Running 2011

Well, I logged my last run of 2011 this morning and I am happy to say I made it through the year injury-free.  Some other running-related facts of the year, including many "firsts":

• I ran at least some miles in 11 out of 12 months of the year.  That is three more months than ever before.  I can say for a fact that this was the first December that I ever put in a single mile, and I managed about sixty.  Running with Christmas lights lighting my way was definitely a new experience, and not a bad one at all.
• I ran in cold rain, warm rain, and pouring rain, sweltering heat, strong winds, and snow.  I ran when the temps were above 90 and below 20.  I ran on beautifully perfect, low humidity, blue-sky days.  I ran as the sun set and as the sun rose and when the sun was high in the sky.
• I ran over 700 miles and for over 100 hours and burned over 60,000 calories doing so. 
• I ran at the beach in North Carolina.  I ran in Corning, New York.  I ran at a hotel in New Jersey (my only treadmill miles of the year).  I ran in a suburb of Philadelphia.  I ran in Erie, Pennsylvania. 
• I ran two 5K races and I ran my first half-marathon.
• I ran with friends.  I ran with music.  I ran with the Nike+.  I ran with my brand new Garmin watch.
• I ran when I was tired and angry and frustrated and busy.  I ran to feel energized and happy and clear-headed and calm. 
• I ran to stay fit, to stay sane, and to set a good example.  I ran for everyone around me and I ran for me.

It was a big year for me, running-wise, and I am feeling pretty good.  And I am feeling pretty optimistic about running 2012.

Christmas Highlights

This week has got to be one of the fastest of the year.  A much needed break, time with family and friends, a visit to the museum, playing and dancing, and lots of cleaning and organizing pretty much sums it up, but here are some details of Christmas Eve and Christmas:

• We had a wonderful Christmas Eve with John's side of the family (minus one) that included the fifth annual reading of The Night Before Christmas.

And to all a good night...

• The kids fed the reindeer and set out cookies for Santa.  They were sad to say goodbye to our elf, Caische, for the year.  Caische chose a great spot for his last day and watched all of the unwrapping from his high vantage point.




Can you see Caische on the wreath in the background?


• After a strict discussion of when it would be ok to wake up on Christmas morning (only after the sun comes up), the kids managed to find one ray of light to use as evidence that 7:00 was go time.  They were so excited.  We headed to the livingroom where the magic happened overnight.  They excitedly opened their stockings and then the presents Santa left them under the tree.  Sadly, the process went much more quickly than last year, when they wanted to savor each gift as they opened them.  This year, they wasted no time tearing through the presesnts.  Everly got the Dora watch that she was so hoping Santa would bring; Cortlan got the Legos he wanted and has been hard at work building with them ever since.

One of the highlights.  Nevermind the Loving Family Dollhouse; she wanted the Dora watch.

• There were many other surprises under the tree, as well.  My favorite gift was a Garmin running watch; I have already run 16 miles with it so far.  And now I know it was actually 16 miles and not some number in that ballpark.  I also know that I am a bit slower than I thought.  But that is ok.  John's big gift this year was a set of integrated turn signals for his motorcycle.  (Don't be jealous.)
• We played with our new toys and enjoyed a nice brunch together.  While the kids napped, still in their PJs from the night before, we prepped to go to my parent's house, where there were still more toys, as well as some great food and some singing and dancing.

My niece got this karaoke machine for Christmas.  The kids had a blast.

• The kids have had such fun visiting their friends this week and playing with all of their new things.  I have had fun visiting as well, but not so much fun trying to figure out where all the new things should go.  We are blessed to have all that we have, though, especially our family and friends. 

It was either this one, or the one where Cort had his finger in his nose.  The kids weren't into getting thier pictures taken this Christmas.

Amazing that another Christmas has gone by.  Here's to another year of memories...

The note that Santa wrote

Merry Christmas, Cortlan and Everly!

I hope you have a wonderful and magical day.  I brought you some things I think you might enjoy.  I hope you treat your new things nicely and take good care of them.  I noticed this year that you are both very good at sharing.  This makes me happy and I hope you continue because there are somethings I brought that you will both enjoy.  You have both been very good this year (though lately, there may have been a few things that could have been better!).  Always remember to be respectful and the best little boy and girl that you can be.  I am proud of you for trying hard.  Thank you for the delicious cookies and the food for my hard-working reindeer!  See you next year!  Merry Christmas!!

Love,
Santa (and Caische)

A pretty sweet weekend

This weekend was filled with cookie baking and decorating.  We made three kinds at our house (never mind two of the three were prepackaged mixes) and the kids helped as much as kids can help.  They were definitely a huge help in the eating department.  Cortlan has a shirt that proclaims him as "Grandma's Official Cookie Taster."  He was sure to ask if he could be mine, too.  Specifically, he asked, "Mommy, can I be your 'officianal' cookie taster?"  He did a great job and fulfilled all duties of the postion.

Funfetti cookies are exceptionally kid friendly.  For the first time ever, the kids may have actually expedited the process as opposed to causing it to take twice as long.

At Grandma's house, we baked sugar cookies.  The kids had a blast rolling the dough, pressing the cookie cutters into the dough, and of course, decorating the cookies.  Or over-decorating, to be more accurate.  

Regardless of how they looked, they were delicious and filled with memories.  Their teachers were thrilled to recieve some as gifts, too.

My wish list

As Christmas approaches, I decided that I am going to start a wish list.  Unlike other posts, I am going to post this unfinished, and continue to add to it as my wishes pop into my head.

With Christmas comes holiday entertaining at our house.  In fact, more people probably see the inside of my house in December and January (for Cortlan's birthday) than any other month of the year.  With that comes my first wish:

1.  That no one will give me a reason to get down on my hands and knees and scrub the bathroom floors before next Saturday, as I just finished doing that very chore in three bathrooms.  (Read: Cortlan, the pee goes in the pot.  Please.)

2.  That I will be able to create a complete grocery list and will not have to send John out for that "one thing" that I forgot to get.  And then send him out again for that "one other thing" that I didn't include the first two times.

3.  That no one else will surprise me with a gift that far outdoes anything that I have done for (or given to) him or her.  While I do enjoy giving gifts,  it can be pretty stressful for me at times.  Trust me, the thought is there...I am just not the best at the execution.

