Random Thoughts & Photo Dump

Man, it's been a while. I blame the never ending winter. Who gets snow the week of Easter?!?! Especially, when Easter falls mid-April?!?!

Enough of that...

Random thoughts on this random Thursday...

The girls like stealing my phone and doctoring photos with A Beautiful Mess. They're pretty cute and sweet on their brother.

Jack is also a fan of stealing my phone. Usually for Subway Surfer but this time I got him to take a selfie.

Josie is such a reader just like I was. Now, I tend to get stuck playing mindless games on phone like 2048. Every once in a while, I force myself to read instead. I love curling up on our sectional in the hearth room and reading. Josie apparently does too.

She picked out a real winner at the library last week - an Italian Dictionary. 

I was in a goofy mood this morning on my way into work. I like those moods. They don't come around often and they don't tend to stick around either, especially on office days. I probably should have gone and done something creative but instead I sat at my desk and filled out condo questionnaires and other random paperwork.

We checked out an architectural salvage company this weekend. Wow was this place cool. Tons of neat stuff for a home. And, a Spiderman statue. Too bad it was sold.

I'm feeling very (very) iffy about the upcoming Indy Mini. I was sick last week with a cold and didn't run at all. Now, I can't keep up a good pace and everything hurts from my knees down. I haven't been very consistent with my mileage this cycle and I think it's catching up to me.

Also, I've given myself a pass on one part of my running goal this year. My thought was that if I hit under 1:50 in a half, I would train for another marathon. I decided this week that I may be sabotaging myself with hitting that time because I really don't want to train for another marathon. So, new goal... if I can hit a sub-1:50, I can quit running. (I'm in a "I hate running" season right now. It will pass.)

The "Marathon Man" we saw during the October race reached his goal of running the most marathons in one year. I can't remember how many but it was a lot. I'll bet his knees hurt worse than mine.

I'm signing Jack up for preschool which makes me tear up a bit. He saw the brochure and thought it was hilarious that Santa comes to preschool.

I decided on Friday that I wanted to make bows for the girls to match their soccer uniforms. I got this one done - beginner's luck because now I can't seem to make any more without really screwing it up.

We "planted" a "garden" this year. Use of the double quotes is needed because it was a little more like sticking seeds randomly into some dirt. Our plot is where an old, dead pine tree used to be. I used a yard rake to churn it up a bit and then let Tessa stick some seeds in haphazardly. I'm pretty sure you won't find those instructions on any gardening blog.

I want so badly to be the type of household that has a bountiful harvest every summer and fall - so many zucchini that you have to put it in everything. Well, we didn't even plant zucchini. We have lettuce, spinach, red peppers, jalepeno peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, and spearmint along with some sunflowers and sweet peas for Tessa. My best guess? We'll scrounge up one or two cucumbers.

The 100 Acres at the IMA is really cool. Tom was a little less than impressed on Saturday when we took the kids out to enjoy the 70 degree day. But, I still say it's cool.

Promptly after "planting" a "garden," and frolicking around in the outdoors, it snowed.

We got a call on Saturday asking if we wanted tickets for all five of us to go to the Pacers game. In a suite. Uh... yes please! The kids were totally spoiled for their first professional sporting event! They loved it though.

We've done a lot of spring cleaning this spring, including the guest room and the garage. The garage could already use it again.

The kids are loving the ability to play outside. Everyday they beg. And, Josie finally got up the guts to take off the training wheels on her bike. Her favorite thing to do is ride around the loop in front of our house. I have a sneaking suspicion that Tessa won't be far behind.

Soccer's been a big hit this season too. Josie is figuring out to be a great defender. Tessa finally decided on her own that she wanted to play. Moms of younger kids - I learned an important lesson. It is best to wait until kids are willing to play on their own accord. Tessa's a real go-getter this year! Attacks the ball and wants to be in the action. Better than the field crying she did the last time she played.

I heard a really great speaker at MOPS this week on Discipline - Marianne Miller - website here. She made it sound so easy. I have really been trying hard to implement her strategies this week but find myself saying her big no-no's, like, "Stop crying" and "if you ______, I'll give you _______" and "you'd better do ________ or else _________." Baby steps right? Most importantly, I remember that she talked about how God made each of our children exactly the way they are for a reason. That helps when Jack is screaming and stomping because I won't let him eat his fourth piece of Easter candy. Or, when I start to win at Candy Land.

I just looked through an old photo album of me when I was a kid. I can't believe how much I see Josie and Jack in those pictures. Tessa? Not so much.

Every once in a while, these two get really photogenic.

Other times, I get this.

I forgot how much 3 year olds love egg hunts. He thought it was awesome.

Told you it was random. Until the next random update...

