Things I Learned Today...

First of all, happy Friday!  It's been a good day all around - the weather was MUCH nicer and less humid, I (finally) got my run in, had a sushi lunch date with my handsome hubby, and I got a few things crossed off my to do list to boot.

Now on to the things I learned today while running...

1. A week without running makes for hungry thighs, and hungry thighs like to eat running shorts...awesome.
2. Kegels cannot be overrated, especially after 2 kids. No matter how many times I pee before I head out, I always seem to have to go (bad) about a mile into my run. 

Now that the boys are finally (maybe, W keeps popping up) both in bed, I am going to go paint my nails with my new blue polish and watch something trashy girly on Netflix since it's a sports night for my partner in crime.  :)

Dinner Date

Tonight hubs had to work late, so I had a dinner date with my two little dudes.  

W wanted to pose with his fork in his mouth...goofball :)

I tried a new recipe for tofu that was absolutely delicious.  It's a recipe from the Kind Diet.  I didn't have all the ingredients (it called for a couple different flours and oils), so this is my version of the recipe:

• 1 package savory flavor baked tofu from Trader Joe's
• whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• frozen package stir fry noodles and veggies
• a little stir fry sauce

1. slice the tofu in strips about 1/4-1/2 inch thick
2. mix the OJ and syrup well
3. dip tofu in the juice-syrup mixture and then coat in flour
4. pan fry in a little oil (i used canola) about 3 minutes a side or till golden brown
5. saute the noodles and veggies in a separate pan, add a little of the juice-syrup mixture and a touch stir fry sauce (you could also use soy sauce) and mix well
6. serve with the orange maple sauce for dipping

That's it!  Super easy, super fast, and very good.  W even ate it.  I served it with some grapes since they were the easiest fruit to grab tonight. 

happy boy - better picture of his buzz cut!

Little Bee was a trooper.  Right before dinner, W put a clothespin on his arm (ouch!) and on top of that, he was getting tired.  But he sat up and ate puffs and a mum-mum with us.  I took his tray off his little booster high chair and he put his chubby little arms up on the table like such a man.  I will get a picture of that cuteness next time!

crocodile tears!

Hello June!

How did it get to be June already?  It has been a fast week here since my last post.  Not much running for me, though.  We were so busy all weekend that I don't think I got one in, and it's been SO HOT here all week that we've been staying inside most of the time.  I think we're all battling allergies or a little cold or something, too, I haven't been feeling so great and poor Bee is super snotty/extra snorty.  So those are my excuses :)  Yesterday was apparently National Running Day.  I thought for a minute about going out for a short run to burn off the weekend of partying in honor of the day, but ... that just didn't happen.  87% humidity at 7am is just oppressive and not fun running weather to me.  I do need to get my lazy bones back out there though.  Time to get serious about half marathon training!

Last Saturday, we also got W his first little buzz cut - he looks like such a little boy (soldier?) now!  It is SO cute and I'm sure will feel better for summertime.  He went to the barber with C and sat up in the chair like such a big boy, climbed up all by himself and did GREAT.  I need to get a better picture - my active little one couldn't sit still for much more than a point and shoot right now :)

before...on Friday

after...this morning

 Bee is really into playing with all of W's toys...as you can imagine, W is not completely thrilled with this.  But he's doing a good job learning to share with his little brother.  I make sure to praise him a lot and tell him what a nice boy he is when he's sharing and being gentle. 

this kid loves cars and trucks.  seriously. LOVES.

 Bee seems to be working on cutting more teeth, but I haven't seen anything just yet.  He's always sticking his tongue out, though, it's adorable.  Those 2 little tiny white teeth he has are so stinking cute, I love catching a little glimpse of them when he lets me. 

quintessential bee

 An update on the sleep training we started with bee - I can highly recommend this method.  It has worked really well for him.  I know different things work better for different babies, but this makes sense for him.  No crying it out (really didn't work for him at ALL) and he is sleeping better and better!  We got pretty off track over the long weekend, but are getting back into the routine day by day.  After 4 days, he slept 11 hours for me and I was so refreshed!  The past few nights since getting off schedule, he's been up once to nurse at night around 3 or 4, then back to bed till 6:30ish.  Not too bad...I'll take it!  Hopefully we'll be in the 11-12 hour sleep zone again soon after another few days on schedule.

watching Lady GaGa on GMA...whoa, total fascination.

 We have a good time together just the 3 of us after C leaves for work and before Sarah gets here at 9 :)  Love my little buddies!

My cute little dubbie.

It really DOES do that!

So I have to tell you - I tried this new nail polish today.  It's Sally Hansen's Insta-Dry polish.  I don't know how long this has been around, but I just discovered it at Target this week.  I got a shocking coral color and a cool blue for summer toes.  Well, I used the coral first and put it on my fingers and toes. 

