Mermaid 5k

Yesterday I ran a 5k.  To most that seems unimpressive.  To me, it even seemed unimpressive.  I think it partly seemed unimpressive because I signed up for the Mermaid series 10k in September but then had to go down to the 5k earlier this month as I just started running in January.

For some reason running is not in my DNA.  I never have been a runner.  In more resent years I have wanted to be a runner but not sure if my body agrees with that sentiment.  I have NEVER felt that runners high, or that moment while running where I just settle in and "find my stride."

When I ran yesterday I was excited.  I felt like a runner standing at the starting line... then I started to run.  Seriously, within 2 minutes I was done!  I continued 3.1 miles of pure agony and pain.  The only reason I didn't stop to rest was because my awesome friend, Jess, ran with me the whole time.    I tried to have her go ahead of me, mainly because I didn't want to slow her down but secondly because I knew with her running with me that walking wasn't going to be a option... and it wasn't.

Jess likes to run.  She is one of those people I don't understand, yet admire at the same time.  Seriously, what kind of person LIKES to run?  Her happy attitude and appreciation of how "beautiful the day is" started getting on my nerves.  When I started to feel slow and tried to catch up even with her she would congratulate my effort to pick it up and she would too start going faster - again, I was using all my energy to just run next to her so it ticked me off when she sped up!  The thing about this race is that there are a lot of 12 year olds running it.  You don't feel more humbled then when a 12 year old passes you while you are huffing and puffing to just get forward movement.  Well, that is until a grown woman in a pink tutu passes you ( I vow to work harder next year so no one in a pink tutu ever passes me again).

All this to say, I made it to the end running the whole time.  I thought death was at my door but then I started thinking that death probably doesn't knock on the door of people running an 11 minute mile!  What at one time felt unimpressive to me all of a sudden became personally impressive.  I've been running a few times a week on a treadmill and not once on the road for about 3 weeks.  I have 3 kids and a thousand of excuses not to try.  I would have walked if Jess wasn't there but she was and I didn't and now I know when I feel like I can't that I can.

My goal for this year is finishing.  Giving up is easy, finishing takes work.  I have never felt the desire to run a half marathon - I still don't.  But I WANT to want to do a half (got that?).  I'm chasing after that runners high.  It has to be out there somewhere, right?

So here are this years goals:

• I want to do another 5k and beat my time (33:28)
• I want to do a 10k
• I want to do a mud run
• I want to do a family 5k and get everyone involved

We'll see how it goes, I am excited for the journey.

catching up in one post

So life happens and it's hard to document it as we go.  Three kids seem to keep me busy but here is one post with pictures to catch us up.

The rest of Christmas is collage form:

December was filled with letters to santa, cookie exchange (sort of - if you were there you know what I mean), trips to the zoo (in the rain), santa visits, and santa hats.  There is no better time of year then the holidays, I believe that to my core.  I love the smells and sights of Christmas.  Watching the boys get excited over Christmas lights and traditions that come with the season.  We were SO blessed to have all the family together for Christmas.

Now the decorations and all packed, lights are down (well, not ours - yet) and the weather is cold - San Diego cold that is.  Things are quite and mellow.  I think I need the month of January just to recuperate from December.

January in pictures:

January brought more Zoo trips, and lazy days hanging around the house.  We did get to meet up with some cousins for dinner and got to soak in the beautiful city we live in.

There, we are now caught up to February.  We can now talk about the current... in the next post!

Pretty cute huh?

YEP!

Tis the season

We start every December 1st off with a new set of Christmas pajamas.  This season was no different.

The next night on our Advent Calendar was reading the Christmas story.  We brought out the boys toddler Bible and we read about the birth of Jesus.  We talked about what a manger is and who Joseph was.

Three boys have very short attention spans!

A few days later we spent our last day at Disneyland before our annual passes expired.  I get so much grief for how often we go to Disneyland.  Here is the reason why I do it:

The memories I have from going there are priceless.  

My boys have a great time and Tim and I love seeing the joy on their faces.

We can spend the day as a family and just enjoy hanging out.