4.  That the turkey will be thawed this year when I go to put it in the oven, unlike last year.

5.  That I will someday see the end of my to-do list.

If only I had figured it out sooner

There are a few things that I wish I would have figured out a long time ago.  For example, there is no point in keeping the box that the crayons or markers came in.  Trying to get all the crayons put back in the box after each use is so much more work than just throwing the whole lot in a sandwich bag, zipping it up, and tossing it in the bin for easy access.  Another example:  I recently figured out that it is so much more time efficient to clean the bathroom while the kids are taking their showers than to try to do it on a Saturday morning.  I have to be in there then anyway, and I am usually waiting around.  Why not use the time to scrub the toilet and wipe down the sink?

The latest discovery doesn't so much save time as it does energy and frustration.  The back story: Cortlan hates waking up for school.  Our kids are asleep by 8PM and they both still take mid-afternoon naps both at school and at home, so it isn't as though he is totally sleep deprived.  But if I have to go into his room to wake him for school (sometimes he actually wakes himself, in which case the morning is a breeze) things are pretty painful.  "Cortlan, it is time to wake up."  "Cort, get up, buddy."  "Cortlan, we need to get ready for school!"  "I am going to turn your light on.  Here are your clothes; you need to get up and get ready."  And it goes on, until finally he gets out of bed.  Then the rest of the morning sounds more like this:  "Cortlan, go potty."  "Did you brush your teeth?"  "C'mon, Cortlan!  Get moving!"  "Cortlan, we are going to be late.  You need to get your clothes on."  "Let's go!  Get your socks!  Get your coat!  Come ON!"

Needless to say, it is frustrating.  For everyone.  And we are often late, no matter how early I start the process.

So recently, I decided: No more.  No more badgering.  No more reminding.  No more pestering.  And no more being late.  What did we do differently?  Well, the light goes on in Cortlan's room and he is told to get up.  His clothes are out.  He knows what to do and he needs to do it.  Seriously, he does.  For quite some time, the morning routine has been the same: get up, go to the bathroom, brush teeth, get dressed, get coat and shoes, get out the door.  The deal is that if he isn't ready by the time it is time to walk out (with reasonable time notices given), we take him in whatever state of getting ready he is in at the time.  Astonishingly, this method has worked.  I had a suspicion it might, but was a bit amazed to find that with or without the badgering, pestering, and reminding, Cortlan takes about the same amount of time to get ready in the morning.  So, it doesn't go any faster, really, but we are all much happier with this new way of doing things.  Until, at least, we have to take him to school half dressed and teeth not brushed.  But, with the way he reacted at the mere thought, I am thinking that probably won't happen.

You've got to love a girl that can express herself

To be honest, I have had some extremely difficult moments with Everly in the past year.  Considering that Cortlan's "Terrible Two's" didn't start until well after he was two, the beginning of Everly's second year of life was wrought with frustration and dread as to what was to come; I was worried that it would only get worse.  The meltdowns.  The tantrums.  The tears.  The not-listening.  What were we going to do??

Fortunately, within the last month or so, it seems as though we have rounded a huge corner with Everly, and now, she is as sweet as can be, funny, and so very expressive.  She makes me smile and she makes me laugh.  I think much of her turnaround can be attributed to her relatively sudden ability to express her emotions verbally instead of in a screaming, raging outburst.  For example, one of her new favorite words: frustrated (or fustated, as it sounds), as in "I am so fustated!" 

We have heard much more coming from Everly as she explores new words and new ways to express herself.  Last Friday on the way to school, she piped up from the backseat, "Darnit. I forgot something at home." Not that I am encouraging it, but it was a totally contextually appropriate (and relatively calm) use of the word, and John and I couldn't help but to laugh.

Yesterday, on the way home from school, Everly was talking a blue streak, telling us all about her day, who she played with, what she did (built a block tower that went all the way to the ceiling!), that her friend Max spilled milk at snack time and some got on her shirt, that she was going to dress up in her Minnie Mouse stuff, some of which she doesn't even own but that "Santa is going to bring!"  After a brief pause, she then said, "I am sad!"  When asked why, she responded, "None of my fends told me dat my sues are bootiful!"  You can imagine the discussion that ensued.  We had to explain to her that it doesn't matter if her friends tell her that her shoes are beautiful, that doesn't make them any less beautiful.  If she thinks they are beautiful, they are.  And even if they aren't, that is no big deal, either.  And she was fine with that.

Life has changed with Everly.  At least for the moment, I feel that things are getting easier.  At the very least, they are getting more entertaining.

Sometimes, it doesn't come naturally

So is it seriously December already? Yeah. I thought I would have some balance back in my life by now but somehow things got WAY out of balance recently, and unfortunately it didn't sway towards the fun stuff.

Over the last couple of weeks, I have graded way too many papers in the late PM hours and, in general, spent way too much of my time working. Granted, the New York trip this past weekend was fun, with great food and phenomenal shows.  (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying was fantastic - who knew that Daniel Radcliffe was so tiny?  And Warhorse was absolutely amazing. If the movie is anywhere close to being as good as the play, it will be a must-see.) But my mind has been overwhelmed.  I realized today that it has been far too long since I spent time with my kids with out simultaneously doing something else, be it laundry, cooking, cleaning, shopping, driving, eating, being on the computer or my phone, or simply sorting through or creating lists in my mind. It it's time for me to refocus. It is time for me to try to get back to the moment and work on being present. Sometimes, my to-do list is overwhelming - Christmas cards and baking, figuring out what we are going to do for Cort's January birthday, organizing the Christmas Eve get-together, shopping for gifts, household chores, work - and those things cannot be neglected.  But I owe it to myself, my husband, and my kids to give them my full attention as much as I can when I am with them, and to get back to loving the moments that life gives me.

Let the refocusing begin.  Again.

A fun Saturday, Part 2

When the kids woke from their naps, they were thrilled to see that the decorations were being hung outside.  I promised them that we would go out and they could have a special treat if they would just do one thing for me:  pose for some Christmas card pictures.  Anticipating the frustration that might come, I decided I wasn't going to get upset if the pictures were less than stellar, and I was not going to freak out at my kids to "JUST LOOK HERE AND SMILE!" I limited myself to a quick 15 minutes of photography, knowing that if it didn't happen in that time span, nothing good was going to come out of going longer.  These are two that I didn't pick:

I was thrilled that the weather was so nice, so after changing back into "regular" clothes and as darkness began to fall (which seems to be so early these days), the kids and I took a nice walking tour of the neighborhood Christmas displays.  We came in for dinner, and then came what they had really been waiting for: decorating the Christmas tree.  This year, they were more involved than ever.  Cortlan was bound and determined to hang the ornaments high, and used the step stool as often as he could.  Everly was bound and determined to take as many ornaments over to the tree as possible, but was more interested in handing them to John than she was in actually hanging them.  I unpacked them as quickly as I could and we managed, for the first time, to get the tree entirely decorated without me having to finish it after the kids were in bed.

