All I want for lunch...

... is to sleep. This happens probably twice a week at our house (when I'm not able to give him an early lunch due to our schedule), and I still think it is the cutest and funniest thing ever. Thankfully Asher transitions to his crib no problem. Poor guy; being 19-months old is tough stuff!

In my inbox this week...

... came a few photos from some running friends that I wanted to share with you.

This first one is my running friends from the 10K clinic after our big 10K Legs for Literacy event. Our instructor finally sent us that group picture and I was so glad to receive it. We all look pretty tuckered out, but so proud I think!

Then one of my running friends, who was an Olympic Torch Runner, brought her torch to our clinic this week! I GOT TO HOLD IT! So cool! She ran with the torch the day of our clinic, so she also came decked out in her gear. I felt like I was running with a superstar when I ran beside her that night. Check these photos out!

Wordless Wednesday - the chair races

Asher (and Marek) love to run around the house pushing these little chairs. I don't get it, but it's a daily yell and giggle fest in our house when it happens, so I know Asher gets a kick out of it. Here's some pictures from yesterday...

Smelly Play Dough Recipe

We used to use this recipe at Headstart when I worked there, and I'm so glad I kept a copy of it! It yields a ton of play dough, has that multi-sensory element with the scent component, and is super easy to make. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

3.5-4 cups of flour

1/2 cup of salt

2 packages of kool-aid

2 cups of hot water

3 TBSP cooking oil

Directions:

1. Mix the flour, salt and kool-aid in a large bowl until well combined.

2. Add hot water and cooking oil.

3. Mix together until a dough is formed. Add more flour as needed if the dough too wet.

Store in an air-tight container and enjoy!

The song in my head lately...

... is this awesome and thoughtful tune from Jon Foreman (the lead singer from the band Switchfoot). Here's a youtube video of the song, which really isn't much of a video, but atleast you get to hear the song!

Wordless Wednesday - play day with Marek edition

Many of you know I take care of a friends little guy 2 days a week. His name is Marek and he and Asher love each other. Recently Asher started using his name; it sounds like "Maiee" (I have no idea how to type the sound he makes, but it's definitely in reference to Marek). So because of that, this edition of Wordless Wednesday is just from yesterday, in honor of our buddy Marek.

10K and then some running update

I realized the other day that I have so much to share with you, oh Internet world, about where I'm at with running.

About 3 weeks ago now I completed my first 10K race; Legs for Literacy. I had been training for this event for the whole 10-weeks of my 10K training clinic at the Running Room. It was a great event! There were a lot of runners participating in either the marathon, half-marathon, 10K or 5K runs. I can't remember how many runners, but the number 1200 stands out in my mind, so I think it was somewhere around there. It's such a powerful experience to be running with that many people; I think I could have ran another 5K on the energy and momentum from the group alone!

There were torrential rains the morning of the event, but surprisingly the weather cleared up for the run. Because of this rain, though, Greg and Asher did not come to cheer me on. I met up with my running friends, and stayed with most or some of them for the whole 10K. I actually found the first 5K pretty easy, and I think I had a little high after seeing my lovely friend Melanie volunteering at the 5K mark handing out drinks. She did a little shout out to me, and that kept me going strong. There were tons of people cheering the whole way along the side lines for friends or family, and I must say, it's so encouraging to have someone who you know cheer you on. Friends, WHEN I do that marathon some day, be prepared to be strategically placed to do just this!

The last 1.5K of Legs was pretty tough, and I had to talk an extra walk break because it was almost all UP hill. Even though I had done weeks of hill training, having a mother of a hill at the end of a race was pretty tough. But the point is, I MADE IT! My time was 1 hour 9 minutes and 13 seconds. Not too bad for my first 10K event.

Here's some photo's of the experience...

Getting all my gear laid out for the event:

My running buddy Nicole and I before leaving for the event:

A professional photography group, Marathon Photo's, was on-site and I found this picture of me running at about the 8K mark:

My clinic trainer has yet to email us the "after" picture, but atleast I have this event certificate to prove that I did finish:

I consider it a big accomplishment for me to go from couch to 10K in just 6 months! But the story is not over yet friends because I have now joined the half-marathon training clinic. I am 3 weeks into training for a HALF-MARATHON! It still sounds crazy to me to even say that. I'm going to run a half-marathon?!?!?! Wild. I haven't been as diligent as I would have liked with keeping up with the training schedule, but I'm still managing OK. Actually, the training schedule doesn't seem to be that difficult, except, you know, for the running 21.1K part. I have 13 more weeks to get ready for that though. 13 weeks. That should be no problem, I'm sure (I say as I try to convince myself...). I LOVE to run though, so that should carry me through.

