Spring Cleaning

I love a clean car, especially my own clean car.  Unfortunately it isn't clean very often.  But Zach and I took on the project yesterday of cleaning it both inside and out.  There was stuff sitting around in the back of the van since Christmas!  So finally I just got too tired of the mess.  It was such a nice day out too.  We spent as much time as possible outside.  I think all that sunshine must have worn Zach out though because he fell asleep on my lap around 4:30 and he stayed asleep until this morning, with the exception of his usual couple of night time wakes.  He was wide awake this morning though around 6, so I've got a little bit of an early start on the day.

While we were out I thought I would capture a few other signs of Spring..... First being my freshly painted toe nails and the fact that I got my flip flops out of the closet!

And these flowers that have popped up in our dirt patches we have up front.  Nothing else is growing in these squares that we have, but these tiny flowers just popped up on their own.

Maybe we will get some more Spring cleaning done this weekend.

Brotherly Love

I have a brother, who is three years older than I.  While I am sure we had our share of fighting over the years, I don't remember it being constant fighting.  When we found out we were having another boy the second time around, Garrett warned me that, "Brothers fight.  It's just the way it is."  Garrett tells stories that make me cringe.  Like the time he broke his hand by hitting it over his brother's head.  So now when I look at Kevin and Zach I love it when I see them playing much more than when I see them fighting.  I know that it is a normal part of growing up with siblings, but I would much rather hear the sounds of laughing and playing than fighting and crying.

Political Blog

If you want a political blog that is sure to have many interesting view points, then check out my brother-in-law's, Matt's,  new blog.  He just started it yesterday.

Checking In

This is going to be my Monday morning check in spot.  I am trying to keep accountable to myself with my running so from now on I will be posting the miles that I run each week.  Want to play along?  Post in the comments how many miles you've walked/jogged/ran each week and we'll see if together we increase our miles.....or our speed.....or just feel good about getting out there at all.

So here's my miles from this past week:

Monday - 5.2

Tues. - 2.9

Wed. - 0

Thurs. - 5

Friday - 0

Saturday - 10

Sunday - 0

Total for the week: 23.1

I am hoping to increase my weekly mileage to around 30 miles....and not have so many zero miles days.  Let me know how you are doing.

Blue and Gold

The cub scouts had their annual Blue and Gold dinner last night.  It is mostly a party for the boys who are moving on into Boy Scouts, but the Tiger Cubs got their official Tiger Cub patch too.  They also brought in a company that trains wild animals and showed the boys a variety of strange looking animals.  

On Friday Kevin, Zach, and Theo (a boy from cub scouts) worked on the centerpiece the Tiger Cubs table for the dinner.  It turned out really cool, but now we know that next year we will need a couple different centerpieces because it looked tiny sitting on the long tables they had set up.  

Den 5

One of Kevin's favorite parts: a chocolate lollipop shaped in the cub scout emblem

L.A. Zoo

Zach and I took a spur of the moment trip to the Zoo on Tues.  It's nice to be able to have some one on one time with the each boy once in while.  We had fun looking at all the animals.  His goal was to find the Lion, Zebra, Giraffe, and Hippo because those are on the movie Madagascar (you should see Zach dance to this song!).  We found all but the Hippo and we said we would have to see him next time.  My favorite was the baby ape that was so close to the glass.  Zach could have cared less though.  He was having more fun pushing the stroller around.  

We started the day seeing the baby giraffe, only 13 days old.  

Zach's gorilla face.

And his Lion face.

And I was telling him to keep his eyes open on this one.

And Zach captured this rare photo of the mama!

New Schedule

I am determined to start a new schedule for my running.  I have been waiting until evening and then feel really tired to do anything except lay in my bed.  So my new idea is to get up at 6:00, go for my run, and be done by 7 in order to get the boys fed and Kevin off to school.  I did it yesterday, but didn't leave until 6:15 and was back at 7:20.  There was no school yesterday so I wasn't worried about getting back.  Garrett said that Zach was yelling for me around 6:45.  But this morning  I left the house at 6:05 and was back at 6:45 and guess who was sitting in his bed yelling for me again...... maybe he'll get used to the new schedule too.  I am planning on doing this Mon., Tues., and Thurs. so on  the days that I work I will either take the day off or run on the treadmill in the evening.  I love starting the day off like this because it gives me energy in the morning.  The only problem is around 3:00 I am very ready for a nap and can't always have one.  I know, poor me!  