OK winter. I give.

Time to call in the mercy rule. 

I'm so beyond sick of this miserable weather that I any even think of one positive thing to say about it. 28 degrees that feels like 17 because of the 25 mile an hour winds is just unacceptable for March. 

I've been talking myself into being ok with it all. I've purged and sorted, snuggled up to the fire, and chowed down on too much comfort food. 

I've been a good sport. Now, I'm just done. Enough is enough. 

Spring break will be a very welcome reprieve. Winter... You are put on notice. There will be none of this when I return. 65 is the absolute minimum temperature you will reach in April. Period. 

Spring and summer has never looked better. There. Something positive. :)

Looking Forward to It...

After 5 days with an out-of-town husband/dad, followed up by 5 days of sickly children, I can honestly say I'm looking forward to a few things that I would never have guessed would seem fun and exciting.

1. A committee meeting - usually to be dreaded, last night was a great excuse to get out without kids and enjoy adult company along with chips and salsa.

2. Grocery shopping - alone. Enough said.

3. Working late - I am dreadfully behind on all things work. This includes our year end stuff which has to be done before taxes are even started. Sitting behind a desk and crunching numbers sounds fun. {Says the girl who always did her accounting homework as soon as she got home from class because she enjoyed it so much.}

And, then, there are the things I would obviously be excited about too...

1. Spring Break - We need some good old fashioned family time. I'm looking forward to a slower pace, book reading and sunshine!

2. Deliveries - I was a little overzealous this weekend while home with the sick kids and ordered some spring clothes online. Now, I'm impatient to get them here!

3. Warmer temps and sunshine - We had a teaser of a spring day this week which was promptly followed by a day of snow and freezing temps again. Soon, spring will arrive. Or, we'll jump right into the super hot weather and I'd be OK with that too.

Winter Weekend #383

Ok fine. It's not the 383rd winter weekend but it sure feels that way. In my new found promise to enjoy every last bit of this season, I put myself to work. 

First, I emptied out the desk, closet and under the bed of the guest room. I decided that I want a true home office so Tom and I can both be productive. I've taken over a little table in his tiny office and, while it was nice to be close, we didn't get much work done. This shift should help. Plus, as the kids get older, I really can get more done at home. 

It always gets worse before it gets better. This room had certainly become the catch all. 

Tom added some closet shelves too which really helped. The printer and my files are now inside the closet. I even managed to get pretty contact paper in the drawers. 

Doesn't that look inviting? I keep finding myself in there and hanging out. I've made sure there is a spot on a shelf  in the closet for clutter so it's always a clean and inviting space. 

Added bonus? I can nap whenever I feel the urge. :)

That was all day Saturday. I still have a huge giveaway pile to deal with too. 

Today was spent on thinning out coats, hats, single gloves etc. I always seem to do this at the end of the season and feel guilty that I can't get them to someone who needs them when it's seasonally appropriate. That causes me to just never do it. Better late than never. Here are my new, labeled, mudroom bins. 

Tom also worked on some projects, mainly all mine, this weekend. Thanks Tom. Along with adding shelving, he also started on our chalkboard wall. I have grand plans for this sucker! His plans also include a frame which he is staining in the basement so it will come later. 

Finally, I did my long run (8 miles) in the snow and it wasn't just on the ground - it was actively falling. I decided this week that my long runs would be run outside regardless of weather. I've had two nasty weather race days in a row with zero nasty weather training to prepare. So, I decided to give it a try. Plus, I'm so beyond tired of the treadmill I can hardly stand it. 

I thought I was crazy but turns out others had the same idea. Though I didn't see anyone on the trail today, there were plenty of footprints. It was a slow (very slow), deliberate run and I was careful where to step so I didn't twist an ankle, but I did find it enjoyable. 

Tonight, continuing in the spirit of trying to enjoy the season, we're watching Rocky IV (where he trains in Russia in the snow) with the fireplace on. 

All that said, it's fine by me if this is the last winter weekend. Bring on spring. 

Winter

I had a thought today as I was perusing Facebook and all of the reports of impending 6-10 inches of snow for the weekend. It's been a long winter. Like really long. This is our winter of '78. This is the "when I was kid" winter for our kids.

I realized that this winter reminds me so much of the ninth month of pregnancy. You can't wait for it to get there and then you can't wait until it's over. It's the longest month of your life. It's full of pain and uncomfortableness. It makes you want to sleep and eat all the time. It makes you grumpy. 

And then spring comes. Birth. And all of hardships of the last month seems to have disappear. New buds and babies and blue skies are here along with new challenges. Severe weather. Late frosts for the crops. Droughts. Sleepless nights. Fussy babies. And just a piece of you wants to go back and curl up in front of the fireplace - shut in and out from the world and having a million understandable excuses for not leaving the house. 

