Spring Break

Sometimes blogging is a good excuse to put off folding the laundry just a little longer...

So the kids' last day of school was last Thursday. Friday I made them do chores during the day a little, then we met Tim at Wahooz after work. He had some free tickets he had gotten that were about to expire, so we thought we'd better use them up. The kids had a blast!! And I actually got to drive a go-kart for probably the first time since high school. We always have a baby with us that I'm sitting on the sidelines with. But this time, some friends met us there and my one friend offered to watch Jake. It was pretty fun, and Sydney loved being my passenger. The kids also did laser tag, mini-golf, and arcades, and we ate crappy pizza there for dinner. But I sort-of like crappy pizza if I didn't have to make it, and I don't have to clean up after it. :) It was a fun night for the kids and a great way to start their Spring Break. I took pictures and will post soon...

This week I told the kids that I would take each one of them on a date during the day--during Jake's nap time. Yesterday was Sydney's day, and she chose to go see the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie at the dollar theater. An hour and a half of sqeaky little chipmunk voices--what could be better?!? We had popcorn, Root Beer, and chewy Sweet-Tarts (love them!!!). She thought she was pretty cool and definitely hogged the popcorn. So fun to have a little one-on-one time with her and make her feel special!

Today was Brandon's turn, and he chose to go out to lunch at Olive Garden, which was definitely more than o.k. with me! I took the opportunity to teach him a little about how to treat a lady on a date. When we got there I waited til he opened the door for me--it took him a few minutes to catch on. Haha! But then on the way out, he didn't even need a reminder and grabbed the door for me. So cute! Anyways, we stuffed our faces with as many breadsticks as we could stand, then decided to go even further and order dessert. We tried the little Italian doughnuts with chocolate dipping sauce---HEAVEN!!! The only down-side is that now we feel a little sick.

Tomorrow is Ryan's turn, and he wants to go eat lunch at Golden Corral--his tastes obviously aren't quite as refined as Brandon's yet. He's totally excited, though, and it will be awesome to spend a little personal time with my Ry-Ry.

MILE stone

So today I ran 4 miles.

Seriously.

And I didn't die.

I have been amazed at what my pathetic, 35-year-old body is capable of if I really, really push it. I'm not a particularly fast runner, per se, but I didn't stop the entire time. All 47 minutes and 4 miles of it. I guess I just needed to brag a bit. :)

I still have no plans of doing a half marathon or anything. It's more just about proving to myself that I CAN do more than I think I can. And having a fitness/endurance goal, rather than a "number on the scale" goal.

I did three runs this week--3 miles twice, then 4 miles today. Wow! I should be to 5 miles in a couple weeks. O.K. I'm done bragging. Thanks for listening. :)

Little Miracles

So I have never been a runner--NEVER! But I've kind-of always wished I could be. I know most people who are runners are in great shape. But running has always been this thing that I thought only other people could do--not me. It made me gasp for air in the past and cramp really bad.

Well, I have a few friends who are going to do a 1/2 marathon in a few months. Don't be crazy--I'm not doing that! But it has inspired me to push the envelope with what I can do and what I can MAKE myself do.

In the past, the most I had ever run continuously was 2 miles, and I think I only did that twice. The last little while I have been doing Biggest Loser DVDs for my workouts, too, since I was tired of the treadmill, so I hadn't really run for a couple of months. But last night I set a goal (which I really didn't think I would meet) to run 3 miles straight...pretty much a GINORMOUS deal for me. And.....I totally did it! I can't even put into words how freakin' proud I was! Seriously, it felt like a miracle.

It wasn't really EASY, but it wasn't awful either. Thanks goes out to Whitney Houston for her awesome 80's hits that kept me going. I don't know how anyone could run without an MP3 player...

I'm pretty excited to try it again tonight and make sure it wasn't just a fluke. I'm hoping to work my way up to 5 miles--eventually.

In other news, my "leprosy" is finally under control. Since moving to Idaho years ago, my soft, supple skin of my childhood days in Texas has left me. Sniff, sniff... In its place dry, itchy, red, sometimes flaky skin has come. Thanks, Idaho, for your low humidity. By December of last year, it was really bad and I finally called the dermatologist to try and get it fixed. Sadly, it took almost 2 months to get in to see him, but after a month and a few hundred dollars (money well-spent, in my opinion) in office visits and prescription lotions and potions, I'm on the mend. I no longer feel "unclean." So I'll send a shout-out to Dr. Powell for working a little miracle on my psoriasis.

He's at that age...

