Weekend in pictures

We had a great weekend! Cousin Conor and Auntie Lynn came to visit from Chicago! We had a busy weekend playing at the park, out back, and the pool! Here some great pictures...

Saturday in the park:

Jack Jack down the slide.

Conor down the slide.

Jack must have gone down the slide no less than 25 times, thanks Pop Pop for helping each time. He was looking at a big dump truck driving by.

Hercules thinks he can move anything!

It's a speaker, I was talking to her from the

other side of the park!

We said, "Conor give the fox a kiss."

Diva in training.

The boys DID not want to pose for a picture.

We tried about 5 times!

Love him!

Jack actually stopping for a break! Whoa!

Love those boys. I wonder what they are thinking...

Playing in the backyard. Conor and Jack decide they both want to climb on the slide.

Wait! Where did Conor go?

Bad Jackson!

Swimming at the pool! Sydney is a fish!

Jack stays in the raft for about 35 seconds. Just after I snapped this pic he attempted to jump out. Thankfully MomMom was there to nab him. He is just a mover and a shaker, not really a relaxer!

Eating corn on the cob!

First Conor

Sydney ate 2!

Jack = not so much. He threw his to Cooper.

It was a great weekend! Can't wait for more time with our cousin CJB. Love you!

--best

Why I Run

(warning-really long but WORTH it post, keep reading)

I was always athletic as a child, my whole family was. Growing up in Minnesota it was a requirement to play soccer. I hated it. I was always afraid of getting hit by the ball, I don't really know why. I also hated all the running. I was never a runner. I dreaded the mile run in middle school, I thought I was going to die. I eventually quit soccer and took up swimming, much more my style. I enjoyed it and was a pretty good backstroker. After HS I took up the very popular sport of bar hopping in college - I do believe I got a varsity letter in this sport. Post college I walked our dogs and that was about all the exercise I even thought about. It was during this time that I got pregnant with Sydney and traveled to Chicago to watch one of the single most influencing events of my life. My older sister ran the Chicago marathon, 26.2 miles! I was blown away! It was one of the funnest days of my life. My parents, little sister, sisters BF (now hubs), some of her friends and I traveled the city via El and foot to make it along the route to cheer for her. We even were captured cheering for her by a news crew and featured in their story of the race! We'd only see her run by for about a minute but she looked fantastic, happy, determined, so cool - I thought it was amazing. There were so many runners, so many people watching and cheering - that day ALWAYS stuck with me. She set a goal, and did it. Why can't I do that?

Life with kids is busy. Very busy. Especially after your first, you don't know if it's night or day, you don't really shower, you don't really eat, you just feed/change/cuddle the baby. After Sydney I didn't do anything for myself, this led to some unhappy days. She was my world and I didn't think about much else. Soon things got better, I started working full time and I often thought about that day with my sister in Chicago. I was jealous of her determination and goal. Also my 3 sisters are size 0/2, me = not so much - so I thought this would be a great way to lose some weight. I started off slow, I didn't really know what I was doing. I ran slow. Jogged if you will. But I started to do pretty good. I got through that I'm going to vomit stage. T and Sydney used to drive me through the neighborhood and drop me off 2 miles away, I'd run home. I think he secretly enjoyed driving his wife and dumping her off, "ha! run home!" (evil laugh as he speeds away) So that summer I ran every 3 days and really was enjoying it, could I really train for distance? Just when I got the wild hair to do it I got pregnant with Jackson. That pretty much stopped all training.

After Jack life was difficult. He was a sick baby, stress was high. I made the decision to keep him home with me while working instead of daycare during the first 6 months of life. Because of his sensitive condition we didn't really leave the house. So the only break I got was to run, 1 hour of me time. I would run out the stress, fear, anxiety - I would cry - I would laugh - I would make evil runners faces. Runners faces? Oh I guess mine are a combination of I'm going to die/I'm going to puke/don't talk to me. How do I know? Because when I run by people they glance at me and then they look back and stare. So I must be looking like a confused asthmatic looking for her inhaler. (no I don't actually have asthma) So I was running every couple of days but not with any purpose, mostly to get out the tension.

During this time my best friend started training too. We didn't know each other had been running. Both of us were beginners. We started training virtually with our ipod Nike+ syncing program - so cool. And then we often talked about training for a distance, a race, a goal. We looked into various races, we did a 5k. Went pretty good. After that we focused on a bigger goal. The Denver Half Marathon 13.1 miles. We trained all last summer virtually and did our long distances together. I talked with my sis about the miles, hopping up distances and pacing myself through the training. When I started running 5 miles as my new "normal" I felt a sense of accomplishment. Wow, I'm actually a runner. This is fantastic. I did it.

