Oh hello there...

Happy 2012 :)  So far this year, I have NOT  been blogging but I have been busy.  I've been running, err jogging really (a little), traveling (more than usual!), and working on projects around the house.  With the new year came an intense need for me to get things better organized, toss out the old junk stuff that is taking up valuable space in our ever shrinking (it seems) house, and prioritize our remodeling projects. 

The boys are doing great...little Bear just had his 15 month checkup (at 16 months) and is doing GREAT.  Our boys are growing right on track, but I swear the percentages get less and less each time we go.  They are not teeny tiny, nor are they giants, but 18th-22nd percentiles?  Really??  Our doctor's not concerned, so I'm fine with it.  But I wonder about these boys that are in the 90th percentiles.  They must be HUGE. 

Yesterday was a real Monday (we should just leave it at that, trust me), so I opted for a margarita over a run.  :)  So, back on the road for me today.  I squeezed in my run (jog??) at lunch today and was really loving the nice weather we're having today.  I had to stop and take off my jacket and was more than comfortable in my capris and tank.  It's January!  A running tank top?!  I'll take it.  I was S-L-O-W today overall, but it was funny that it was a real ebb and flow all 4 miles today.  I'd be strong for a half mile or mile, and then it would seem really hard to maintain my pace for a bit, then I'd break through again and feel strong.  By the end, I was dragging though.  I seriously think I was doing a major shuffle down our street looking like one of those people it hurts to watch jog because it looks so painful for them.  Yep, that was definitely me on the last 100 yards before I cooled down!  But, it wasn't just me; the dogs were dragging by mile 3 as well.  We're not accustomed to this heat ;)  Whoa 60 degrees! (I think it was probably closer to 70 in the sun, though)

In other news, we have decided to take a leap and radically alter our diets - we've gone vegetarian.  Well, I guess pescetarian since we are eating fish still.  Mostly all veg during the week, and last week we just had fish one night.  We decided to give it a try mostly for health reasons.  I was all for it since I've never been huge on eating meat anyway, but it's a learning experience to find new things to make for the family!  One can only eat so many salads and bowls of vegetable soup.  Thank goodness for fantastic sites like Peas and Thank You and Daily Garnish that are inspiring me every single day!!  Thank you for your delicious recipes and advice for making sure I feed my family right while we make this switch.  I am learning so much from you both!  :)

More soon - hopefully we'll have some fun home improvement things to show you over the next couple of months, too.  I'll be sure to come back more often with updates on feeding my family vegetarian (and some of our favorite recipes!), running (will get some races on the calendar soon...!!), and the fun we have with our boys.  Next post will have pictures, too, promise :)

Picture catch-up

just a few pics from the past few weeks...

"pretty flower mommy"

Hey!  I'm getting teeth, lots of 'em!! :)

mr. serious. My artsy picture!

I see you!

whoa!

dinner helper

3 down, 1 to go...

I finished my 3 3-milers for the week!  Now just have my 7-7.5 mile run this weekend left to do.  I usually really enjoy my time to run, and I am still looking forward to getting out there for some "me" time, but it is tough with the summer heat/humidity just the same.  I went out at just after 7 this morning with the whole team - both boys and both dogs.  The air was thick, it was very hot, very humid, and I took it slow and settled into a nice pace.  I didn't have the Garm with me today since it was charging, and I also didn't want to think too much about pace since I knew I needed to just go slow and listen to what my body needed to do to finish the miles today.  One more run closer to my half marathon and marathon goals!!

Thank goodness for day 2 eye makeup today...totally did not have (or take) the time to beautify.  I came home, iced the shins (still feeling just a little lame for icing after only 3 miles, but hey, it keeps me going and that's what matters, right?), drank down 2 tall glasses of ice water, then had to hop in the shower, try to stop sweating through use of some major mind-over-matter, get W ready, and pack both boys up to take W to his first day of "school."  He officially starts preschool in September, but we decided to help him ease into it by doing a little morning program at a daycare up the street on Tuesday and Thursday for the month of August.  

Yeah, this is going to be a LOT harder for me than him I think - and harder for me than I even anticipated!  I slipped out once he started exploring his classroom since I didn't want to make it a big deal and have him get all worked up again, but I have some HUGE guilt for not kissing him goodbye and I've been compulsively checking the time, waiting for 11:45 when I'll leave to go get him!  I can't wait to hear how it went and give him a big hug :)

Ice, Ice Baby

Is it completely ridiculous to ice after a 3 mile run?  'Cause that's just what I did today - and it made a HUGE difference after today's run. I was SOOOO sore and stiff after finishing my short run today and after ice, an ice bath (yep, did both), and a warm shower, I was pretty much feeling back to normal.  Sweet!

