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.