Here we go

Leaving shortly for our trip down to Richmond. After 10 loads of laundry, the house is feeling back to normal and cleaner. And my running clothes no longer stand on their own.

Everyone keeps asking me if I am nervous about running a half marathon. Truth be told, I am not. Being my first long race, I have no expectations. I have a timeframe in my head based on my long training runs as well as a friend's time from a half marathon she ran last week, but I am not going to panic if I see I am slow.

My goal for this first race is to run the whole 13.1 miles. I feel prepared. Last week I ran 11 miles by myself and while it was hard, it was great. I was slow, slower than I think I should be, but I decided to throw in some hills towards the end and also didn't have to keep tempo with anyone. I know during the race I'll find people to run along side who will keep my pace where it should be.

I have come to love running. I NEVER thought I would say that. I feel like I can get away from life for a bit. I enjoy the time outdoors as well as the company of fellow runners. I have loved the training for this race, especially increasing mileage. I couldn't run more than 2 miles last spring without feeling really winded. But running with friends and using the training schedule from www.halhigdon.com has allowed me to increase slowly to the point where I am very comfortable running 6 miles. I especially love the peace I feel after a run. My mind is clear, my attitude adjusted, those endorphines sure do a body wonder.

I have a lot of good music to play during my run, many of the songs remind me of people in my life who love and support me, of great times we have had together. Not to mention they are just good ole funky beats.

I am excited to accomplish a new goal, another perk to this whole new world of running. Mentally and physically challanging, feeling on top of the world when I cross the finish line.

I took the photo from this site, thought it had a pretty interesting article with it.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/crazy-life/200904/exercise-good-depression-whose-bright-idea-was

Even being conservative

and making the kids wear pants at least two if not three times before throwing them in the laundry basket



we have accumulated so much dirty laundry. Ten days ago the previous owners of the home came and removed their washer and dryer. I painted the laundry room and finished the first coat of paint in the bathroom to cover the builder white.

Two days later the laundry room and bath across the hall were tiled. Told to wait until this past Monday to make sure the tile and grout were fully set, we made an appointment with Sears to install our washer and dryer we have carted around with us since leaving Holly Springs. They have not been used in close to two years...

Installers arrive and tell us they can't install due to the drain pipe (for overflow) not extending far enough beyond the floor. He tells me the tile needs to be pulled up...the tile that was just put down.

So today I finally talk with the guy who installed our tile (who has built three homes) and he tells me there is no need to pull up the tile, a plumber will be able to extend the pipe easily.

Not only did the plumber extend the pipe, he was able to flip the washer with the dryer so loading wet clothes into the dryer will be easier.

Needless to say, we are VERY ready to have the install tomorrow. Ten days of laundry, including very stinky running clothes is enough.



This may be a "to be continued" if two years of storage has not been kind to our appliances!

apple harvest

About a mile away is a family run apple orchard that has been here in town for a long time. The town is moving forward with a planned road right through the orchard, taking out many fruitful, mature apple trees, and limiting the farmer easy access to his entire orchard. The road would ease Main Street traffic especially after the two concrete shopping centers are built both adjacent to the orchard. As much as I loved Harris Teeter in NC, do we really need a third grocery store in our small town?

I took the kids to pick apples, but to also meet Farmer Brown.

Love her imagination

I love this assignment Avery's teacher gives the class. She gives them writing paper with a black mark on it. The kids have to draw a picture incorporating the black mark and then write three sentences about their picture. This is so in line with Avery's imagination.
So the black mark today was this half circle. I asked Avery how long it takes her to think of something to draw and write and she said "Oh just a couple of seconds." She even includes the movement lines and the frustration symbol by the turtle's head.

 

 

I flipped through a sketch pad Avery has been using and found a three chapter book she had written. It was about a whale who was upset because his friend made fun of him. It is titled "A Whale Who Cried Dinosaur."

Such a big help

Jackson, Lucas and I ventured down to the basement this morning to clean out the corner of sell, give away, throw away. Jackson rode his tricycle for a bit and then disappeared. No big deal until I heard him drop something in the kitchen.

Came upstairs to find the coat closet open, Lucas's food container open, Lucas gobbling up every morsel, Jackson laughing and putting more food in the dog's bowl with the food scooper.

Jackson was so proud he had helped "bubba" and of course Lucas was thrilled to have a partner in crime. I had to physically pull Lucas from the container of food. Lucas is a very happy dog this afternoon.

I also opened two boxes of home goods yesterday, both with styrofoam inserts that exploded everywhere. As I grumbled about the mess I had made, I turned around to the sound of the dust buster, Jackson ready to clean up.

Every day I am so surprised at how much he understands. He is a doer, a go getter and while it is hard to parent/keep up with this type of personality, I know it will serve him well as he grows.

fluff because I am exhausted

Got a couple of heavy topics on my mind the last few days but I am not quite ready to put them into words (and *possibly* be judged). They are important topics to our family, things I believe belong here so someday the kids can read and see what their parents stood for and believed in.

But I am exhausted. Trying to juggle everything is tiring. I am still week to week on my articles, so every week I scramble to pull something together. It ALWAYS comes together, but sometimes that means Monday morning with a Monday afternoon deadline. Can make for an interesting weekend. I love my job though. I meet the nicest, most creative people and I love having something to call my own.

The half marathon in Richmond is 3 weeks away! It has been a wonderful outlet and stress reliever, but trying to get 'in' all my training miles has proven tricky. My goal is to run all 13 miles. No time in mind, but hoping to build from here for future 1/2's.

Hopefully Stephen's schedule will slow down in late November, so we are gearing up for some home projects. Still kind of living like we just moved in. Local paint store is having a sale this month, so we picked colors and are ready to go once we have a little time. Living room, Charlie's room and kid's bath are on the list. And we are going to jump on painting the laundry room before the new tile is installed in two weeks.

Stephen's job is a little high stress right now, Charlie seems to be crying at school when he is frustrated (his parents are doing the same at soccer when he insists on pouting on the sidelines), all this and just plain ole regular life is wearing me thin and keeping me from posting anything too serious (or even posting at all these last few months).

Charlie took this photo of Lucas. It makes me smile.

Memorable weekend

Visiting with family we haven't seen in quite some time and in that visiting, meeting a new member of the family and celebrating her first year of life with delicious cupcakes.

Sitting around a fire with good friends watching the kids (big and little) make smores.

30 mile bike ride with Stephen. We haven't been out riding together in a long time and I haven't done 30 miles in at least 7 years.

Playing yellow car.

Hearing Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" sung at deafening levels by every attendee at the wedding.

Bagels and Taylor Pork Roll.

Watching one of my dearest friends marry the man of her dreams.

Spotting three rainbows on the drive home from New Jersey. As Lauren said, sign of a great weekend!