Time passes faster in the spring and you have a new fear of missing out. Missing firsts like rolling over, or new foods, missing blue sky days when you have to work, missing the thunder storms when they come at night and you can't watch them roll in and the skies change. You want to soak it all in because you know that soon it will be gone with the weighty heat of the summer humidity and we will all retreat to all cool homes for reprieve. 

Both seasons are important and anticipated. And both should be welcomed and enjoyed. And both need to pass. This weekend, I'm going to do my best to enjoy the (certainly?!) last snow of the year like I would the last rolls and pokes in my belly; knowing I'll be longing for it later. The glaring difference between winter and pregnancy is that winter is guaranteed to visit every year, unlike pregnancy which is guaranteed, thankfully, to not. That in itself is bittersweet. 

Here's to enjoying the season.

Critz Tybee Run Fest - Part Three - Home Again

(You can start here with Part One.)

Sunday was a beautiful day! We packed up our stuff and headed out of the house and to the beach! It certainly wasn't warm enough for swimming or tanning, but it felt glorious compared to our freezing temperatures at home. We took lots of pictures to remember that feeling!

We had to tear ourselves away from the beach and head to the airport. Very quickly we went from the photo on the left to the photo on the right. 

Reentry to real life was tough on all of us. And, the fact that we had to majorly scrape the ice off our cars from the storm the night before didn't help. But, we had a wonderful trip and wouldn't have traded it for anything! On the plane ride home, we were already planning next year's getaway! 

Thanks for the great trip girls! I'll leave you with something that one of us said about a trip like this. 

Critz Tybee Run Fest - Part Two - Race Day!

(You can start on Part One if you'd like!)

Woke up to some crummy weather news on Saturday. Rain was already steadily falling.

And, not just rain, but then they started calling for thunderstorms too.

49 and raining is not pleasant and feels cold. I know this because it's just too close to the race in October which was 45 and raining. We bundled up the best we could and had a quick breakfast. The half had a later start because one of the other races started first. We tried to stay home as long as we could since it was pouring. 

Before leaving on the trip, I went to get a once in forever manicure - even though my nails were really short! I had them done to match the shirt I was going to wear which coincidentally also matched my socks and my watch. When it comes to running gear, it is possible I go slightly overboard on the purple. 

Turns out, no one ever saw my purple shirt because I ran the whole thing with my jacket. Which, by the way, was a Christmas gift from Tom and I absolutely love it! One of those things I would never buy myself but I'm so glad to have. 

When we arrived at the start line, they told us the start would be delayed since the first race was delayed due to the storms. (If you ran all of the races they had that weekend, you would run a full marathon.) We took the opportunity to take a few photos. (Forgive the lighting - it was really a nasty day!)

We got started just a few minutes behind schedule. It was a fairly crowded start considering it was a small race. I'm not going to recap this one because it's just been too long to remember! All I know is that it was one of my worst feeling races and if Claudia hadn't been there to push me and my friends hadn't been there to cheer me on, I'm not sure I would have broken 2 hours. The first part of the race felt OK, but it started going downhill around mile 5 or 6 when the torrential rain started in. At one point, I thought I was going to lose my breakfast which is a first too. All in all, not a great race, but I will say that I gave it what I had and came out with a great time that I would have been very proud of just 9 months ago so I won't beat myself up about it.

Enough with the negativity! We had some great cheerleaders along the way! At one stop, Claudia even did a cartwheel for the crowd. :)

Finally, it was over! I passed by the stand passing out cups of PBR to round the corner for the final 0.1. If I look happy, it's because I was! I love races that end by turning onto the last little section on a straightaway.

All done!

I wish I could say that the weather improved, but it did not. Rainy and cool rounded out the day. After showers and lunch, we went to the lighthouse area in Tybee to find the local art show. We went into the little shop there and went to the beach as well. The gray skies weren't helping though! We decided to come back the next day for better pictures in hopes the sun would be out. But, just in case, we snapped a few photos.

Along the way though, I did find this cute little beach cottage that was for sale. 

Then, back to Savannah we went! We did a little more shopping and found Byrd's Cookies. At first, we were a little confused but then figured out that the cookie bar was all about sampling their selections! Yummo! They're little biscuit-y type cookies and they had a handful of different flavors, both sweet and savory. Most of us bought some for our kids... or maybe for ourselves! 

We also did a little shopping the Paula Deen gift shop which was full of butter related gifts! We settled in for an early dinner there at Lady & Sons which was good southern cooking. I'm just glad I had run 13 miles earlier to get some of it burned off! 

Home again to settle in for the night after another great day!