorate with these eggs and think of days gone by. Or, I could pass them along to them as they move on and start their own families. Because I have to have instant gratification, I went out and purchased the eggs and paper grass to put in my glass bowl that I will display the eggs in on the table for the Easter season. We made the eggs after the kids got home last night. They are beautiful! My two oldest were really into it. My middle son, not so much! The baby of course didn't make one. I am crazy, not insane! At least not yet! So, we painted the base coat before dinner and after dinner, everyone went down to the basement, and painted before bed. There was no guidance. I told them to paint what they wanted and they turned out great. My mom loved them and wants my nephew to make one too. Hopefully he will make one at his house. He is only 2 and I can't imagine how much paint will be on him and the house when he is finished. Probably more than there is on the egg. My sister loved the idea. I told her the bottom of the eggs were flat so she could just set the one on the window sill. I had each child make two and I made a couple myself. Thought I would share my ingenious idea for a keepsake craft that actually worked out!

Again!

I think I might scream! We are sick yet again! This time the baby has a fever and is absolutely miserable. I am hoping it is what my nephew has, but you can never be sure. It seems like he might have the flu. But, it seemed like my nephew did and his swab was negative. I am hoping the baby will not have a fever tomorrow and feel better. But, I am not holding my breath. I am however hold my breath to see if anyone gets the stomach virus that appears to be going around. I was at the kids school this evening for a PTO meeting and half the people there had sick kids. Two people there had children that were sent home today, another whose child was vomiting, had diarrhea, and 102 fever. Apparently, Strep is going around. 4th grade has the flu. No wonder we are sick and just can't seem to get healthy. What is going on in this world that every year we just seem to get more and more gnarly stuff going around? It just blows my mind. I was never as sick as my kids get when I was a kid. I guess it could be due to the over use of antibiotics as the doctors say. Huh! Something to think about the next time you go to the doctors office.

Birthday Madness

It has been a crazy few weeks. I assume you might have guessed that since I have not posted in a long time. First, everyone in the house ended up getting sick. I have sent over $120 at the doctor in co-pays in the last 3 weeks! I have spent close to $20 at the pharmacy on prescriptions and even more on over the counter medications. And, that is not even the worst part. The kids have been miserable. No one has slept well and we have been super busy on top of that! Two of our children had birthdays last week. We had 3 parties this weekend. One for each of the two children with birthdays and then a family celebration for both. We did them all on Saturday. It was a lot of fun. I had planned a good portion of both parties before hand so it was not too difficult, but I was in the doctors office several times last week and had to work so it made Friday a little more hectic than I wanted. But, it all went off without a hitch, until last night when I crashed. I was dizzy and tired and fell asleep nursing the baby to bed. This of course did not give my husband and I any time to talk about anything or get anything ready for the week. So this week has begun in craziness, as usual. We will get through it and it will be fine. I will try to organize again next weekend and the cycle will continue. The kids had a great time at their parties. We decorated our own cupcakes. At one party we made shrinky-dink necklaces and the other had football training camp in the light rain that fell in the afternoon. It was a wet mess, but those kids had fun out there. It added to the atmosphere of the training camp. And I only had one extra load of laundry (towels) because of it. I am hoping that today's well check up for those birthday children ends my doctor visits for a while (like the rest of the month). And that the weather will break and with it will leave those nasty germs that have been making us sick. I hear a stomach virus is going around my kids school. I hope we are spared!