Let's do this!

Right now I feel like a little girl at Christmas. My 1/2 marathon race in Eugene, is in 3more days, and I am pumped and excited...okay, a little scared out of my mind but for me that's normal. I have everything packed and ready to go, and now I am doing the countdown. This is a race I actually feel I prepared for. I have been running for over a year now, and I have been training to be faster, (not that fast) but fast for me. I have been drinking gobs of water and peeing my head off, and I have even been eating good this past week. I haven't had any chocolate which is a miracle for me. I have even been making myself get the sleep I need. I am ready, and no matter what my pace ends up being I will be happy to have conquered another goal and know that I worked my butt off to reach it.

A sunny day...'bout time.

Can I just say that this has been the coldest, rainiest Spring in my life so far?? We finally got a nice sunny day the other day...for the first time in for.ev.er. It was awesome. We took the kids out and did our Easter celebration and some yard work. Scarlett, I must say is totally obsessed with outdoors. We let her play out for a very long time, but all good things must come to an end, right? Not when it comes to Scarlett. When she found out she had to come inside crying, screaming and crocodile tears flew everywhere. Scarlett is the type of child that thinks everything must go her way and within a very short time period or all heck breaks loose. Ya gotta love this little girl though. Who couldn't feel sorry for a face like that? I wouldn't trade her stubbornness for the world.

No more pee pleeeeaaaaasssseeee.....

Nice post title, huh? I am sorry you have to put up with my crudeness, but I am so sick of peeing I could hurt someone. I decided to set a goal for myself to drink more water. Or should I say to drink water in general. I don't like to drink water unless it's a hot day, or I am running. So, I figured it was time to start. So, yesterday was my first 8 glasses of water day, and I seriously felt so huge and bloated and uncomfortable...I think it's because I drank all 8 within like 6 hours. This wasn't smart on my part. I have done much better today and actually wrote myself a water drinking schedule, and it has worked great. Only problem is, I still have to pee 24/7. I don't get how anyone could actually like drinking this much water. This better have a good payoff because a diet Pepsi sounds so much more inviting right now. Although, chances are...if I drank that, I would still have to go pee.

Reading to my little hens...

I have said many times on this blog how very much I love reading to my kids. It makes me feel close to them. It makes them feel close to me. It makes me feel like they are being nurtured. It's an overall happy feeling that I like. So as you can imagine, when I was looking around our local toy store recently and saw the classic book The Little Red Hen...I about had a heart attack. I absolutely and positively love this book. It's just the right length. Not too long, not too short and has a good moral. I snatched that little baby up as fast as I could and $4.95 later I was at home reading it to my own little hens. We have read it about 20 times since we bought it a few weeks ago, and just like most Golden Classics, it never grows old.

Trout Lake 10k

I ran the Trout Lake 10k today and let me tell ya, it wasn't half as fun as the last 10k I ran and a little on the discouraging side. I started out way strong, running at an 8:30 for the 1st 2/1.5 miles, but then a hill hit...not a huge one...in fact very gradual, but it lasted a long time and it was accompanied by some very strong wind gusts. If you know me well, you know that hills are evil and wind is even more evil in my book. Wind keeps me from breathing properly causing me to feel like I will hyperventilate. The feeling sucks. Overall I finished at an average of 8:48. I am happy with the time due to the unfun conditions, but I would have liked to have finished at a quicker pace. Oh well, what did I tell you last time I ran a 10k at an 8:38 pace? You would probably never see me run that fast again?? At least I'm not a liar now. On a greater note, Connor ran the 5k and did awesome! That's a whole 3.1 miles and he hasn't even been training. You rock in the greatest way Connor!!

Bra's aren't for babies...

Scarlett you have plenty of time before you'll need one of these...and believe me, they aren't all that fun to wear...no need to rush things.

Okay, cut it out...it's not funny anymore.

Austin will be 11 in a few months and I'm starting to not be okay with it. I am seeing Halee grow into a woman and now Austin is going to start turning into a young man soon? His voice will change? I am not okay with this. I need my little boy to keep his little voice, and to not care about girls or if they are cute or not. I need him to continue to think they have cooties. I don't need facial hair (or any hair other than hair on his head) to present itself. I need my little boy to be a baby again. I know I sound whiny and I complain about the subject of my children growing up wayyyy too often but it's on my mind more than you realize, so whoever reads this blog gets to hear about it...sorry. I love my little guy, along with all of my babies. I don't care what they say, they will be my babies for ever and ever and even hairiness and deep voices etc. will not change that.

Dressing Up...

I started collecting dressups around the time Grace was born. Halee never took a huge interest in dressing up but I think that's because she didn't have a younger sister yet, or maybe she just thought it was boring....I never liked dressing up as a kid either, but I love that Grace and Scarlett do. They are so funny, running around like a couple little women. They would live in these clothes if I would let them.

You're never too old to kiss...

My parents have been married 43 years, and apparently they don't think so either. Kiss the one you love today...I know I will.

Staying young...

What is it with having that natural instinct to love and nurture babies even when you're just a baby yourself? I am the nursery leader where I go to church, and there are around 4 two year old girls, and one lone 3 year old boy...poor kid. All these girls, and I mean all 4, love to play with our basket of dolls. Feed them, cover them up, put them to bed, you name it. And what does the lone boy do? Play with the warrior castle guys, which of course carry swords, or knives, or shields. We really don't change a whole lot from birth to adulthood if you really think about it. We're still just us. I hope I still feel as young as I do now when I am 80 years old. I might not like my wrinkles when I get to that point, but that doesn't mean mirrors will have to exist in my house.

Grace's love notes to mom.

Grace can't really write notes, but she'll scribble on paper, then come to me and read what she wanted it to say. Today she looked at her note and said "You're the best mom eber (ever),with hearts in your tummy, and bones. Amen."

Grace's toes...

This past Christmas I got the two youngest girls some Tinkerbell jammies. Grace has worn hers every single day since...not just at night, mind you....all the time if I let her. Finally they are quickly coming to the end of their life. The feet officially have holes in the toes, and her little toes aren't liking it. It's.About.Time. I have to admit though, a little part of me will miss her begging to wear her Tinkerbell jammies every second of every day.

Connor turns 9...

My little Connor turned 9 on the 31st of March. He was an Easter baby the year he was born in 2002. He was the best Easter gift ever, ever, EVER! He had a sleepover party with two of his good friends from school. We got him a Football cake because he is obsessed with Football, and I am glad he is because this non sports family of ours needs someone to push us to enjoying sports. We love Connor and without his upbeat outgoing fun self life wouldn't be the same. P.S all he wanted for his b-day was a leather jacket. He wears it everywhere, including to bed.