Cortlan put the star on.

A fun Saturday, Part 1

I was looking for something to do with the kids yesterday, and ended up at a paint your own pottery studio to paint some Christmas ornaments.  This was the first time that Everly had done anything like this.  For Cortlan, it has been years, and he likely has no memory of it except for the picture that we had in a frame for a while.  The kids were very well behaved, but there is no doubt that we entertained the other patrons who couldn't help but overhear our conversations.  In the end, the kids painted their ornaments exactly as they saw fit, so we will surely have an interesting looking candy cane, snowman, and gingerbread man, as well as a circular ornament.  And I am pretty sure that Everly may hold the record for the most paintbrushes used for only four colors.

A trip to see Santa

We took the kids to the mall yesterday to sit on Santa's lap.  Knowing that it is a different experience every year, we did a practice run in the car.

Me:  So, Everly, what are you going to tell Santa when you sit on his lap?
Everly:  Umm.  I want a Dora watch and  Minnie watch.
Me:  Ok.
Everly:  And a Dora watch.  (pause)  And a Minnie watch.  And a Dora watch.
John:  And a Minnie watch?
Everly:  Yep.  And a Dora watch.
Me:  Ok.  Got it.
Everly:  And a Minnie watch and a Dora watch.
Cortlan:  Everly.  Why do you say the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over again?
John and me:  (chuckling in the front seat because it is oh so true.)
Me:  Cortlan, what are you going to tell Santa?
Cortlan:  Ummmmmm.......
Me:  What do you want Santa to bring for you for Christmas?
Cortlan:  Um.  Legos.  And some Geotrax.
Me:  Nice.  Now don't forget to tell Santa nice and loud so he can hear.
Cortlan:  We will.

When we got to the mall, the kids wanted to go directly to see Santa.  Everly was starstruck.  The look on her face was one of nervousness, not quite fear.  She timidly sat on his lap, with Cortlan on the other side, and told him exactly what she wanted.  Cortlan then surprised us both by saying, "Everly, is there anything else that you want to tell him?" Part of me was waiting to hear her repeat the same thing ten more times, but she just looked at Cortlan like, "Wait.  We didn't practice this part!"  and she just said, "Ummmmmmmm..." until I let her off the hook by indicating that was all she wanted to tell him and that it was Cort's turn.  He told Santa the same thing that he told us in the car, in his quietest voice (of course), and then the kids got their picture taken.  Multiple times.  With only one or the other smiling in each one.

But oh, how I love the magical moments and memories of Christmas time.

Happy Thanksgiving

It is hard to sit down to the computer on Thanksgiving Day and for even a second think that my words could ever do justice in explaining all that for which I am thankful.  True thankfulness is an emotion that is hard to describe, almost as much as true love is.  But you know it when you feel that appreciation, that swelling inside of happiness and that feeling of peace, that knowledge that life is so good.  It wraps you up like a warm blanket on a cold day, and it fills you up like no food ever could.  And to try to list what makes me thankful seems overwhelming, like counting to infinity, because I look around and I am thankful for it all. I look inside, and I am thankful for it all.  I look back, and I am thankful for it all. I look forward, and I am thankful for it all.  I am full; I am warm; I have peace; I have love.  I give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Nothing

Whew!  What a whirlwind couple of weeks!  With the fall play behind me, I can finally try to get some balance back into my life.  I ran yesterday for the first time in a week.  I got to bed before 11pm last night for the first time since last Tuesday.  I went to Costco today for the first time in a month.  I got home from work today and it was still daylight and I didn't have to drive back to the school an hour later.  Things are getting back to normal, so I will soon have something to write about and will hopefully have time to write it.  But for right now, I think I just want to relax for a bit and do...nothing.

Everly 2048

Yesterday was election day.  Fortunately, we had an in-service day at work, which means our work day begins at 8:00 AM instead of 7:10 AM.  This later start allowed us to leave late from home, be among the first at the polls, and still make it to work on time after dropping off the kids.  Since the polling location is close to our house and on the way to the kids' school, we took them with us.  The conversation in the car on the way went a little something like this:

Me:  We are going to vote before we go to school today, so we are going to take a different route and make a quick stop on our way.
Everly:  Boat?  We are goin on a boat? Yay!
Me:  No, honey.  Vote.  Not boat.
Everly:  Whatsa vote?
Me:  When we vote, we are saying who we want to be our leaders.  Then other people vote who they want.  Whoever gets the most votes, wins, and gets to be the leader.
Everly:  I want to be a leada!
Me:  Well, this is for grown-ups.  But maybe when you are a grown up!
Everly:  When Ima goewn up yike you, I want to be a leada!
Me:  I have no doubt that you will, if that is what you want.
Everly:  I do!

This conversation may just go down in history.  You never know.

I am thankful

I have been feeling kind of bummed about not writing more posts lately, but I just looked at the posts from last year at this time, and I realized it was the same kind of deal.  This time of year is just C R A Z Y.  And when there are so many things that I need to do and want to do and have to do, writing a blog entry kind of gets pushed to the wayside, unfortunately.

Some of my friends have been doing status updates every day in November that express for what they are thankful.  While I have not been doing that, I have certainly been feeling thankful lately.  And while I do not have time at the moment to compose a typical blog entry, I certainly have the time to reflect for a bit and write five things that I am thankful for (one for each day of the month so far):

1. I am thankful for the joy that my children bring into my life each day, even though they sometimes also completely frustrate me.
2. I am thankful to have a partner in my life that is supportive and giving and understanding and encouraging, who doesn't always agree with me, but who will always listen to me, and who is my best friend (and a great dad).
3. I am thankful for girlfriends that I know will be there for me in an instant if I need them, and who don't hold it against me when we don't talk or get together for a while because our lives are so hectic (and that when we do get together or talk we are able to pick right up where we left off as if we just talked yesterday).
4. I am thankful that all of the things that make me so busy at this time of the year are things I enjoy doing.  (Well, not the cleaning.)
5. I am thankful for beautiful fall Sundays that include a submarine tour, fruit flambe, a walk along the river, music playing, a breeze blowing, and kids napping in the car.

This week's highlights

I am unbelievably busy these days.  A lot of great things have been happening, but I haven't had much time to write them down.  So, here is my best recollection of the week's highlights:

• Everly didn't bite, hit, or kick anyone at school, and she didn't prevent any of her friends from taking naps by screaming.  Not that she ever did that or anything.
• Early in the week, when I was telling Cortlan to use his manners and be good (as I do every day as I am dropping him off at school), he said to me, "I will do what is appropriate, Mommy."  Seriously?
• I loved seeing the kids parade around in their costumes with their friends at school.  They got to trick or treat through the school, and Cortlan and his class got to go on a special trip to a local nursing home to sing a few Halloween songs.  (I especially loved that, and he did, too.)