Race day was quickly approaching. Yeah I was running 15 - 18 miles a week but never all at once. Could I do it? I was getting really nervous. I remember driving to my parents house and thinking, um they only live 11 miles from us, I'd STILL BE RUNNING! AHHHHHH! Never a good idea to clock miles in your car it is a mind (insert word here). My BF and I got together on a Friday night in Fort Collins and ran 10 miles. The night was cool, the trail went through some wooded areas (I thought any second a scary man was going to kidnap us) but we did it. WE DID IT! That night was amazing. We both knew we were ready. And we were. Race day came and I was no longer nervous. I remember crossing the starting line and thinking, no matter what, no matter how much pain I feel DON'T WALK. Push. Push. Push.

I thought about so many things that day. My family cheered me on throughout the course. Is this how my sister felt that day? It's an amazing high.
You focus
you run
you feel pain
you push
you want to puke
you push
you just run.
The people along the route really give you strength, even if they don't know you they cheer for you. My BF and I must have looked like we were dying at mile 12 because this lady really called us out and cheered, cheered, cheered. We giggled and pushed. We saw the finish line. I almost started to cry. My family was right there, I heard my Mom scream my name. I couldn't believe it. I DID IT. Me! Girl who hated to run just ran 13.1 miles! Whoot Whoot! It was amazing.

This summer I've continued my training, not as intense, but I'm still running. BF and I just signed up for a pretty cool 10k. Hopefully next summer I can focus on a long race again. I'd love one day to actually run the Chicago Marathon just like my big sis did. She inspired me to do it and because of that day I am the person I am today.

A daughter.
A sister.
A wife.
A mom.
A runner.


Thanks for reading my really long post. Now if you could please VOTE for me, I'm really close to breaking the top 100 so keep clicking! And as always feel free to pass on my blog to anyone that might enjoying my stories.

Soccer and a night away!

Last night was Sydney's first soccer game! It was so cute but so stressful! I thought the parents at T-Ball were nuts - this is a whole new ball game! The kids have no idea what to do, they understand to run after the ball but when you get a group of them against each other it just gets crazy. The poor coach runs the whole game with the kids shouting out commands, I do not know how she does it! And then there are parents cheering. I did notice one parent that was particularly hard on his son, "get the ball! get the ball! what are you doing?" I had flash backs of childhood soccer, not my parents, but just remembering sideline dads yelling. Sydney did pretty good. She mostly just ran with the crowd, I don't know if she got any ball touches but next time maybe she'll do better. It's just too cute!

She is so cute! Orange, ugh, but she wears it well!

Running after Coach Maggie! Go Syd Go!

I die! She is just a natural little sporty girl!

#3! #8 has the meany butt dad! But he was making eyes at Sydney after the game. I think his name was Zach?

Getting some coaching from Daddy!

Ahhh so cute!

***************************************************

Their bags are packed, it's time to go...

Mommy and Daddy get a free night from madness!

The little monsters are headed to MomMom and PopPops for the night! We have a wedding and we are staying at the resort! Yippie! MomMom better review my recent post for tips and need to knows! I guess I shouldn't tell them that lately we've been calling Jack, Evil Jac/kenvil. He is climbing everything, standing on everything, I looked at him the other day and he was standing on top of a ride on firetruck.

I think they'll be fine...

Wordless Wednesday

BIG SISTER HI JINX

Fantasy Mommy Team

In honor of the start of Fantasy Football - and yes I do belong to a few leagues - I thought I would create a Mommy Fantasy team. A compilation of my favorite REALITY tv mommys!

Points would be awarded for:

Surviving kid meltdowns
Surviving husband's stupidity
Cute outfits for mommy and kids
Cute kid and/or husband
Extra points for cute names
Making a homemade meal
Arguments with fellow mommys/housewives
Extra points for items or tables being thrown
Parties, Parties, Parties
100 points per mention of being stressed or how hard life is

Negative points awarded for:

Use of nanny, cook, driver, or stylist
Crying will be an automatic DQ and 1 week on the bench
Messy hair or appearing disheveled
Walking off/out of episode

My Fantasy Mommy Team:

Tori Spelling

Yeah I know me too, it's mostly been a love/hate since 90210 and her really bad boob job but- since becoming a mommy and doing reality tv she really isn't that bad.
Scores big in: Homemade everything! Parties, cute kids and clothes.
Point buster: We all know she loves her nanny Patsy!

