I think I can.....

I just found out that my online running mom group is going to get together May 1, 2011 for the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. These women are coming from everywhere throughout the US. I would like to do the 1/2 marathon which is 13 miles. But I'm so intimidated by that distance. I mean for goodness sake I can only run 3 miles right now. So adding another 10 to that is, well, scary! So I'll set it to the back of my mind as a goal and I'll slowly up my mileage and see how it goes and decide after the first of the year if I think I can realistically do this. It's nice to have something to work for. And it's far enough away so I don't have to pressure myself either.

Brenden is 11

Yesterday was Brenden's 11th birthday. We met Richard at work to have lunch with him and then got to look around in the Rocky Boots store for a few minutes. Earlier in the week Brenden had received cards from both my brother and Dad and Julie, brother's including a gift card to Target and Dad and Julie's containing money. I took Brenden out yesterday afternoon and let him buy some things with his money and he still has some left. He bought a $20 phone minute card, a monkey webkinz (it's a toy that they can play with online as well), some WWE trading cards and a WWE "Big Show" dog tag. Then after Richard got home we gave him his presents from us and Spencer and Cassidy. He's been asking for an ipod touch for a while (before Christmas) and said he'd like to have that for his birthday and he'd forego a birthday party and everything for it. So we got him that and an itunes card and Cassidy and Spencer got him some covers for it to protect it. He's going to have 3 friends over this weekend to spend the night and I'll get an ice cream cake and order pizza and they're going to watch a movie.

I've been biking and running lately. We have a recumbant bike. I've found that biking during the day actually has helped me get through my runs better. My legs don't get tired and I'm not walking the hills anymore, I'm running them! Before, my thighs would hurt so bad when I started up the hills but not anymore. The end of my run is nice because it's all downhill and feels good after a hard run. I won't lie, in my head I've got the Rocky movie theme song going on so I can make it up the hill and then when I get to the top there's a big sigh of relief and accomplishment. I go around my development which is 3 miles from one end then all the way to the back and then to the other end and home. I'd say the last 1/2 mile is the part that's all downhill and much appreciated. I don't want to reverse my run and start out on the hill quite yet because I'd be walking out my door and starting right out on a hill. The weight is coming off slowly but surely. I sure wish it come off a little quicker. I didn't have this much trouble losing weight after Brenden and Spencer were born. I've been stuck at Cassidy's delivery weight for 4 years! I guess what they say is true about after 30 your metabolism changes. Mine up and moved! I never was an exerciser like this before. I dieted and lost the weight after the boys without exercising. I've been dieting on and off for 4 years to no avail. So I'm so thankful that I love running and I'm starting to see my weight go down.

13 Years

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary. We will be celebrating by going bowling this weekend and going out to eat and we'll be going as a family. That's what happens when you don't have a babysitter. In a couple of years Brenden can watch his brother and sister for us for a few hours, but not yet. 13 years, wow. We've had 3 kids, lived in 4 places, had 3 dogs and 3 cats, and had ups and downs with work and family and through it all we've stayed strong. I'm very happy to have a strong marriage and I truly am married to my best friend. Happy Anniversary Richard!

I love you!

Eventful Sunday Morning

We were woken up by the sounds of tornado sirens. I jumped up and said that's the tornado sirens and Richard grabbed Cassidy, Spencer met us in the hall telling us he heard the sirens too and we were telling Brenden to get up and lets go to the basement. Richard got Cassidy and Spencer downstairs and I was last one down right behind Brenden because he was woken up so abruptly and stood there for a minute listening to us but not comprehending what we were saying. The sirens went off for about 15 minutes then stopped and we came upstairs and turned on the news and then they started going off again. The sirens were sounding on and off for 45 minutes. Nothing touched down near us and I have no idea if anything touched down in our county at all, nothing has been reported on the news yet of any damages if any. But I do know that when I turned on the tv, 10tv was out. So that was our morning, I hope everyone else had a calmer morning than we did.

Picture day for Cassidy

I got Cassidy's pictures taken yesterday. She did such an awesome job. Sometimes she gets ornery on picture day but not yesterday. And it was even a new photograper taking the pictures because our regular lady wasn't in. I really liked the new lady too. She was great with Cassidy. So here are the pictures. Sears has changed the way we can view the pictures on their site and now Sears has the trademark on the front of the picture and the photo would only upload this size. Hope you can see them ok.