• Thanks to DVR, we got to watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.  The holiday movies and shows are always on past my kids' bedtimes, so this is the first year that they will get to see any of them.  I really don't get that show, though, to be honest.  I mean, Snoopy flying around on his doghouse in a war, Charlie Brown only getting rocks in his bag, and the Great Pumpkin never showing up.  If you ask me, it is kind of a downer.  But the kids seemed to enjoy it.
• I ran 7.5 miles on Saturday catching snowflakes on my tongue.  It was my first run in the snow since those early track practices in high school, when we would occasionally see a few of the last snowflakes of the season.  This was some serious snow I was running in - big huge snowflakes with some actually sticking to the grass - and the surprise was that I actually enjoyed it.  My plan this winter is to continue running, but to only run outdoors.  So far so good.
• Our local grocery store really outdid themselves with the Halloween festivities.  They led us trick or treating through the store and gave us free hot cocoa, coffee, and cookies.  They took our picture (we still need to pick it up).  There was a fire truck and a petting zoo, and the kids could paint pumpkins.  Thank goodness the weather was kind of crappy or I imagine it would have been packed.  My two favorite parts: Cortlan asking the lady, "Can I get an extra one for my mom?" and him picking out a special piece of candy just for me, and Everly and I going into the petting zoo, where she fed a little pig out of a bottle all by herself and then chased the rest hollering, "Here piggie!!" hoping to give them some, too.

• Pumpkin carving was fun:

•  And of course, Halloween night is always awesome.  This year, despite the rain, was just as fun as ever. 

Happy Halloween!!

A music time capsule

I have always been a music lover, and despite my propensity for breaking windows because I am so out of tune and loud, I love to belt out a good song when it is playing on the radio.  (Remember Buffalo Stance?  I am sure my parents loved that I knew almost every word when I was a kid.)  Because of this, it comes as no surprise to me that my kids are beginning to do the same.  Last night, as we were driving to my parent's house, the kids named that tune in two notes - "The Princess Who Saved Herself!!" and when it was over, Cort said, "Mommy, did you hear?  I sang all of those words, even the part about the wicked witch!  Even when she said 'hate.'  I was just repeating her."  He loved the opportunity to say a "bad word," I loved that he was singing along and knew most of the words.  (No big deal that he thinks it says, "She had a bad stink" when the lyrics really are "She had a pet snake.")

We have had a free subscription to satellite radio since buying our new car, and channel 78 has been a favorite, for sure.  Kids Place Live was with us as we drove to two vacation destinations and back this year, and is what we listen to in the morning on the way to school.  Favorite songs these days:  "Chicken, Monkey, Duck" (Everly) and "Butterfly Driving a Truck" (Cortlan), which doesn't seem to be on YouTube, yet.  We also love the Weird Al song "The Saga Begins," which is sung to the tune of the classic "Bye Bye Miss American Pie." Kids Place Live is awesome because they also play songs like "Eye of the Tiger" and songs by artists such as They Might Be Giants and Barenaked Ladies.  But, channel 78 is certainly not the only one that we listen to.  Proof:  the whole family has been known to belt out the line, "Everyday I'm Shuffling," and I have to say, I kind of love it.

So, yeah.  I am going to admit this:  I kind of went through withdrawal for about a week and a half when suddenly and without warning our free subscription to satellite radio expired on Columbus Day.  I fought the urge to call and subscribe, because who really needs to pay for radio?  But it got harder and harder as the CD that was in the player started to get a bit old after the 45th time through, and when I realized that I could hardly handle commercial breaks after not listening to a single commercial in about six months.  And I also realized that, on satellite, the songs aren't overplayed nearly as much as on the regular radio.  So, I broke down and called.  And I didn't subscribe.  And then two days later, I broke down and called again.  (Would you believe that I got THE SAME customer service guy??)  After a lengthy discussion, I was given an offer I couldn't refuse.

So now I am again living in musical bliss.  And so are the kids.  Because now we can again sing, "The Window" at the top of our lungs as we drive down the road.  (Ok.  Maybe I am the only one singing that one.)

So they say...

I read an article yesterday morning called "Little Big Moments" in the November issue of Parents magazine.  "Birthdays and graduations tug at our heartstrings.  But many other smaller milestones touch us in ways the big events sometimes don't," the article begins.  It then goes on to touch upon some of those milestones, such as a child's last night in the crib and when a mom has nursed for the last time.  I remember that one being big for me, especially because with both of my children I had no idea the last time would be the last time until it was already over and they refused to nurse ever again.  It was probably better that way, because although I was quite ready to have my body back, as any mom who has ever nursed can attest, it is a pretty special thing.  So, had I known that the last time would be the last time, I may have cried through the whole thing.  Or something. 

This article also mentioned "when they outgrow their cute little sayings" as a little big moment, and it reminded me of a conversation that I had Saturday with another mom at a birthday party.  The conversation stemmed from Cortlan being so excited that there was a "kinada" at the party, and me reminding him for the thousandth time that it is called a pinata.  "Oh, yeah.  Pinata," he replied, also for the thousandth time.  The other mom then told me a story of her daughter not being able to say "outside" and how one day she started saying it correctly and that they have never heard that cute pronunciation of outside again. 

For Cortlan, pinata isn't the only one.  He says "ginore" instead of "ignore."  And words that rhyme with door (like floor, more, store, and ignore) all rhyme with fur, or stir, when he says them.  He says, "May you please turn on the light" (or get me some milk, or whatever it happens to be that he wants you to do for him) so often that I forget it isn't right and that he should instead be saying "Can you" or Will you" instead. 

Everly is only two and a half, so a list of her cute pronunciations would fill the page, but some that I would love to hold onto include the way she talks about her "brudder Tort" (brother Cort) and how she sometimes asks him, "Whatsa madda, buddy?"  And the endearing way she says mama when she is trying to be sweet (mommy, or even mom, at all other times).  She also says things like, "You wanna heeya bout my day?" as we ride home from school or sit at the dinner table, and then she tells us everything, including that she tried to bite her "fren at skoo".  In public restrooms, she always asks about the toilet first: "Izis my size?" And she tells everyone who will listen what she is going to be for Halloween - a "jagin" (dragon). 

I am not the best at remembering to video (in fact, I took the video camera to the pumpkin patch the other day, carried it around the entire time, and totally forgot to use it), so writing this blog has to suffice for trying to preserve the memories.  I just wish I could have a little recording of every one of them, because it could be that Tort has already said kinada for the last time.