4 years ago today...

... I married my love. And even though there are days that don't feel so lovely, there is much love in my heart for this boy. Happy Anniversary Greg!

Wordless Wednesday - Snack Machine Puzzle Boy

Just a snack machine boy...
... being cute...

... smilin' for his Mama.

Mastering puzzles...

... in the blink of an eye.

just what I needed

This weekend we took Asher to get the H1N1 vaccine. After sitting on the fence for weeks, and much debate and research later, we finally decided to do it. Once we made the decision though, it was near impossible to find a clinic giving shots to Asher's age group, even though he is in the high priority group. Saturday morning, a clinic was offered for children aged 6 months to 5 years. The clinic opened at 10 AM, so we arrived at 9. It was freezing cold, and I'd say there were already about 300 or so people in line ahead of us. Some people had been there since 6:30 AM! Crazy! Anyways, we decided that Asher and I would go wait in the car after about 15 minutes of being outside, while Greg stayed in line to tough it out for us. Asher did finally get the vaccine around 12:15, and it's such a relief to have it done!


Then Saturday night I hung out with my favorite mom friends for our first movie night (this was also the first time all 5 of us hung out without the babes!) It rocked! Good food, good wine, good company, lots of laughs; I love these gals! Of course we watched a chick flick, which was equal parts funny and sappy. (Stay with me, these 2 random stories do connect!)


I had a little moment to myself as we were at that critical part of any chick flick movie, you know, the main-character-faced-with-internal-dilemma-cue-sappy-music part? I thought about Greg standing in line for 3 hours, in the freezing cold, with hundreds of cranky, crying kids around him. Greg, my dear husband, giving of himself, serving our family, providing, selfless, and not complaining one bit. He, doing this, as Asher and I sat in a warm car, had snacks, read books, listened to music, and played with a farm toy; all the while Greg and I texting each other with updates. Greg doing what he does best; providing and serving for his precious family whom he loves dearly, and me doing what gives me more joy than I can possibly explain; spending time with my son with no agenda and no distractions. The little messages that Greg and I texted back and forth, checking in, words of care; a sign that our bond, our partnership, and our communication is central to making this whole thing happen. I love our little family so much, and from the deepest part of my being, and I'm so thankful to have had that morning to bring that to light.


And then the realization of how blessed I am to have good friends. Sitting around with a bunch of women I've known just under a year now, but who have become a staple in my life. Women who, week in and week out, I get to experience and share Motherhood with - something I so needed - and in the end, I get to experience life with. And then thinking of all the other wonderful friendships I have... church friends, and running friends, and book club friends, and old friends whom I cherish, all who have enriched my life deeply. Wow, I'm humbled.


It's amazing how God can use such simple moments to remind us of all the blessings He has given us, isn't it? Lately I have been really struggling with wanting "stuff" (an ongoing issue for me), stuff that we can't afford, don't need, and that ultimately won't bring me any happiness, and I know that. I'm so grateful that God used these moments, and this day, to remind me of what's truly important and meaningful in my life; friends who I can laugh with and share life experiences with; my son and my husband who bring me more joy and love than I ever could have imagined possible. It sounds so cliche, but I really do sense that God has blessed me richly, and for that I am eternally grateful. This day was just what I needed.

boots off

This is going to be an interesting winter if Asher doesn't get the hang of walking in his boots. Check it out; it's pretty cute!

Also, as you can tell, Asher is repeating words like crazy! He already has 30+ words on his own, but he repeats like this all day long. Now I really have to watch what I say in front of him. (Yikes)

Halloween updates

Halloween was a jam-packed day in our world! Asher had been at a sleep-over at his Nana's Friday night. We picked him up bright and early Saturday morning to head to a Toddler Halloween Party! There was a crazy amount of people there, but it was OH so much fun!




After a nap and a quick lunch, Asher went trick or treating. He visited his Grandma's with some of his cousins, and got his second present of the day (both from grandmothers)!



Then he went to visit his Grandpa and had a lot of fun playing in the leaves at his house!

Then it was back home for some supper and to hand out treats. Asher certainly enjoyed this Halloween more than last, and he didn't mind wearing his costume. I have a feeling Christmas is going to be a blast!

Wordless Wednesday - Dress shirt and a Blackberry

I saw this idea for a regular post on some blogs I read, and I loved it! Basically on Wednesday's, you just post a picture or two, without the pressure of having to write or come up with some big explanation to go along with it. This could totally work in my world! So here's the first of my "Wordless Wednesday" posts; I hope to make it a habit.

Dress shirt and a blackberry; this boy is becoming more like his Papa everyday!