Here is this years annual ornament

We also did our annual trimming of the tree with hot chocolate and cookies while watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

I cherish these moments with my kids.  They can have their moments of crazy difficulty but they can also bring joy like none other (I say this as Tim is yelling at Luke for the millionth time for grabbing ornaments off the tree)

This time of year we struggle with trying to keep the boys grounded in what the real reason for this season is.  Ryan and Noah are very much into receiving gifts this year.  It gets harder but I know as we continue to talk about it their little hearts will become sensitive why we celebrate this time of year.

Catch up

Halloween photo dump here you go

Halloween was fun but feels like a looong time ago.  We walked around the neighborhood and the kids got a TON of candy in which they ate a few pieces, Tim and I had a few pieces, and then we tossed the reset.  We finished the night eating pumpkin pie and the boys ran around in the front yard while the dads had some desert and beer in what we like to call "the beer garden" (or front yard).

Thanksgiving was great.  Tim and I got to get away to Vegas for a few nights by ourselves.  I had so much fun and really came to value the importance of having alone time with my husband away from the kids.  I think we really needed those few nights away.  Thank you SOOO much to my aunt and uncle who watched the kids for us.  You guys are the best.

I actually have no pictures of Vegas or Thanksgiving.   Well I have a few from Thanksgiving but honestly they are just of Ryan crying that the wish bone broke before he was able to pull on it... why did he have to learn about the wish bone at school?

Wait.  I forgot we met up with some good friends while we were in Vegas and Kylie posted a picture of us.  She also sent me one via email but it is not very flattering  (you know, what happens in Vegas...)

There you go.  Not even a picture with the hubby but a fun one of Kylie and I before we went 

zip lining.  

I want to fast forward to current time though.  I have so much stuff I want to write about.  It just seems hard to find time to sit down and write it though.  

I do have big news.  I FINALLY got a smart phone.  Yep, that would be an iPhone 5.  This is huge in my life.  Instagram is such an easier and faster way to document life right now.  I love taking pics with my new phone!

This also means I have a whole lot of pics to come.  December is the month of Advent and we have been a busy family around here.  With Christmas pajamas, Disneyland, movies and hot chocolate, I have a ton to show you. 

 But until then...

Happy Birthday Luke

One whole year?!  What happened?  Where did it go?

Luke,

I think I blinked to long and you turned 1.  You are full of smiles.  EVERYONE in this family just can't get enough of you.  Ryan is your protector.  He gets so upset if he thinks you might get hurt doing something (like eating paper).  He follows you up the stairs when I forget to block off the stairwell.  He even shares his food with you - that's big!

Noah loves to play with you and you love to play with him right back.  I think out of all of us you enjoy climbing on him the most.  Noah tries to be gentle with you but it's just not in his nature and you don't seem to mind.  I think you have the same streak of crazy in you that Noah has in him.

Although, when you are not happy... we all know.  You have a scream that demands immediate attention.  We all joke that you came into this world with a big cry.  You skipped over the infant cry all together.  You take after me when it comes to sleep - you LOVE to sleep.  I love to let you!

I am sad my mom will never get to meet you.  I know she wanted me to have another child.  She had such a special relationship with Ryan and Noah yet they were special in different ways.  I wonder how you two would have connected.  I'm sorry that relationship will never be known.

You are starting to walk.  You stand great all on your own and once you stop being so lazy you will be off and running.  I can't wait.  I love the walking stage more then the crawling.

I look forward to another year of discovery with you.  I am blessed I have been able to be home with you all day from the day you were born.  I promise I will make the most of it, I know how fast you will grow up!

I love you always,

Mom.

Disneyland - Fall 2012

Another month means another trip to Disneyland.  We went while Ryan was on fall break for a few days.  This was our first trip back since our passes were blocked out for the summer.

I know that a lot of people avoid Disneyland like the plague.  I get it.  I was born and raised in southern California.  For my family growing up Disneyland was just something we did.  We would go once a year at Christmas for my mom's birthday, she too loved Disneyland.

I feel blessed to be able to now take my kids there with me.  At this age there are not too many family vacations worth spending our money on.  The kids won't remember it, they can't all swim well enough to enjoy a vacation with lots of swimming.  Disneyland just works for us.  We used to go for a day or two once a year but it became stressful.  It was so expensive to go and with naps and hot weather slowing us down we felt we weren't getting our money's worth.  This is now our second year having annual passes.  It is so much easier to not have to feel like we needed to get EVERYTHING done. Our passes expire in December and I'm not sure about renewing them since Ryan is in school full day now.  We'll see.