What's on my mind...

• Sometimes, you just have to let things go. As the quote says, "Holding resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." Think about it.  SO true.

• I don't like a lot of drama in my life. I typically avoid it like the plague. However, every now and then, drama keeps it interesting. And I am never opposed to listening to other people's drama.

• I like being a working mom. I don't like having to do my shopping at 9PM because there isn't another hour of the day that it can happen. 

• I have become an extreme multitasker out of necessity. If I am doing something, it is not uncommon for me to be doing at least two things. For example, I sort the mail while cooking dinner. I grade papers while making copies. This is not entirely bad, but I have made the recent realization that this multitasking is largely to blame for my clutter and disorganized state. I used to be able to start a job and work it through to completion, including any clean up involved. Now, I am constantly switching between and among tasks, leaving many unfinished until I get to them again later. Thus, the half sorted pile of mail (didn't want dinner to burn), the half graded stack of papers sitting on my desk (copies only take so long to make, and at least I got a few of those papers graded), and this blog (written in two minute chunks of time).

• Though I still regularly fly by the seat of my pants, I never regret taking the time to meal plan and/or prep the crock pot. The pay off is always there. 

• Sometimes, homework assignments are awesome. Like when Cortlan was assigned to collect fall leaves for a project at school earlier this week, which meant that we had to go for a walk on a beautiful fall day and look at all the beautiful, colorful leaves on the trees and on the ground and pick the ones that were just perfect. This assignment took a while to complete. Darn.

Why I hate sidewalks

I was running through the park one day a while back and even through the music on my headphones I heard someone yell at me from their car window to "try the sidewalk!"  It really pissed me off. Yes, there was a sidewalk I could have been running on.  And yes, I was running on the road.  But the road was PLENTY big enough and I was running so close to the edge that part of my foot was practically on the grass - on the opposite side of the road from the car. 

Though I am a huge proponent of putting sidewalks everywhere in our community (particularly down the half mile stretch of main road that I am forced to run on from my neighborhood to get anywhere else), and I do choose sidewalks over a busy road any day, if I get the chance to safely run on the road, I take it.  Why?

1.  The asphalt road is about two and a half times softer than the concrete sidewalks.  That makes a big difference on your knees and ankles and hips when you are logging many miles.

2.  Sidewalks are often uneven.  And though you may have a ton of reflective gear on so that cars can see you while you are running in the dark, that doesn't mean you can see the road/sidewalk in front of you very well.  Which means you might trip and fall due to that uneven sidewalk.  And then you might be glad it is dark so that there aren't many people able to see you fall.  And you might be glad that you were able to at least get your hands up so that your face didn't hit the ground.  And then you might have to think about whether you should run home to clean your wounds, but you will probably decide to finish the run and shake it off.  And then it might happen that when you are looking for a Band-Aid for your bleeding hand, the only one you find at the moment is a Donald Duck one.  And then your daughter might see it and get a little mad that you took "her" Band Aid.  And after the ensuing "conversation", so you might curse running on the sidewalks even more.




It might happen.

A rainy fall weekend

Despite the rain that hasn't stopped since about 8 AM Saturday morning and the temps that dropped a little too low for my tastes, the weekend was a pretty good one.  At least on a working mom scale.  The highlights:

• Pizza, wine, cookie cake, and chips with the neighbors.  Gotta love Friday night health food and great friends.
• My first October run that I can ever remember.  The best part?  I got my 6.5 miles in just before the rain started on Saturday.
• Our nephew's birthday party at Chuck E Cheese.  Ok, I know some people would lose it if they found out they had to go to Chuck's on a Saturday morning and spend time and money while crazed kids ran around and a large rat occasionally appeared out of nowhere.  But, I actually enjoyed it...from finding my zone playing Shrek pinball (I miss having a pinball machine in my basement like I did when I was growing up) to watching Cort throw the skeeball overhand across two other lanes (seriously, it is hard to believe there aren't more head traumas from skeeball), I have to admit, I enjoyed myself.  And getting to see family was pretty cool, too.
• A shopping trip to Kohl's.  Woo hoo for a 30% off coupon and a running jacket that was on sale...among other sale and clearance items for the fam.  I love a good bargain.
• A four-mile Sunday morning run in the rain and cold.  Why is this a good thing?  Because I did it and now I know I can bring myself to do it again.  I am on my way to easing into the winter runs that I have never before attempted.  (Thanks, in part, to the aforementioned new running jacket.)
• A very cool Heroes and Villains exhibit at the Andy Warhol Museum featuring the comic book art of Alex Ross.  Granted, due to an infringement on nap time, we had to drag Everly out of the place kicking and screaming (literally), but it was fun while it lasted.  And the kids got to silkscreen a tote bag with fun "Bang!" and "Pow!" comic book designs.
• A lazy, rainy, Sunday evening spent removing too-small clothes from the kids' drawers and decorating for fall, topped off with a pot roast dinner.

Perfect.  But that's just my opinion.

An exciting evening

My kids were in bed at 8PM and after approximately four years, I decided it was time to tackle this:

Sadly, this is not a staged "before" photo.  

I realize that I am opening myself up for humiliation here, but yes, this is seriously what the cabinet looked like when I opened it.   After countless times of cleaning and organizing it after the kids completely mangled it on a somewhat daily basis, at some point I resigned to the fact that it would remain mangled until the kids were a little older.  That day might just have come.  Maybe.



The "after" shot.  Don't hate. 

 Seriously.  Don't be jealous.  I am taking a pretty big chance here.  The likelihood is that it will look like the "before" photo within days. 

But maybe not.

The Race Weekend, Part 2: The Race

Sleeping in my own bed may have been nice the night before the race, but at the very least, staying in a hotel forced me to plan for the morning well beforehand.  The alarm went off.  I turned on the coffee pot.  I brushed my teeth and got dressed in my layers that were all ready to go (with my bib already pinned).  I ate half of a chocolate muffin, drank my coffee, checked my ipod and laced up my shoes (with the chip already tied on).  As the kids and my parents still slept peacefully next door, John and I headed out the door at 5:45 AM.

With the race being held so close to the hotel, it was no time at all before I was getting out of the car and making my way down the dark path lit by orange glow sticks toward the sound of music being played near the starting line.  And it was no time at all before the full body shivers began, partly because of the cold air and partly because of nerves.  I had to be there by 6, but my race didn't start until 7:30, after the full marathon and 5K had already begun, leaving me plenty of time to stand in the line for the bathrooms.  Twice.  (Again, nerves.)  Fortunately, my neighbor was there, too, and we got to talk and laugh the time away.  Soon enough, I was lining up at the start.