Caroline Manzo

No one can take a hit like this mean Italian mama. Mess with her and she'll have a fix on you faster then the sopranos can find their hammer.
Scores big in: Homemade Italian food! Scaring the crap out of all the moms in NJ with a look. "let me tell you sumthang..."
Negatives: Her kids aren't much to look at and I'm pretty sure she isn't styling herself now a days.

Kris Jenner

I bet in the 80s she was a really great stay at home mom to Kourtney, Kim, Khole and Robert. Now this mom of 6 and grandma is all Hollywood with a complete set of Louis Vuitton family DRAMA!
Mommy points: Lots of hormone driven arguments with reality star children and their questionable spouses.
Deduct loads of points for looking disheveled, both Kris and Bruce.

Casey Jones

Star of TLC's Quints by Surprise this mama of quints and big sis Eliot is super cool, super cute, and super fun to watch. This power mom will score LOADS of points in all areas, surviving meltdowns, cute kids with cute names and a super cute hubby!

Downside: you won't see this mama have a meltdown or argument on screen, a big no no for T.L.C.

The entire cast of NY Housewives

If you watch the show: nuff said.

Loads of points both +/-

Happy Fantasy Reality watching!!

--best

So you wanna try this huh?

My dear dear dear bestie Amber just said to me, "do you want me to trade places with you to give you a break?" Oh Amber, you silly silly girl. If you want to be around my kids here are some things you are going to have to do/deal with...

1. The word poop is a adjective, verb and noun in this house. Please use it appropriately.

2. You don't get to eat your meal - so don't try. You will eat standing up while running back and forth from table to kitchen refilling cups, food portions, getting ketchup, ranch, napkins, tissues, water, milk, salt, pepper, more food and then pre-washing the dishes to get a jump start on clean up.

3. There is no life past the Disney channel so don't try it. If you even attempt to watch the news, Today show, any and I mean any reality TV you will be forced to endure screaming that will wake the dead. Get it?

4. Laundry. At least 2 loads a day so get your arm muscles ready.

5. The parrot will repeat everything. The parrot will repeat everything. The parrot will repeat everything.

6. You will be invaded in the bathroom so keep it short and simple.

7. Because your husband works like a lunatic and works side jobs that have side jobs you are now the gardener. Open the garage, yes the place with the car and all of your husbands other junk, pull out the lawn mower, yes I know it's heavy, lug it to the backyard and mow. Oh, wait, first you must get the shovel that your husband made the size of a midget - I don't know why - and pick up Lucy's poop. See poop, I told you. Then you can mow. Oh don't forget to get around the swing set, loop in and out of the swings and dodge the tree branches. Done? Nope! Pull the mower through the rocks and back out front. Mow the front QUICKLY, you must do this quickly. If you do not you will be forced to listen to Snot Rod choke up a phlegm cookie or have our other neighbors kids ask you "how the family is" like 5 times and he is only 16!

8. Bath time! Kerplunk! Fill up the tub with warm water and soap. Look right - yes that is Jack trying to climb in with his clothes on, phew! you caught him! Plop him in and that speeding bullet that just ran past you was naked Sydney - she should now be sitting next to Jack in tub. Check and check. Ok don't go anywhere because the following events will and I mean WILL happen...
Sydney will drink the water.
Jack will drink the water.
You will say, "ewwww don't drink bath water!!"
You will look down for 1 millisecond.
You will look up and both kids will be drinking the water.
You will now shout, "What did I just say, don't drink the water!!!"
This will continue for a solid 5 minutes. Good Luck.

9. Post bath the kids will need to be put in their jammies. Don't let the shark run around naked - his hose will water Sydney's room! Trust me.

10. Pre-bed time. Home stretch but you have your toughest task left. Jack should be pretty easy. He likes to drink his bottle in his bed while listening to his rainforrest music. Put his pacifier in his hand, if you hear "uh oh" over and over and over it's because he dropped his paci down the backside of his crib like a plinko chip. You must retrieve. Close door. Done.

11. Sydney. Ok partner, saddle up, pull the reigns in tight and get ready for the wildest bucking bronco ride of your life. She'll be stubborn, she'll be sweet, she'll cry, she'll think of 97 reasons why she shouldn't be in bed. Hold tight, stay strong, I have faith that you can do this. If you can corral this pony there are 24 refreshingly cold silver bullets in the fridge. Brush her teeth, take her potty, give a small cup of water, turn out light and get the hell out of there. Retreat to the safety of the couch and hopefully she won't see you!

Well that's it. Don't worry about the huge mess of toys at your feet I'll put those away later. But please remember to pick up your bottles - I'm sure there will be at least 6 after your evening.

Cheers bestie!

--best