On Your Mark

On your mark, Set get, Go!  This is how Zach always says it and it's so cute I don't bother to correct him.  He's said it like this since he learned how to talk.  

I finally used my iTunes gift card from Christmas to put some new music on my iPod.  I found something from the Nike Sport section that has a variety of athletes with their picks of music and then their voices talking over it during parts of it to tell you to speed up or keep going.  So I bought the one with Lance Armstrong talking.  I was excited to try it out this morning but I didn't get out of bed when my alarm went off at 5:50....or 6:00 and then I must have just turned it off because when Zach came in it was 6:25.  So I had to get ready and take Kevin to school.  Still wanting to get outside I decided to take Zach in the jogging stroller.  He wanted to listen to music on the way so I told him about the new thing I just put on my iPod and told him that when ever he heard a guy talking that he could just tell me what it said.  I was laughing on and off throughout  my run because each time Zach would repeat exactly what was said but add a, "mommy" in front of it.  "Mommy, your doing good, keep strong" and "Mommy, slow down now".  So cute I just had to smile and think that it was better than hearing Lance's voice.  

But Zach wanted out of the stroller about halfway through the run, which is usually why I try not to take him.  So I let him out and then, as we often do, we raced the rest of the way to the park, he was Chick Hits and I was Lightning McQueen from the movie Cars.  It's not exactly the best work out for me, but it gets Zach out and running, and let me tell you it's much easier to push an empty stroller rather than one with a 50 pound boy in it!    

Ladies Man

Yesterday Kevin was invited to a party for a girl in his class.  We originally were not going to go because our plan was to go to Mammoth, but since the weather changed so dramatically we decided to just stay home....which made Kevin happy that he could still go to the party.  So, we were getting ready to go and Kevin goes into his room and closes the door and says, "Don't come in until I tell you!"  When he's finally ready, he comes out with a hawaiian shirt on and he had gone into the bathroom to wet his hair and comb it "just right".  He was so proud of how he looked.  Then he says, "I'm fancy from head to toe.  Now I just need a flower for Norene."  Isn't he just the ladies man?  Unfortunately we didn't have any flowers to pick in our yard, but I told him the present we got her would be good enough.  

Oh and to top it all off he had just lost his tooth about an hour before the party, so he looked especially cute with his big gap in his teeth.  It had been loose forever and finally he came upstairs yesterday crying and saying how his tooth was out but he couldn't find it.  He had been eating garlic bread and so I had him spit out what was left in his mouth and looked through that (yummy).  Thankfully it wasn't in there, but we found it on the floor after a little looking.  

And he wasn't wanting to part with it either, so he left this sign for the tooth fairy last night.
 Apparently writing notes to the tooth fairy works, because she left the tooth and also a note saying that he could keep it this time and also that she would still give him his special coin because he had done such a good job at taking care of it!

Video

Garrett's been busy making another video montage.  This time of our trip to Vegas.  Check it out here.

Keeping Them Entertained

On Tuesday Zach and I had gone to the park in the morning.  He had already spent his half hour on the computer and then was asking to watch a movie.  It would have been easy to just plop him down in front of the t.v. and that would have kept him occupied for hours, but I just can't justify that.  So, we decided instead to build his clubhouse that he got for his birthday.  He loved putting it together and deciding where everything goes.  Then when Kevin got home, Zach was all excited about sharing what he had done with Kevin.  Last night the boys decided to rebuild it, this time into a fort.  Anyone looking for ideas for your kids, I would definitely recommend the Cranium Superfort Carnival Clubhouse......if you have room for it is the only thing.  But it is totally easy to put together and take apart.  The kids can do it with minimal assistance.  OR you could just use blankets and chairs like I used to do!  And yes, that is our mess of a garage.  It looks better than it used to though.