The gun went off, I started my watch, and I concentrated on my pace, trying hard to heed the advice from so many:  Don't start too fast.  I felt great, but I knew I had to hold back.  There were plenty of miles to go.  When I got to the first water station, I couldn't believe how fast the first mile went.  I looked at my watch: 7:26.  And people were passing me left and right. 

When I began training for this race in April, my training plan perplexed me.  In the plan were written tempo runs, runs that included certain distances at marathon pace, hill sprints, and more.  I had no idea how to figure out what my marathon pace was without ever having run one.  I had no idea at what pace to run for tempo runs when I hadn't run a race since before being injured.  Unlike my high school sprinting days, when I ran as fast as I possibly could for 100 or 200 meters, I realized that this distance running was going to require some thinking and control.  And if it was going to work, I had to have a goal.  I adjusted my goal throughout the training, as I realized of what I was capable.  And not capable.  And when I got to the race day, I had in my head goals in three tiers: what I would be happy with, what I hoped for (which was what I thought I might be able to do on a great day), and what I would love to achieve.  On the pace band that I wore on my wrist was a little better than what I hoped for: 1:45, which was about an 8:01 pace.

So as people passed me through the first couple of miles, I just focused on my music and the sights, and tried to keep my pace.  The second mile came at right around 16:15.  I had slowed a bit too much, so I picked it up and found some people to keep an eye on.  I took my long sleeved shirt off at mile 3.  The sun was just above the horizon over the water to my right.  I tried to take mental pictures as it shone through the trees on such a crisp, beautiful morning.  I looked straight up and couldn't help but to smile.  As I write this almost a week later, the picture is still there.

The miles clipped by.  Water/sports drinks at every mile helped me keep track of time.  As always, I sang along to my tunes, a great play list I had put together specifically for this race.  I tried to keep my voice quiet, though, and did a lot of lip syncing, especially around people who didn't also have earphones.  But, honestly, I was so excited to be running that it was hard to not dance just a little here and there, too.

Near mile 8, I was right on pace.  I had been running near a particular couple for much of the race, and suddenly I heard the guy say "time to go."  At first, I wasn't sure whether he fell back, or if she took off, or if both happened.  But suddenly, I was running ahead of him and she was pulling away from me.  I got out of the trance I had been in for the previous few miles, and refocused.

It was hard, having never before run 13.1 miles, to know how much to have in reserve as mile 10 came along.  I increased my pace ever so slightly.  At mile 11, I finally figured out how to drink from a dixie cup while running without most of it splashing on me or making me nearly choke or drown.  At mile 12, when I still felt great, I knew that it was time to go.  I hit my power song on the ipod, and pushed, with adrenaline rushing through me.  I was nearly there.

The power song ended, one more song came on, and I kept singing...this time perhaps too loud.  The guy that I passed on the left said, "I hate you right now."  I smiled. 

The song ended.  The finish line was almost in sight.  And through my headphones suddenly blared "Hey Diddle, Diddle."  WHAT?!!  Seriously.  I have no idea why, and I can't figure out how.  The song was definitely not on my play list.  But, though pushing the power song again (because I certainly couldn't finish the race with "Hey Diddle, Diddle"), I couldn't help but to run a little faster having been reminded of my kids and how so much I do, including running this race, has so much to do with them.

I approached the finish line, and tried to look for my family.  I couldn't see them, but I could hear them.  "Go Joyce!"  I heard my mom say.  I raised my arms, and seconds later crossed the line, finishing with a time that I loved to achieve.

Almost a week later, I still can't shake the feeling of pride from running this race, and I am not trying to.  I know a lot of people that have run many half marathons, and perhaps some may think I am being a little too dramatic or am making a bigger deal of this than I should, but I am hoping that they know exactly how I feel and can totally relate.  There is just something about setting a goal, working hard for months in preparation, and then achieving or even surpassing that goal.  I enjoyed every moment of this race, wouldn't change a thing, and would totally do it again.

__________________________________________________
Here are the results of my first half marathon, September 18, 2011

Time: 1:43:54
Pace: 7:56/mile
Division Place: 4/72
Female Place: 17/440
Overall Place: 97/800

The Race Weekend, Part 1

Besides an awesome race (which I will write about in another post), this weekend was fantastic for many other reasons, including great family time and funny moments. It started out in a pretty stressful way, with me not having gotten all of the packing done Friday night (because I was exhausted and thought that sleeping would be a good idea) and then waking up Saturday with nearly no voice, feeling quite under the weather. Our scheduled departure time was 10AM; the following picture was taken a little after 11AM on the street in front of my house. (For the record, my house looks NOTHING like those across the street...ours is about 30 years older.)

You may notice in that picture that there are three motorcycles and four adults.  My parents made the trip with us on this gorgeous early fall weekend.  My mom, dad, and John all took their motorcycles, and I followed in the car with the kids, rocking out to Kids Place Live most of the way.

 

The fourth motorcycle is that of friends of my parent's.  They joined us for some of the ride.

 

We took our time getting to our destination, which would have taken about two hours had we gone the less scenic route.  We stopped for a great lunch, and then again at a Harley dealership. Harleys weren't the only thing they sold.

When we arrived at our "fake home" as Cortlan called it all weekend, we were slightly disappointed to find that we didn't have the adjoining rooms that we had asked for, but we did have rooms next to one another.  Regardless, the kids loved it. And of course, they gave us plenty to laugh about.  Like, when Cortlan was told to go to the bathroom in room A, but instead showed up in room B and John asked, "Why didn't you just go in the other room like I asked you to?"  Cortlan very seriously (but clearly not truthfully) said, "I don't know how to go to the bathroom over there."  To which Everly replied, "Wit your penis, Tort."  Um, yeah, Cort.  Duh.

After getting unpacked (and using the bathrooms), we went to get my race packet and were happy to see an awesome playground at the packet pick up area, which would also be the Start/Finish line area.

A small purchase from the running vendors later, and we went to check out the lake.

Perhaps the highlight for the kids, though, was pizza in the hotel room followed by their first indoor pool experience ever, where Cortlan swam for the first time without any flotation devices.

Can you tell he was proud after his first solo swim?

As the day came to a close, my thoughts went to the early wake up call I was going to be getting, and then immediately to the hotel experience that we had in June.  Fortunately, my parents stepped in and saved the day by offering to let the kids sleep in their room.  The story is that they finally were asleep at about 10:30.  I was dreaming sweet dreams by then.

And after a slightly rough night of sleep, the alarm went off at 5:10 AM...

