Cool Running!

So I got crazy and did another 5K in the COLD! But at least it was not raining this time. I ran most of it. I will admit to walking part of it, but I was impressed with my time. I finished the 5K in 34:11. Now, I know that is kinda slow in real race circles. Did I mention I haven't run since October? Yeah, since the half marathon.... My new fast shoes are actually really comfy and supportive. I am so darn excited.



This is my inspiration for doing this 5K. She is my super hot sister in law. She is helping me get back in shape in stead of becoming the mommy blob I could be. :)








Here I am with Mike and April.








Mike is SUPERFAST! He came in 1st in his age division. He finished the 5K in 19:12. The Green Flash..... He is my inspiration to attempt training for a 1/2 triathalon.

fun photos

MAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH Happy Easter!







Allison and I took a tour of Grandpa Bill's goat works. She really liked riding the Cub Cadet with Grandpa. She almost made my heart melt by telling one loud little goat "Don't be scared baby goat. Grandpa help you!"







This is dad's newest puppy. He will live and "become one" with the goats. He is awfully cute, don't you think?










My cool new FAST shoes. They are also exceptionally comfortable for my crappy feet.... I worked in them today without any difficulties. Wow, never had that before in 10 years on my feet. I am sure they will also sprout wings to make me super fast when I actually get to run this spring!






Emily sporting her new fashions for Easter. We went to my mom and dad's house "far, far away". It was a nice visit and the girls got to dress up. Grandma was proud!







Allison's pretty (cheesy) grin for Easter. Sorry so blurry. My camera battery died after this shot. Grrrr. You might still note that I did the matching outfit thing that I hate. I had to....the dresses were soooo pretty. I'm princessing vicariously through them.









This is me and Allison and Suzanne getting ready for the St Pat's 5K. It was COLD. Allison was ssssooooooooo done at about the 2 mile mark. It was raining. But most importantly, we had a good time sweating! We walked the 5K by the way. Maybe next year I'll run it. Without the stroller.....








This was a pic I took in the drive through of Starbucks. I am not sure what they ordered, but they were certainly intent on the window!

Tonight, tonight

Tonight was a good night. No, actually it was a great night. A finish to a rather above average day.

I do have to admit to skipping Bible study. But honestly, I think God will understand and approve. Emily and I were sick last week. So this makes 2 weeks in a row that I have missed. I had my book in my bag and everything ready. I was looking forward to spending time sharing and learning with some great women.

So when did the plan change? When I went to pick up the Princesses, they were sleeping when I arrived. Allison was really hard to wake up. Not unpleasant, just sleeping hard. Then Miss Em had to be rousted from her slumber. I took Emily to the couch and we snuggled as she woke up a little more. Then Allison came over to join the snuggle after getting her diaper changed. It was great. I had both in my lap, giggling and squirming. Both were in fantastic moods.

Plans were still in place at this point. Then I remembered that I had not put Emily food in the diaper bag. Plans rapidly revamped in my mind. We went to the store instead of church supper. Then we came home, had leftover pizza, watched the “Little Einsteins”, the girls took a bath, and they went to bed. I got Allison to bed first without any fuss or argument. Miss Em needed a bottle and fell asleep on my lap. I got to hold her and snuggle for almost an hour. Emily doesn’t usually let me do that, so this was great. She was all sacked up in her sleep sack and had her thumb and blanket and the world was right.

Like I said; it was a great night.

Emily's Surprise

This is a monumental video in the life of Emily. She is growing so quickly! I am trying to catch it all, but I feel like it's impossible to keep up. I would love to just quit working and enjoy my girls. Alas, but no. Not for now at least. But I thought I would share her fun developmental milestones with all you guys too!

Enjoy.




PS: It's a little dark, and I'm not the greatest cameraman ever. But I hope it was fun. And yes that was my goofy voice in the background with grandma.

My Big Girl

Lately Miss Allison has been trying to be a big girl. In fact she is quickly becoming Mommy's Little Sidekick. Here are a few things she likes to "help" me with!


She makes sure my shoes work properly.




She helps with lengthy phone conversations.



She is good with "urban wildlife management". (I'm not sure who she is managing here, the dog or the rubber ducks)




She helps with quality assurance with Emily's blankets.





She helps make her bed after naptime.





She wants to help take pictures with mommy's camera.





She helps with the laundry.





She is develping new species of farm animals ie:a sheep-duck






She likes helping Emily learn her colors. Thank goodness again for washable crayons!





But the other day while we were walking she said she needed to "poopie". She hasn't told me such news before it happens yet. I distracted her until we got home. (rather quick walk!) I told her she could use her potty. That was not a favored suggestion. So I bribed my child to sit on her potty. She ended up watching 2 episodes of "Little Einstiens" from her throne. She never actually went "poopie", but she did "pee pee". Small steps, I have to remember it comes in small steps.....

Not wrong, Just different

Wives and Husbands

22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (emphasis mine)

found at BibleGateway.com


I was sitting in Sunday School this morning. We are watching a DVD series/study called “Love and Respect”. It is based on the book of the same name and work of Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. Dr. E brings to light the biblical calling of Ephesians 5:33: Husband love your wives as yourself and wives respect your husbands. He has highlighted the different core needs of men and women as being “not wrong, just different.” Women are creatures made to love. Unconditionally. We women are pretty sure John Lennon was correct when he sang “all we need is love.” But according to Dr. E, this is not natural for men. He says men are in need of unconditional respect. RESPECT? How does that work? LOVE is everything. I’ve seen Moulin Rogue, “love is like oxygen”. Isn’t it?

According to Dr. E, it is more natural for a man to die for his woman than to look her in the eye and say “I’m sorry.” Making eye contact during difficult discussions (aka arguments) is being aggressive. It is more intuitive for a male to avoid eye contact and withdraw to think things over. (Think alpha male and dog pack mentality) No so much a girl way of thinking. So all those times that I pushed for answers and forced eye contact, I just made it worse. See women equate eye contact to paying attention. No eye contact = no attention paid. Apparently not so much for men.

The material covered in Sunday School is great. It explains the “Crazy Cycle” that many men and women go through when attempting to communicate. She speaks “pink”; he speaks “blue”. She needs love, he needs respect. If she doesn’t receive love, she doesn’t give respect. If he doesn’t receive respect, he doesn’t give love. Lather, rinse, repeat. Over and over and over again. I see it. I really, really see it. I have a lot to learn.