W tended to me while I borrowed his Elmo boo-boo buddies to ice down after a hot 3-miler late this morning.  Tonight he brought me all the ice packs from the freezer, too.  He's such a sweet little dude.

Mama had a fun night out with the girls for margaritas tonight and now I gotta set the coffee pot for the morning and cart myself off to bed.

 

Another 3-miler tomorrow morning, then REST on Friday!  I'm taking the dogs with me tomorrow - just need to drag out of the house early enough to beat the heat for an easy run!!

 

We're headed to see Sublime and 311 tomorrow night - takes me back to high school and I. Can't. Wait. :)  That reminds me - I have to charge the battery in my "little" camera so I can capture the fun times in the 757 tomorrow night!!

Can I get a yee-ha?

Demolition

We are super excited today to have had our old, rotting, ugly deck TORN DOWN :)  We will be enjoying our new deck this weekend and I am beyond thrilled!!  No more exposed nails, rotting wood, soft spots that give when you step on them, or wonky stairs.  AND, we are having a fence put in to create a little dog run on the side of the house to contain the poo (we hope).  Yee-ha!! (yes, we've been watching a lot of Toy Story and W has a little crush on Jessie, so we are saying a lot of yee-ha in our house)

We had some good supervision today as they worked on the demo...

Both boys were curious all day about what was going on out there...

Can you believe how big Bear is getting??  He's pushing his walking toys all over the place like a pro now, it's not going to be long before he's walking ON HIS OWN.  In the words of W, holy moly cow.

Sunday recap

Since the heat is still keeping me from running outside, I decided to hit the gym for my long run yesterday on the treadmill.  I haven't run on a treadmill in over a year!  I got there, set up on the 'mill and started off at a pretty decent pace.  Amazing how it's easier in the A/C without all the outside factors! About 10 minutes into my 7-8 miler, I heard "Attention members.  The gym will be closing in 15 minutes."  Shoot. Apparently I didn't remember (or pay attention to) our gym's Sunday hours.  I thought I had at least an hour and a half to do my run.  Oops.

So, since I wasn't going to get my long run in, I quickly upped my pace for a tempo run as consolation.  Dudes, I ran my fastest mile...maybe EVER.  Sub-8 minute!  I was in a good zone, and it felt challenging but it wasn't killing me or anything.  

THEN, since I took all of 25 minutes total at the gym, I was able to do my grocery shopping for the week on the way home - bonus!  I grabbed everything we needed for our week's menu and headed home.  

Of course I look like this when I grocery shop!

Ahhh, relaxed with the family (SILs came over to hang, too), enjoyed a Sunday margarita, made some dinner, and fell happily into bed last night.  Gonna do my long run today - probably on the treadmill since it felt too good to get out of bed early this morning.  W finally got me up by going to help himself in the kitchen...never know what he is going to get himself into if left to his own devices for too long :)  See exhibit A from several months ago...

Gotta get the day started now...work, a meeting at lunchtime, run, trip for dog food...busy Monday ahead.  :)

The Heat Goes On...

Y'all, it is HOT!!!

I ran yesterday morning first thing before we headed off for a day at the waterpark with the boys.  I knew I'd be feeling super anxious about my training if I didn't get a run in yesterday, but I was definitely lacking motivation to get out in that humidity.  I was oh-so-proud of myself for sucking it up and doing it, though!

Slowed my pace a bit and took a couple walk breaks in an effort to be smart about it and all.  Next time I'm definitely bringing my water, even if I'm just doing a shorter run.  Poor hounds are going to have to stay home more with the heat - they just get too hot and dehydrated and I feel guilty for bringing them, even though they make such a fuss if I consider lacing up the running shoes and leaving them behind.  Whiners.

We had an awesome time at the waterpark, it was a perfect day for it!!  Bear and I were actually on the news - Suri Crow saw him in a little baby swing splashing around in the water and having a ball and fell in love with him (I mean, really, how can you NOT) and wanted to put him on TV.  

So we were on the 6:00 news last night in a story about the heatwave - we're all famous and stuff!