A million thanks from a runner

I have officially run 506.5 miles (or so) since the first week of April, which is when I began training for my first half-marathon.  That race is this coming Sunday, and I have a mere 10 more miles to run until that big 13.1. 

I am so lucky to have many amazing friends that have encouraged and supported me through the training, by doing everything from writing my training program to providing me with playlists to commenting on Facebook to actually running with me.  I am sad though that, due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, the friend with whom I signed up for the race isn't able to run it.  But I will just pretend she is there listening to me breathlessly sing to Ke$ha and Pitbull and Mumford and Sons as I make my way to the finish line, and all will be well.  To be honest, since she lives so far away from me, we weren't ever planning to actually, physically, train together.  And despite the fact that I was hoping to have her there at the race pushing me along, I think that what I needed most was the push to sign up for the race in the first place, and that she did.  And she has encouraged me and answered my annoying, novice questions all summer long.  So for all of that, I thank you, Coach A.  :)  I will miss you on Sunday.

I am also incredibly lucky to have a husband who has been totally willing to work around my somewhat crazy running schedule, especially since the beginning of the school year, when time became very scarce.  The bedtime juggling act combined with trying to get 6-8 mile runs in before it gets too dark has been challenging, but John has fully supported my efforts and goals, and has sometimes nearly pushed me out of the door as I lingered a little too long doing "one last thing" before I left.  I didn't even have to set my alarm to wake at ungodly hours to fit my 12 and 9 mile Saturday runs in the past two weekends.  Thanks, babe.  Love you.

Finally, I must thank my kids for accepting completely that Mommy runs, for respecting and expecting that it is a part of our lives, for encouraging me, for wanting to go to my races, for asking if they can run with me, and for constantly asking me if I am sweaty.  And for giving me the best hugs, even if I am.

Let the countdown begin.

To him, it sounded like pretend

It didn't happen quite the way I had anticipated. 
Scratch that.  Anticipating it hadn't even happened at all.

We were out and about in the neighborhood on Friday after dinner, and being a beautiful evening, most of the neighborhood kids were out.  Our neighbor had just bought a new motorcycle, and as it pulled into the neighborhood for the first time, everyone gravitated towards their driveway and congregated there...adults, big kids, little kids.  Cortlan enjoyed hanging with his buddy and the big kids; I kept my eyes on him and noticed the look of awe and admiration as he listened to their discussions, not all of which I could hear.  Everly sat on the lap of a neighborhood girl and giggled.  Pulling them away for showers and bedtime was difficult, even an hour after their usual bedtime.

As I was sitting on Cortlan's bed after reading him a short story, I asked him about hanging out with the big kids.  He liked it, he told me.  And then he said, "They told a story, and I don't know if I can tell you."

Immediately, I knew I had to find out what this story was. 

"Sure, you can, honey," I said, "You can tell me anything." 
"Even if I wasn't supposed to hear it?"
"Absolutely.  You can always talk to me."

A few more go-arounds, and the story came out. 

"They were talking about airplanes and that the airplanes hit big buildings and crashed and broke."

Wow.  My son learning about 9/11 at four years old from the neighborhood kids who had discussed it at school that day.  I waited for him to continue.

"Is that real?" he asked.
"Well, yes, honey," I said cautiously.  "That did happen...a long time before you were born.  Two airplanes with bad guys on them did crash into two buildings."
He looked at me, not sure whether to believe.  "Well, the pilots are supposed to be good guys!"
"You are right.  The pilots are good guys, but the bad guys on the plane took over and kicked the pilots out."
"Oh.  And they crashed on purpose?"

I could see that this was just incomprehensible to him, as it was to everyone that watched it happen that day ten years ago.

We continued the discussion for a few more minutes, and I turned the focus to all of the heroes that day.  We talked about the police and the firefighters and all of the "good guys" that helped to save so many lives.  With the conversation coming to a close, Cortlan's thoughts again turned to the bad guys, reavealing his concerns.  "Are those bad guys in jail?" 

The lines between imagination and the real world had blurred, and he needed to know that we are safe. And I did my best to reassure him.

I never anticipated that I would be having this conversation at this stage in the game.  And it wasn't until this conversation that I began to comprehend what it must have been like for those mothers and fathers of four-year-olds whose other parents fell victim to the horror of that day.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all who lost loved ones that tragic day ten years ago...and to their children and brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers and friends.  My heart goes out to all of those innocent little boys and girls who realized that day, for the first time, that bad guys aren't just on TV. 

And my heartfelt thanks and admiration goes out to the brave men and women that showed us that real heroes aren't just on TV either.

In Rememberance.  9/11/01

A conversation with Everly

I sat her on the potty and then the conversation went something like this:

Everly:  I need paci.
Me:  Paci??
Everly:  No. Paci.
Me:  You do not need a paci.
Everly:  No. (thinking of another way to say it)  Cashie...
Me:  What are you talking about?
Everly:  I need cashie.
Me:  Ok.  What does that mean?
Everly:  Um, you shut da door...
Me:  OH!

Yep.  My two-and-a-half-year-old just asked if she could have some privacy.  Here we go.

I feel a change a comin'

I used to be super organized.  At least I thought I was...until I had kids.  Now, I just have completely random stuff everywhere.  In every corner.  On every surface.  Let me look around for just one moment...  Right now, there is triple antibiotic ointment on my computer desk in my kitchen.  There are a pair of jeans on my counter.  There are two of Everly's hair ties on the floor.  There is a stack of stuff ready to go downstairs.  There is a stack ready to be filed.  And then there are the papers that I just don't have a clue what to do with all scattered about. 

I am not quite sure what happened to me, but I can pretty much say when it happened...about four and a half years ago.  That is also right about the time when my desk at school went from immaculate to "there is a desk under there?"

But let me tell you what I did yesterday:  I finally made little days of the week placards and organized all of my handouts on my counter at school so that the kids can see what they missed in an instant and get what they need for themselves.  Gone is the stack of manila folders on my desk and sorting through for the papers that they missed.  Why didn't I do this years ago?  I have no clue.  But it is awesome.  And I can still see every part of my desk so far this year.

And let me tell you what I did an hour ago:  I made a grocery list on a google doc and organized it by aisle.  Yep...boldface titles like "dairy."  It felt so good.

Could it be that I am finally getting my organizational groove back? 
Well, I haven't replaced the batteries in my labeler yet, but...baby steps.  I am taking baby steps. 

Recently...