When Garrett and I were first married and living in Chico Dodger was just a puppy and I would run with her every morning.  At that time I would run rain or shine and in the freezing cold on some mornings.  I used to see the same people every morning and it got to be a nice routine.  When we moved to Ventura I would run with her along a path that went right along the beach.  I loved it there.  Garrett always reminds me of my summer of 2000, when my sole responsibility was training Dodger.  I was working for the school district at the time and of course the plus of that was summers off.  So I would go to the gym in the morning, then come back and run with Dodger and then do some training with her at the park.  I had the rest of the day to sit on the beach and do nothing....... Ahhhh, those were the days.  Of course the whole purpose of me getting in good shape that summer was that I was hoping to get pregnant so I wanted to get in the best shape before getting so out of shape.  My plan worked because that September, when school started again, I was pregnant with Kevin.  And the rest is history.....I have been trying to get back into shape ever since that wonderful summer. Enough ramblings for one morning.  I gotta get the boys some breakfast. 

Wii Are Family

We got a new addition to the Riley family this weekend.  Garrett finally found the Nintendo Wii that he's been wanting since he played it with our nephew Cody last Christmas.  He found it at Costco of all places and said he was in shock, like he couldn't believe he had at last found the Holy Grail.  So he and the boys had fun with it on Saturday night while I went to a baby shower.  Then Kevin and Zach were so excited to show Susan and Namie when they came up on Sunday.  Garrett and I got to go out for a little while since Susan and Namie had come up and after our hike Gar says, "Let's go back and play the Wii".  I made him hold off a little while longer......we rarely get time to ourselves, so I figured he could wait to play his game.  I have to admit, it is fun and you do get a tiny bit of exercise along with it....at least you are up and moving around.  Garrett and I had a tennis match last night and I lost every single game.  I'm still learning.  As Garrett says, I need to get my skill level up.  Not my biggest goal in life, but a little entertainment for the whole family.

Here's a picture of my very own, "mii".  The boys helped decide what I look like.

Kevin and Zach like playing the baseball game.

Stuck In A Rut

The past two weeks have been slow going.  The combination of the boys being sick, then me getting it, and the past few days Garrett has had something.  All of that together has gotten me into a kind of rut that I just can't seem to get out of.  I have not been exercising, which is probably a big part of the problem.  I think I went to the gym once the past two weeks and have only gone on a short run with Dodger.  I haven't felt "up to it" and so then I get down on myself for not just doing it.  The same goes with dinners.  I haven't made a really good dinner in forever it seems like.  My creative side has gone out the window and so I just haven't cooked much at all.  Then I feel bad for not giving the boys the best dinners either.  Along with all this goes the upkeep of the house.  I let the housework go because I didn't feel well.  Then it gets to a point that I can't handle it and have to just clean all day.  

I feel like I'm being Debbie Downer from Saturday Night Live, but not to that extreme, so sorry.   I just need a kick in the you know what to get me going again.   So today I am going to go for a run, not super long, but enough to get out and get some energy back.  I am also going to make something yummy with the kids.  They always want to create in the kitchen and I have not been letting them lately.  So we will create something of their choosing.  And I get to go to a baby shower tonight, so that should be fun and something out of the ordinary to help get me out of this rut I have fallen in.  

Hopefully this next week will be turned around and you can check in for some better updates around the Riley house!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to my 3 special valentines!  I love you guys more than you know!!

"It's Spring Time and I'm as Happy as a Little Girl"

I know it's not actually spring yet, but it feels like it here.  I love it!  I would not do well in a place where it is cold and rainy all the time.  I need the warmth and I need the sun!

Just a quick note, before I go for a walk with Zachary.  

Yesterday Kevin and I went out to get Valentine's for his classmates.  He wanted to get two boxes.  A girly box for the girls and another for the boys.  I told him that most kids give out whatever valentines they choose and it doesn't matter if they are for boys or girls.  His response, "Well, I'm not like most kids."  I love that he realizes this and is proud of it!

I also had to share Kev's portrait of his brother.  He had Zach stand still and everything so he could get it just right.  It's better than I could do, that's for sure!