For now, I continue to cherish the time I have with my family at the happiest place on earth.

The boys loved the new "Car's Land".  It was pretty much like being in Radiator Springs.

I think this is the first time I was able to get Ryan to pose with a character

Parade 

Goofy with Goofy!

One day I think I will write a "Disney Tips" page.  I have a ton of them up my sleeve.

Ryan's 6!

So here we go.  A full month since the last blog post.  It's been busy around here with two birthday parties.  First things first.  My first born baby turned 6!  Crazy.

Ryan,

I sometimes find myself staring at you wondering who you are going to be when you are older.  You are so smart.  You love to read and write.  When I ask you what you like best about school you say writing.  You have a special love for learning that even inspires me.

You have a gentle spirit.  You feed off of praises and go into an emotional tailspin when you get in trouble.  You always tell me "I just want you to be proud of me."  I always respond back to you that I am ALWAYS proud of you when you are doing your best.

You know exactly how to get your brother upset.  I think you took a class on "the joys of upsetting your younger brother" when I wasn't looking.  Although you LOVE to get under his skin you also love to play with him and hang out with him.  Noah and you have a relationship I will never understand - and I'm okay with that.  You are an amazing big brother to Luke.  He is so lucky to have you watching over him.

You crack up at the word Butt.  Even when you are reading "but" as a sight word.  You love playing with your hot wheels, and riding your bike in the front yard.  You started your first year of soccer this year and you LOVE kicking the ball around.  You have already become such a great little player.  You have already ran 20 miles at school this year and you are so proud of yourself for doing so.  You are going to be Iron Man for Halloween this year (even though your dad had to tell you who he is).

Your smile warms my heart.  I am so proud of the little (tall) man that you have become.  Your dad and I thank God for you everyday.

I love you,

Mom

Luke 11 months

 I think I have gone through most of this year just posting Luke's monthly pictures.  Well, he is almost one, maybe that means I'll get my act together and start posting about other stuff again.  At some point this whole "three kids" thing has to get more manageable and therefore allow me more time right?...right?  I guess we'll find out.  Until then, here is Luke's monthly picture.

Sorry, I kinda loved both non smiling pictures and since it is my blog I posted them both.  Isn't he cute!

We just finished celebrating a birthday here today. Pictures coming soon.

Hustle

Hustle= To move quickly


It gets me crazy when we are running late somewhere and the kids are moving at a snails pace.  Now, if you know me, you  know I'm ALWAYS late getting somewhere.  In the mornings we will tell Ryan a thousand times that he is going to be late for school and he needs to hustle but it seems very inefficient to actually get him moving.  He lives his life at his own pace.

For some random reason this morning I started thinking of the word that I have used oh so many times on my slow moving children.  What it means to hustle.  This morning when I went to drop Ryan off at school, I decided to run home, er, jog, home (I think my jog is a tall persons walk). I think I am missing my hustle.  I ran jogged about a half a block and everything was already hurting.  I know people who actually enjoy running, we can't be having the same experience.  I have a feeling the only way to get closer to where I want to be is to... Hustle.  To keep going and doing it quickly.  To get up and move.

I had a conversation with a friend, Jess, who is nervous about her child birthing experience that will be coming up in the near future.  After one less then stellar birth story she wants this experience to be different.  I remember telling her that the only way to make sure you don't have the same experience is by doing something different.  Now, did she listen?  Well, yes and no.  She heard the same advise from someone a little more "hippie" then me and THEN started looking into changing things - but I'm sure I planted the seed!

The reason I tell that story is because I sit here looking at the scale for another morning and I can't seem to get the number to change.  Then, it hit me.  My words came back to haunt me... if you want a different result, you need to DO something different.  Ugh, I was talking about childbirth, not myself.  To be honest I never though of applying it to my life, this was what God was saying to me about HER life!

So here we are.  Another workout post.  Sorry, I have tried not to do it but I have no choice.  I wasn't writing about it because if I did I would actually feel obligated to DO something about it.  It has come to that point though.  I have arrived at the crossroads of Get UP or SHUT UP.  So, I'm getting up.  Goals are still to be worked out but they are coming.