.....And We're Back

We actually came back on Saturday afternoon, after a very relaxing couple of days away.  Vegas was Vegas, filled with smoke that was burning my eyes and lungs, pictures of girls everywhere, and drunk people walking around at 10 o'clock in the morning.  Sounds like the dream vacation, huh?  As much of that part that I don't like, I did enjoy sleeping in (a little bit), lounging by the pool, and absolutely LOVED the Beatles Love Show that we went to.  That was the ultimate highlight of the trip!  Garrett got us front row seats so we were right up in the middle of everything and could see all the expressions on the peoples faces.  I loved it!  (Did I already mention that I loved it?)

We took walks along the strip two times and stopped at the M&M store 

to get Kevin and Zach souvenir t-shirts.  

So, now we're back and it's into the 100's here.  We spent all Sunday afternoon in the pool and will probably be in there every afternoon this week if the heat continues.    The end of school is quickly coming and these next few weeks are feeling pretty full.  I'll be checking in when I can!

Vegas, Baby, Vegas

Garrett and I are heading out to Vegas this afternoon.....just the two of us, for two days!  We could be heading out to Bakersfield for all I care, I am just excited about getting away.  Garrett has a work conference on Friday so I get to go along for the ride.  I get to sleep in tomorrow morning while Garrett goes off to work!  I brought along exercise clothes so I am hoping to get to hotel gym.  I am not a gambler at all so I don't plan on spending much time in the casinos.  I may check out the pool.  I just don't know how to spend my precious hours away!   I am excited about tomorrow night though, when we are going to see the Cirque Du Soleil show Love, all set to Beatles music.  Should be great!  

Mixin' It Up

I have been trying to get some variety into my workout routine.  All that running was obviously hard on my body and I've realized I can still get ready for a marathon, without running every single day.  Every time I go to the gym to take a new class I think to myself, "I should totally do this every week.  It fits into my schedule.  It's fun...." and so on.  Come the next week, same time, I find myself off doing something else, usually playing with Zach and thinking that I can just run later in the day.  Yesterday I tried a new class and today I am having trouble walking.  It's a good sign when you find you've used muscles that obviously have not been used in a while!  I've always been more of a cardio person, not taking the time to really stretch or use weights.  I hear all the time that you need weights in your routine because it helps to build up the muscles and then your metabolism speeds up too.  And silly me, I bought an ab roller that sits right next to my treadmill thinking I would definitely use it if I had it at home...... it is used by Garrett to hang his work clothes on.  Something about those C-Sections just made my stomach not quite what it used to be!  

So anyway, I'm thinking that I am going back to the same class next week.  We'll see what happens.  

Monday Check In

I'm in the middle of cleaning the house, but I got pulled to the computer by a force that is too strong to fight against.

I wanted to show a few of the cute things the boys gave me for Mother's Day.  I was lying in bed yesterday morning and here's what I hear:

Zach: "Let's go clean up every room because that's what Mommy wants for Mother's Day."

Kevin: "That will take forever, lets just go make a card."

Here's a card Kevin made for me at school.  

He hid it all weekend and was so proud of it.

He even used his "fancy" writing on the inside!

Zach gave me this plate at the Mother's Day Tea on Friday.  I'm not sure he actually made it though because he seemed to know nothing about it when I asked him if it was his handprint. (He still has yet to participate in one craft at school)

And the boys with their creative wrapping (helped by daddy) giving me the presents that they picked out at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  Cutie pies!

Kevin won the early morning discussion, so I am cleaning up the house today. We had a nice time though down in San Juan Capistrano. It turned out to be a beautiful day, I only wish we had gone down to the beach earlier, because we didn't spend very much time there at all.

My check in for this week consists of nothing worth writing about.  I spent some time at the gym on Monday and went for a short run on Friday.....that's it.  I blame it on the fact I was trying to rest my knee and I was fighting off a cold.  This week I am going to have to get back into at least going to the gym.  Sometimes our bodies need a rest though!