My Gym Party

The boys had an early Valentine's party last Friday at My Gym.  Kevin used to take classes here but it's been a while.  I would love it if they had a class for both boys together but with there age difference it's hard to find anything that they could both do together.  Anyway, all the kids had a lot of fun!

Zachie-Zoozle-Noozle-Noozle

I know, I've been slackin' on the whole blog thing.  Not because I've been off having fun or anything exciting.  I caught the boys germs and it kept me in bed all weekend.  I actually started feeling it on Wed. after work, but managed to push through Thurs. and even was feeling ok on Friday, with my 8 hour tylenol, at work.  I even took the boys to a party at My Gym Friday afternoon.  But Saturday my body knew that I had nothing else to do so it would not let me get out of bed.  Even the medicine wasn't keeping my fever down.  I was thinking, while the boys were sick, that I wish I could be sick so that I could stay in bed all day like they were doing.  *Note to self, next time, just wish for a vacation! 

Anyway, I wanted to share these cute pictures of Zachie-Zoozle with his hair cut!  He looks so grown up so I was talking to him after his hair cut and the conversation went something like this:

Me:  Zachie, you look like such a big boy with your haircut.  Can't you just stay three forever?

Zach:  No

Me:  Why not?

Zach:  Because when I am four I get to ride the bigger rides!

Me:  What rides?

Zach:  The Rapids and the fastest ride in the whole world, Space Mountain!

What a cutie pie!

That's Entertainment

I been so busy complaining about the boys being sick I have forgotten to focus on the good things!  

The first thing I wanted to share was this picture of Zach's favorite toy.  Can you see it there?  Yes, it's a shoelace, or I think he calls it his string.  It actually came with as a lacing toy, where you put the object though the string to make a necklace or whatever.  It has since become his favorite thing to bring with him.  He imagines it's all sorts or things.  He takes it in the pool and practiced going underwater to get it.  Who would have imagined that such a small item could provide such entertainment!

Next we have some pictures of different things we've been doing lately.  On Tues. the boys were still home from school but feeling better and Kevin begged me to do his Disney scrapbook that Grami got for him and Zach.  So we got them both out and I let them have at it.  I finally got pictures printed out from our many Disneyland trip just for this occasion.  I was helping Zach, but Kevin was able to do his all on his own!

These next ones are from last week when Zach and I were having a lazy day at home.  We built a house out of our bricks and played with Revin' Evan from Jay Jay the Jet Plane.  These toys used to be Kevin's favorite.  He would bring them everywhere and line them all up to tell everyone their names.  Zach hasn't gotten into the show but likes to play with the toys now.  

And lastly I had to include this picture that Kevin made for Zach.  They had been fighting and Zach was crying so much that he just said he wanted to sleep.  So while he was sleeping Kevin made this picture for him and put it under his pillow.  So sweet! 

Kevin and Zach both went back to school yesterday and I went off to work.  Zach still has the sniffles and cough, but we are on our way to being all better!

Back In Time

I feel like I have gone back in time a few years to when Zach was an infant.  The constant calling for me, the middle of the night wake ups, and the feeling of helplessness in not being able to figure out what exactly is wrong.  Only this time I have two big boys sitting on the couch, or calling me from their beds, and although they can talk they have taken on a whining that will not quit!  If ever there was a time when I thought for a second about having another child (we all know that this would not/could not happen), this sickness would take that feeling away from anyone!  I love my boys, please don't get me wrong, but I also love the routine that we have gotten into now that they are older.  I also love my sleep.  I never did well with the lack of sleep that babies brought on.  This sickness has thrown off our routine and sent us back to infanthood.  

Needless to say, we are home again today.  I was all ready to send Kevin to school this morning because yesterday he had improved so much, but he still has a cough and I don't want him sharing those germs with his class.  So hopefully we are on our way back to normal and tomorrow they will both be in school and I will be at work.  It's been a long week and it's only Tuesday!

Here's the Pics

Before the start of the race.  Keepin' dry!

Just starting

And the Finish!!