It is BRIGHT, but let me tell you, this polish dries SUPER FAST . Good for someone like me that usually paints nails about an hour before bed and then smudges them no matter how hard I try to keep my hands and feet outside of the covers when falling asleep.  By the time I finished painting one hand, the first nail on that hand was dry!  Highly recommended :)  I'm off to stare at my day-glo fingernails while I type on the computer for work some more...

Happy almost long holiday weekend!

Deep thoughts...

So most of the time I run with just the Weims and I find that I really enjoy that time that is pretty much to myself.  There's not a lot of time during the days that I have to just BE and that my mind is all my own.  I tend to get lost in my thoughts, even just about silly random things.  Yesterday, I just took Beamer with me since Daisy seemed to not be feeling quite right.  He was such a good buddy for me yesterday, very low maintenance for the whole run, just panted along beside me in the heat.  But I got to thinking back to Sunday's race and how much I liked running with Craig.  I think running with someone keeps my pace up and obviously it is more fun to talk to someone other than myself, but I also think it makes it easy for me to whine and complain when the going gets tough :)  Sooo...I decided that I'm going to really be careful about that when I have a human running partner!  No one likes a whiner so that's not going to be me!!

Manic Monday...in review

5/23: 2 miles / 20 minutes
Yesterday's run almost didn't happen...and didn't last too long when I finally got out the door at 5:30pm.  Took the dogs and double BOB and it was pretty hot, but windy.  The wind was keeping things at least a little cooler, but running into the gusts was tough with the jogging stroller.  I found myself wondering if it counts as jogging when I feel like I'm standing still!  I read somewhere that it's like a built-in hill workout to run with the double jogger...makes sense!  And of course you burn more calories running with it, too - something like 20% maybe?  I read that, too, but it's been a while and I can't quite remember....!

I set out for 3 miles yesterday, but just over a mile in, my happy baby had a meltdown.  W poked Bee in the eye (yes, really) and Bee just couldn't get calmed down.  I stopped several times to try and console him, but he was just so distraught that we turned around early and headed back home.  He calmed down once we got in the garage and was smiling again by the time he was in his high chair having cheerios.  W totally ratted himself out, though - I didn't see the eye poke, but he told me he did it. So at least I usually know what happens...and I try not to leave them alone unsupervised too long :)

I think today is a rest day...my legs are tired after 3 difficult (2 with jogger and dogs, 1 race) and hot runs, and it's supposed to be the hottest day of the week here - 93 - and oh yeah, I have 2 conference calls today and work to do ;)  So, I'll get out there again tomorrow hopefully a little more refreshed!

Race Recap: I Need a Lighthouse 5K

Update: official time for 5K was 27:42 - putting me in 9th for my age group.  Not too bad after all!!

I actually ran both days over the weekend.  Friday night I was itching for some exercise, so I planned to get up and run Saturday morning.  Hubster had soccer Friday night and got in late, so while he slept in a little bit, I took my party on the road.  Me, the double BOB with 2 boys inside having breakfast, and 2 Weimaraners that could pass for Great Danes.  I guess it's no wonder people give me a wide berth...I think I'd probably wonder if there was any way that show was under control if it was coming at me! :)  I'll get a picture of this spectacle one day soon, but will definitely need someone to take that picture since self-timer, 2 kids, and 2 dogs just don't mix well.

ANYWAY, yesterday morning was my first race back after having Bee...yes, it's been almost 8 months, but hey, I'm still not sleeping through the night since I'm a big softie with this one and can't seem to tackle crying it out.  The 5K was down at the oceanfront, an out and back course along the boardwalk.  It was gorgeous out and the event was fabulous for the kiddos, too.  W saw the 3 bounce houses set up and pretty much made a beeline for them and jumped to his heart's content.

Note W and C's matching lizard "tattoos" - bee clearly wants one, too!

I was excited to have a post-race donut myself!  C-dog had 2, as would I have if there'd been any more glazed ones left!  We all got some sun and were tired out after our morning at the beach!

There were about 500 participants, but they did a 1 mile memory walk as well so it wasn't all 5K runners.  A lot of people walked the 5K, too, it seemed.  No timing chips in this race, which was a first for me.  But we finished in a decent 27:41 I believe, so pretty good.  This race showed me that I definitely need to train for those times I want to stop! :)  I forgot my iPod, so had no music, but the best pacer ever, hubby ran with me and kept me going the whole race.  It was fun! - this was our first race we ran together AND finished together!  My sis in law finished 3rd in her age group so she got a little lighthouse trophy, pretty cool!

We'd do this race again next year - it was great to see a bunch of people we hadn't seen much (or at all) since high school there.  It really felt like a local reunion type of event.  The 2nd and 3rd overall male finishers we went to high school with.

Team Collins, extended:

I just love how in this picture Bee is reaching out for W.  Sweet brothers :)