Four Hugs A Day

I've been having a Mother's Day Weekend, and it's not even Mother's Day yet.  It started on Friday when I went to Zach's preschool for a Mother's Day Tea (although there was orange juice and apple juice instead).  Zach's been so excited for this day to come because he has been practicing their song, "Four Hugs a Day".  The kids were asked to dress up for the song, boys in their dad's shirts and girls in dress up clothes. He did such a great job with all the moves and even sang out loud during most of it.  I may put the video on later, but it's sorta long.

Then, after going to work for a few hours (two of those hours were spent sitting around waiting and my clients not showing up or bothering to call), I came home and packed to head off to Ventura for a Women's retreat with my church.  Despite the fact that I got almost no sleep last night due the fact that there were four of us sharing a room with two double beds and a train going by right outside the window, the conference overall was really good.  I got there early yesterday so I could go running by the beach.  I went on the path that I used to run every morning when we lived in Ventura.  I ran by our old house, which looks so run down, but still can't beat the location.  I ran by the park where we had Kevin's first birthday.  I loved being there again and just remembering.  This morning I took a walk out on the pier, hoping to see some dolphins but no such luck.  It was cold and foggy, which is what I never liked about living by the beach, but this morning it felt good.  The speakers and the time away were both good.  

Now I'm back and just finished watching Mulan with the boys.  Tomorrow we are going to church and then down to San Juan Capistrano.  I'm ready for some sleep to make up for my sleepless night.  Here's hoping all of you moms have a wonderful day tomorrow.  

Introducing Scooter

Zach has a new friend named Scooter.  Scooter is five years old.  He often comes to our house and plays.  He's a little mischievous and Zach tries to put the blame on him for things that are going on around the house.  Sometimes we will go days without hearing from him and then all of a sudden he's at the house again.  

Did I mention that he's invisible?  

Blinding White Light

Oh wait, those are just my legs.  I finally broke out some shorts for my run over the weekend and the whole time I was just thinking, "Wow, those legs are really white!"  My friends from high school gave me the nickname of "leather bag", an endearing term because of the fact that I was always the tannest around in the summer....and that I would grow up to have leathery skin from all that sun exposure.  I still love being out in the sun, but I am always lathered up with sunscreen now, to keep me from getting that leather look.  But, I wouldn't mind a little color on these legs though, at least to keep from blinding myself while I run! (and I do have to say, as a side note, that I really DO NOT like the running shorts that are out.  I would rather run in long pants any day because of the whole riding up factor and chaffing the occurs....at least for me.  My friend told me that they have vaseline stations at marathons that you can grab a slab of vaseline to run on to prevent the chaffing while you are running.....no thanks.  I think I will just get some biking shorts or something because running shorts are not for me!)

So, I have been out running again this week.  My knee and hip were feeling better.  After my 10 miler on Saturday though my knee is in pain again.....what to do?  

Here's what I ended up doing this week:

Monday:  5.5 (hike)

Tuesday: 2.1 walk

Wednesday: 5.0 (run)

Thursday: spinning class

Friday: 4.2

Saturday: 10 (run/walk)

Sunday: rest

Not a bad week, but the 10 might just be pushing it too much for now.  

This week my schedule is a little bit off because I rearranged my work so I can go to Zach's Mother's Day Tea at his preschool on Friday.  I know they've been practicing some songs and I can't wait to see it!  So I am working here and there throughout the week to make up some of the time.   This morning I am going in to see one little girl and then off to the gym before I need to pick up Zach again from preschool.  I guess I better go wake those boys!!!

Mommy's Little Helper

I picked Zach up from school the other day and I hadn't eaten lunch yet so when we got home I told Zach that I needed to eat before we did anything else.  Zach wanted something to do so he asked if the dishes in the dishwasher were clean.  He was so excited to find out they were so he could put all the silverware back in the drawer!  This is his new favorite way to help.  I just sat and ate while he did his work.  I love what a helper he is.  He also loves to feed Dodger in the mornings.  He does a great job cleaning up his room when asked.  And if I am doing laundry he always wants to help put the clothes in.  I hope this lasts and lasts, but I am sure it will come to an end before I want it to.