Jake is 17 months old today. Not that that's a particularly note-worthy age or anything, but the last few weeks, I've decided that he's finally reached the age (or phase, really) that I dreaded when I first told Tim, "I think we should have one more." He is into EVERYTHING and whines so much cause he can't talk and gets frustrated...and all he ever hears is, "Jake, NOOO!!!!"

I know he is a blessing and I love him to pieces...come on, those cheeks (sigh) ...but he's seriously

trying my patience lately and I feel like I can't accomplish anything. The only reason I can blog right now is because he's napping, so I know for a fact he isn't destroying anything...

Yesterday I was putting on my make-up getting ready for the day, so I lost track of him for a few minutes. When I tried to find him, I had no luck. Of course, when you call his name, he's deathly quiet... I finally checked in the office and almost missed him. He has learned how to climb into the big chair and boy, did he think he was HOT STUFF!!! He was just sitting there being perfectly still, trying not to be found...ready to crash my hard-drive, I'm sure...

Some days I wish I could just fast-forward through the hard ages the kids go through, but I guess you've gotta endure the hard to appreciate the good...or at least that's what I tell myself to stay sane...

Syd's lost tooth story

So, about a month ago, the 3 oldest kids had their dental check-ups. Ryan had two cavities, but my sweet princess had 4!!! Needless to say, we had a little refresher course on flossing... Anyways, she had 2 more appointments for the fillings, her last one a week ago Monday. Then like 3 days later, I was helping her floss and noticed her first permanent tooth was up just behind her baby teeth on the bottom. No lost teeth...just a grown-up tooth hiding in back of the baby ones. How is it that the dentist didn't notice that any of the 3 times we were there in the last month?!? Not to dis my dentist, cause he's great, but gee whiz--ANOTHER dental visit for her...

Well, we went in on Wednesday to see what to do and the dentist went ahead and pulled the baby tooth in front of the big tooth and said to wiggle the other one on the bottom so it hopefully comes out before she has another tooth come in. The funniest thing, though, is that she was practically praying that he would pull her tooth so she could finally put her name on the "Who's lost a tooth?" chart in her kindergarten class and get a dollar from the tooth fairy. What kid prays for the dentist to pull her tooth...?

I can't believe how stinkin' cute she is with a hole in her smile. It brings a big smile to my face every time I see it. I just wish her grown-up tooth weren't already coming in, so her jack-o-lantern face would last more than a few days...

Happy Birthday to Me!

Well, another year older...it was so much more exciting to get older as a little kid! Like when you're 5 and a few days, and you try to stretch it out to 5 and a half, or even "almost 6." Those were the days! Up until yesterday I was like, "I'm only 34...and Tim is 37." That made me sound so much younger than him. Those were the days...

It's been a great day, though, filled with many of my favorite things: music, Sonic onion rings, phone calls with family, lots of facebook well-wishes and emails, cupcakes, and Papa Murphy's chicken/garlic/bacon pizza and Olympic ice skating pretty soon! Doesn't get much better than that for me. :)

Tim and I went to dinner at Tucano's last week for Valentine's Day and are going to go see the movie Valentine's Day Saturday night for my birthday date, since tonight the boys both have basketball practice. I'm totally o.k. chillin' at home tonight with the kiddos, my man, some pizza, and some ice skating. I'm pretty easy to please! Especially since I already got my present (a new fridge) earlier this week...

Every birthday I'm reminded of that birthday 15 years ago when the cutest boy I know took me to Porter park after spending all day together and there, in the moonlight, told me he loved me and wanted to marry me. I tear up just thinking about it...cheesy, maybe, but I'm still crazy in love with him and each day I can't wait for his return from work. He is truly my best friend.

I'm also reminded of the woman who was in a whole lotta pain 35 years ago and was probably so happy to no longer be pregnant! And hopefully not too disappointed to be looking at her 4th daughter (sons would come next). Thanks, Mom, for not stopping at your 2 girls and for bringing me into such a great family! Love you!

Curly Girly

I've been wanting to get some new curlers like a friend of mine uses for Sydney's hair, but they're a little spendy...well, last week, Sally Beauty Supply sent me a random 20 % off coupon, and since I have a hard time passing up a good sale, I splurged. Megan and Maggie were here visiting for the weekend, too...so fun!! Anyway, the curlers are so funny...you don't have to wind the hair around them; instead, they come with a huge sort-of crochet-hook thing that you use to pull the hair through the coils that twist on their own. Here is the look the night before church:
And here is the after...love it!!! The best thing was that she loved it, too! She was so excited with how it looked. And I was just so excited that she kept them in all night long. It helps that she can't really get them out on her own, haha!!

Me and my girl...love her more all the time!

All ready for church!