My kids are playing so well together right now that I almost feel that I shouldn't be in the same room with them for fear of ruining the whole thing.  I mean, I just heard them give the Little People pig a time out.  Why do I want to mess with that?  So, I figure I have a couple minutes to vacuum or write lesson plans.  Or start a blog entry. 
As I have clearly not had the time to write much in the last week and a half, it isn't for lack of ideas.  Here is some randomness from recent times:

• My kids are surprisingly well-adjusted.  Or maybe they are just tired of us.  After all, they have been stuck with two teachers as parents and, thus, stuck with both of us all summer long.  I for one have enjoyed it, but at the end of the summer, leaving them can go one of two ways:  the screaming-and-crying-because-they-are-so-used-to-being-with-us-that-they-are-like-barnacles-stuck-to-our-legs-as-we-try-to-make-our-exit way, or the "See ya!  Good riddance!" way.  Well, there were no tears as we left last Friday for the weekend to head to the fabulous wedding of one of my bff's.  And when I called my sister (who so kindly watched the kids for us) to see if anyone wanted to talk to me, Cortlan literally said, "That's a 'No thanks' for me."  Ummm...ok?
• Thinking the whole thing was a bit of a fluke, I braced myself for the kids' first day of school this week.  But, the two bounded out of bed in the morning, got ready with no resistance, and happily ate their banana as we kissed them goodbye.  It was like we hadn't skipped a beat since dropping them off at the beginning of June.  At the end of the day, they were both happy and smiling and looking forward to going back the next day.  Whew!  Now if only the morning routine would stay so smooth...
• A few things about running:  There are only three weeks left until the big Race Day.  I am feeling good.  But I can't believe how just three days back at work totally affects how I feel when running.  I am sure I will get used to it to a degree, but I will SO miss my morning runs.  And not wearing heels all day.
• A question:  Could it be that summer seems even shorter now because a day is less of a percentage of our lives as we age?  A four-year-old's summer is almost 5% of his life.  A 34-year-old's summer is only about 0.5% of her life.  Yes, I calculated it.  I have come to terms with my nerdy side.  And I think it is a pretty good theory.  I mean, it does seem that summer is about 10 times shorter than it used to be, right?
• Cortlan started gymnastics on Wednesday.  He absolutely loves it, and I am so happy about that.  It is apparent to me, however, that he has inherited my athletic prowess.  (Keep in mind that I did not make the volleyball team when I tried out in 9th grade.  I don't think I have ever in my life hit a softball.  And my golf skills are reserved to the occasional mini-golf excursion, which is great if the high score wins.  Yes, I run, but that requires no coordination.)  But, he is having fun and I enjoy watching him.  Everly, on the other hand, could deal without having to wait through the entire class.  I have to work on something else to occupy her.
• And speaking of Cortlan, he has actually been sliding more towards the helpful side of the spectrum, the other side of which being hindrance.  Kids always want to help.  It just happens to be that, most times, them helping really just means more work for the parents.  The other day, though, the kids and I were sweeping the grass clippings off of the sidewalk, shoveling them up, and dumping them into the wheelbarrow.  At one point, I had to take Everly inside to go potty, and when I came back, Cortlan had cleaned up and entire pile of clippings, and I didn't even have to clean up after him.  Today, John said to him, "You have been a really big help recently.  I can't wait until you can do plumbing and fix the car."  Cortlan replied hopefully, "I can plumb the car today!"  Maybe we will keep him from the tools for a while.

The Good, The Bad

I figure there is always two sides to the coin, always some good and some bad about everything.  Or, something nice and something that kinda sucks.  Here are a few examples:

Kids growing up:
Kinda sucks: We will never get to experience this again.
Kinda nice:  We will never have to experience this again.

Having a broken dryer:
Kinda nice:  Having a great excuse to not do laundry.
Kinda sucks:  People tend to still wear fresh clothes every day.  The pile is growing.  And growing.

Training for a half marathon:
Kinda nice:  I am pretty sure my legs haven't looked better since high school.
Kinda sucks:  My second toenail on my left foot will never be the same again.  I hope a pedicure can at least disguise it a little bit for the wedding I am in this weekend.

Kids that sleep until 8AM:
Kinda nice:  I get to sleep til 8 AM, also.  Or, I can set my alarm and have a cup of coffee, check my e-mail, and go for a run all before they wake up.
Kinda sucks:  The fact that I will have to wake them at 6 AM to get to school on time.  I am pretty sure that is going to be torturous for all involved.

Going back to school:
Kinda sucks: Um. Don't get me wrong, I love my job. But man I am going to miss the summertime freedom to hang out with John and the kids, run in the morning, plan the day on a whim, and sleep.
Kinda nice: The return of structure and routine, the chance of a great group of students, the opportunity to start fresh and do things even better this time around.

Here is to focusing on the positive.

(Feel free to add your own in the comments!)

On eating and growing

Two quick things:

1.  While Everly seems to have recently experienced a growth spurt, growing 2 full inches since April and going up two shoe sizes, I think that Cortlan might be at the beginning of one.  For breakfast this morning, he had a bowl of oatmeal, a ton of grapes, one and a half eggs, several pieces of turkey bacon and a glass of juice.  The other night at dinner he had four helpings of a chicken pasta dish I concocted, and I think he would have had more if there had been any left.  The night before, he ate a burger the size of which I could barely finish, plus extras of the sides.

2.  Forget PB&J (ok, not really), I love that my kids couldn't get enough of this lunch:

tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, crusty bread from the bakery, olive oil and balsamic...yum!

Balance

I realize in my life that one of the most important things contributing to my sense of happiness is balance.    Work, play, family, friends, self, and exercise...all priorities in my life, all with their place, all necessary in my "big picture."  I find my stress levels rise as soon as the balance shifts too heavily towards one thing or too far away from another.

And here we are, August 11, with the start of school just around the corner.
And any balance that I have achieved this summer will soon be gone, and I will have to find a new balance.  And that really stresses me out. 

How do I spend the last days of summer?

Do I relax on the deck and read a magazine?  Do I paint the walls?  Do I play on the floor with my kids?  Do I get on the computer and do some school work?  Do I go for a run?  Do I go to the museum or to the pool with the kids?  Do I go shopping?  Do I organize?  Do I go visit my friends?  Do I clean the house?  Do I set up playdates?  Do I get a babysitter and spend some time with John?  Do I take a moment to write a blog post?

How do I spend the last days of summer?  And how am I going to do all of the things that I want to do once school starts?

The reality is that I am not going to be able to do all of the things that I want to.  But hopefully, I will be able to find some balance. 

Balance is something I need to be happy.  Balance, however, is one of the hardest things for me to achieve.

But as I begin this new school year in a couple of short weeks, my resolution is to continue to strive towards that goal.  Balance...and perspective.