My First 10K

I braved the wind, rain, and snow (just kidding, no snow) in order to run my first 10k in Redondo Beach.  It was fun despite not turning out the way I had it planned out in my head.  Here's the best part: I ran my best time ever, 1 hour and 1 minute.  I felt good about it and I was very happy that I was not even close to the last one to come in!  Here's the parts I was not planning on.  Both boys were sick.  Kevin had already had something, but we thought he was getting better.  Then Zach woke up in the middle of the night with a fever and threw up.  So, I was up and down with him several times throughout the night.  When my alarm went off at 5:45 I was not wanting to drive down by myself...and then on top of it all it was raining!  But I was excited about this being my first race I'd ever signed up for.  My choice was to stay home and take care of the sickos, I mean kiddos, or get up, get ready, and go.  

Obviously my choice was to just go.  I got to my in-laws fairly quickly and thankfully Bob, my father-in-law, had already gotten my number and everything the day before.  He and I went down to the start and there were not nearly as many people as usual.  Bob had given me a heads up that the first mile would probably be so crowded that you walk most of it.  Not so on this day.  When it was time to start I just started following the crowd and I was off and running....or jogging.  It was windy and rainy consistently throughout, but it wasn't too bad and it actually felt nice.  As I came into the finish I saw Bob and Matt, my brother-in-law, standing and talking.  I called out "hey guys!" in order to get their attention.  They weren't expecting me for another 10 minutes or so.  

Afterwards I got to go back to the Riley's house and was able to have a nice hot bath and some yummy food before heading back up to our house.  The rest of the day consisted of going from room to room checking on the boys, taking temperatures, giving tylenol, and trying to be patient.  Oh yeah, and watching the half-time show and the occasional commercial from the Super Bowl.  That's the kind of fan I am!  

Last night was a long and sleepless one, so today I am trying to rest.  I wanted to disinfect the whole house, but for now I don't have the energy.  Both boys are acting somewhat better, but both are definitely not back to normal.  Hopefully this will be their last day of sickness. 

So, anyone thinking of doing a race I say, or pushing yourself a little bit harder, just go for it.  I found it to be fun and exciting and am looking forward to another one!

* Pictures hopefully coming soon!

Half A Movie

I have a tendency to fall asleep during movies.  This is not something new, nor does it matter what time of day it is....well maybe morning would work best.  I was the queen at falling asleep first at slumber parties growing up.  Even in college when Garrett and I were dating, he had a super bowl party at his apartment.  Oh, who's that on the floor sleeping away in the middle of all the people?  That would be me.  Anyway, I currently have about, I don't know, 10 or more movies on my list of, "I've seen about half of it."  I feel silly responding that way when people ask me if I have seen a certain movie, but it's the truth.  Of course Garrett is the king of seeing all the movies, memorizing the lines from them and then wanting to discuss them in great deal.  He knows that as soon as he sees my eyes starting to close there is no turning back.

So, I am off now to watch an Oliver play with Kevin.  Hopefully I will stay awake through it.  

Updated: I stayed awake but Kevin fell asleep.  He's still not feeling back to normal but much better than yesterday.  Now, you all can watch this!  We just got a new video camera so here's one of the first videos from it:

"Backpack, Backpack"

Today Kevin had a sick day.  He woke up around 5:45 yelling for me saying his head hurt really bad.  He had a fever, so I gave him tylenol and he came downstairs with me and we turned on the t.v.  As soon as the medicine started working he was feeling better, but we still kept him home from school.  Garrett actually stayed home with him because Fridays are one of my two days of work.  I don't work, I don't get paid....so it was better for Garrett to stay home.  Anyway, Garrett kept up with the medicine all day and Kevin felt pretty good all day.  So when I got home I decided to test to see if he was still sick and I didn't give him more tylenol when it was time.  

Well, he's still sick.  His fever came back and his whining started up again.  So when it was time for bed he said he didn't want stories (like we usually do every night).  He wanted to watch a movie.  Remember I said I brought him downstairs and turned on the t.v. so early this morning?  He'd been watching it pretty much all day since then and now he wanted a movie.  But I didn't want to pick a battle with a sick kid, so I agree and told him he could watch it in mommy and daddy's room while I was on the treadmill, which is also in our room.  Out of all the great kid's movies we have, he picks "Dora's First Trip", which isn't even a movie, but just a bunch of the shows on one disc.  So he falls asleep after the first show, I am on the treadmill, not wanting to stop to switch the t.v., so I end up watching the rest of Dora during my hour run.  The sad part is, I was actually answering the questions that backpack was asking...... not out loud, of course, but I was really following along with the show.  That is the happening life of this 30 something mother!