 My goal for the next couple of days (yay, weekend!!) is a short run tomorrow morning and then my long run Sunday at the crack of dawn.  I think tomorrow I'll probably take the double BOB and the faithful running dogs with me so hubby can sleep in a little.  He's out hootin' and hollerin' tonight :)  

I need to work on being better at hauling myself out of bed early enough to beat the heat (at least a little) and get my run in first thing.  Lately I kind of stink at that.  I need to get tough and let Bear work it out for himself and get back to sleep in the middle of the night, but I guess I'm so used to stumbling into his room, feeding him, and rocking him back to sleep that I'm there before I even realize!  That and I'm a super softie... 

Well, speaking of sleep, since I can, I'm going to take myself to bed now so I can get up for my run :)  Maybe if you sweet talk me you'll luck out tomorrow and get another sweaty post-run pic!!

It's Ice Cream Time

Sorry for being all MIA, y'all.   Been busy here trying to get in my runs and work and tend to my wonderful family of boys :)  

(yes, I have in fact done all of those things...well, except sew, I haven't had to sew this week...yet)

Fear not, dear friends, I am back with a healthy dose of kid pics :) I figure you can only see SO many pics of me pre- or post-run around the neighborhood.  When I run somewhere cool I will post more running pictures, 'kay?

Funniest thing this morning - W came in while I was putting Bear down for a nap and told me it was "ice cream time."  Sure enough, I peeked out of Bear's room and there he was, scooping up cups of ice cream for both of us.  I wished I could take a picture right then, but I settled for taking a picture after I got Bear down to show how proud W was of himself.  He got out the cups (one for each of us), his little toddler spoon, scooped ice cream into both cups, and then went and got me a big spoon.  Of course, he ate both cups of it while I was busy taking his picture over and over :)  But seriously, what a sweetie my little guy is!!

My half marathon training is picking up now for reals.  I ran 16.5 miles last week, with a long run of 6.5 miles on Saturday.  It was hot, but I figure Labor Day weekend in Va Beach is likely to be hot, too, so training in some heat will be for the best.  I took the dogs and we were all grateful for some strategic walk breaks when we hit some nice shady spots.  Mr. Garmin's GPS was acting all cray-cray, so I just ended up using him for total time.

hey, can you fix my garmin??

This week, I rested Monday, did an easy 3 today, and then am going to try and get in several more shorter runs early in the day with an 8-miler this weekend.  Keep me accountable, puh-leeze?  Seriously hard to be motivated to get out and run when it's so hot and humid with all these heat advisories, boo!  

Monster Trucks

My poor Bear is teething really badly and is running a fever and is such a sad little dude :(  I hope he's better soon.  Right now he just wants to be held and comforted.  Of course I'm happy to snuggle with him as much as I can!

For now it's back to work ...

...and it really IS ice cream time for me - hubby got me a Frosty! Yay!

Battling my way back to fighting form!

 

Yeah, not really lazy so much as still battling this cold and cough.  Since it went all respiratory on me, I gave myself some time off to sleep as much as possible with a teething 9 month old and active 2 1/2 year old!  I figure if it's hard to breathe just sitting here, running in the heat and humidity is NOT going to make it better.  Plus, with the yucky cough, I don't need to give myself bronchitis or something crazy like that... 

Anyway, with the holiday weekend (and my birthday, yay!) and being sick, the past few days have gotten completely away from me! After a day at the beach, I went to bed Saturday at 7pm right after Bear went to sleep (it was fantastic), we had birthday dinner and cake with both our families on Sunday night, and beach and BBQ with friends on Monday. Thank goodness I was feeling more normal by Monday to enjoy the beach and birthday festivities :)

Bear with JJ and DD

W loves quesadillas!!

Hubs, W, Mema at dinner

Cake love :)

I didn't bring my camera to the beach so no pics of me in a bathing suit...no big tragedy :)  Bear LOVES the water and sand and by the end of Monday, even W was running through the waves up to his knees and screaming.  Aaah-dorable. 

So, speaking of adorable, Pink's baby girl is so cute, don't you think??

Source: People.com

Well, I need to get some food for us so we can eat the rest of the week and finish my workday up.  Hopefully tomorrow will be my return to the land of the running.  I have missed it, but after pushing myself (and the dogs) last Friday, I want to be smart about it...

Happy Wednesday everyone!!