Marathon Training: 3 days from runner street cred

Last night I completed my first ever 18 week full marathon training! I ran a nice easy 2 mile run after the kids went to sleep. I didn't take any music with me and I just had my mind and the light of the moon. I usually hate running at night but I really enjoyed that last run. I spent the time thinking about my first full marathon. What my hopes are. How far I've come. How hard I've trained. How many new experiences I've had. How many new friends I've made. How much I've learned about myself. And how many times I wanted to quit. I had a friend tell me a few months ago that I'm a pro at running and that's not true. Its true that I usually don't have to MAKE myself go run, because I have to MAKE myself NOT go run. But that doesn't mean I can't lose motivation. There were a few times where I lost my motivation to try to run a full marathon. I don't know if you know this but 26.2 miles is a long way to run! I can remember when I ran 14 miles. I did it alone. I had never run that far. It was in the rain. And I was exhausted. I had to stop and walk. I cried. I was angry. And I was ready to say eff this. I had a few other messy training runs along the way but I'm so happy with my own determination! So Sunday will mean even more because I've put so much of myself into this race. I can't wait to run a full marathon and be able to say that I have. I might just start introducing myself to strangers that way. "Hi, I'm Bry. I've run a full marathon." I'm sure people have been annoyed at my constant runner talk. But I seriously don't give a shit! I have had some real encouragement along the way and I'd be a fool not to give a shout out to a few special people who have really helped me get to where I am right now! Obviously my family has been incredible and totally encouraging! It goes without saying that my husband, kids, mom, sister - have all been there for me through everything! This shout out is just for my friends.
Number One: Amber! I can't even say why. And I don't mean that to sound like an empty choice. But you're just THERE for me. And have really encouraged me at every step! Even my very first 10 mile long run! Thank you for everything! And when I say you're my running coach I really mean that.
Number Two: Joy! You make me laugh! I love running with you. I love your stories. I have a lot of respect for you and how hard you have trained! Can't wait to hear how awesome you do on Sunday!
Number Three: Anna! You ran my 12 mile long run with me and stayed at my pace the entire way! You new how important it was for me to train even while I was in Illinois on vacation and you took care of it for me. You are a true friend.
Number Four: Mel! I'm so so so excited to see you at the race on Sunday. It means more to me than words can even express that you and your family are coming to cheer me on on Sunday! I've truly been blessed with an amazing friend!
Number Five: Erin! You have always been there to listen and encourage me in a zillion ways in my life and I love you so much for that! You have never made me feel like I was annoying you by talking running!!! haha. You listen. And that means so much! I think we all know how much I like to talk! ;)
- If you didn't get a shout out don't get pissy. It doesn't mean I don't think you're awesome or that you haven't helped me! Because you probably have.

As for my marathon playlist! I have put special songs on my playlist to kind of represent certain people in my life. Here are the songs that I have so far:
Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap - for Penny
Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts - for Grant (it's the Cars theme & he makes me sing it to him a lot)
You and Me by DMB - for Joe
Tribute by Tenacious D - for my sister Monique

The Call by The Back Street Boys - for my MA!!! (hahaha, this song choice is a LOONG inside story)
And, Something Good Can Work by Two Door Cinema Club - FOR ME!

There will be lots of other songs on the playlist of course but those are the meaningful ones I have picked thus far. I can't wait to be come a marathoner! And I hope I can do it in under 4:29. And... without pooping my pants!
Des Moines here I come!

Marathon Training: Hello Injury!

So I'm getting so close to the actual race day that I can FEEL it! I feel it way down deep in my right hip... where I have Bursitis! Wooo Hoo! My first running injury!!! No, I'm not celebrating. The other option is to whine like a bitch though so I'm going to laugh about it instead. IT'S HOW I ROLL. So what's Bursitis? It's an inflammation of the bursae around your hip joint... basically all the goo in your joint is ON FIRE!!! And I gotta tell you... it feels excellent! NOT. I noticed this early last week when my right hip was aching so bad I was limping. I then ran a 3 mile hill run and it really started hurting. So I talked to a medical professional (Ma) and was told to take 600mg of Ibuprofen three times a day to reduce the inflammation and rest until my 20 mile run (scheduled for that saturday). I wasn't sure if I was going to do my last long LONG run because of my hip pain. But by Friday afternoon my 3 days regimine of Ibuprofen was doing the trick and I knew I would be able to at least attempt the 20 miles.

So I did it! I ran 20 miles (again)! This time I was like a freakin' rock star though! I took 15 minutes off my previous 20 mile run time! The first time I ran 20 it took me 3hrs 56mins. This time I did it in 3hrs and 41mins! I didn't stop to walk at all. A few times my iPod went wonky and I had to slow down to mess with that but otherwise I WAS RUNNING! IDK why I have this issue with 'stopping to walk'. But I am really pumped that I did all 20 miles w/o walking. I have few goals with the actual race because it's my first. But one of them is to NOT HAVE TO WALK... accept for the water stations. I will walk the water stations!!! Because my running coach (Amber) told me that's a good idea. And I believe her. lol. But after that 20 mile run I feel so ready! I now have TWO 20 mile runs under my belt and am ready to slap on another 6.2 to the end of that total! Two weeks from Sunday!

As for the old hip - running 20 miles definitely pissed it off! If I were a smart body conscious person I would rest and let that heal. But I am not going to stop training NOW. Hello??? McFly!? I have two weeks to go! I'm not throwing in the towel b/c of some stupid inflamed goo in my hip! NO! I will run this mother. I am continuing my Ibuprofen regimin and that is helping tremendously. Sitting on ice packs helps. So I will continue to do those things until race day and while I will keep running these next two weeks are TAPER weeks! God I love the sound of that word 'taper'!!!

So what are my goals for the marathon??? Here's the short list:
1) Don't stop to walk (excluding water stations)
2) Come in in under 4 hours 40 minutes. I'd like to do it in 4:30:00 but I will see how I feel.

And that's it! I bought a new Brooks long sleeve running shirt yesterday along with my first pair of arm warmers. (like leg warmers for your arms). So I will be able to make a decision race day on what to wear. If' it's as mild as it has been I will probably wear my Under Armour compression capri's and a t-shirt. If it's chilly I can wear the arm warmers. If it's COLD (b/c there's a chance, mother nature can be a ho!) I can wear my new Brooks long sleeve shirt. So I'm all set! I'm ready! I have done all the planning and training I can. Right now I just need to take care of my hip and get ready for the race!!! We're going to the Bahama's this week but I will be bringing my running gear. I hope I get a few chances to run but if I don't I know my hip won't mind.

Running Song of the Week: It's a tie between - "Sexy & I Know It" - LMFAO and "Marry You" - Bruno Mars. I know the Bruno Mars song is super duper lame but for WHATEVER reason I was able to get through the last two miles of my 20 miler listening to just that song over and over. But I love that LMFAO song! It cracks me up.

Running Quote of the Week: "Everything you finish gives you strength everything you don't finish weakens you." Christopher Reeves

Marathon Training: 20 miles is LONG WAY!

Last week I entered a new relm of awesomeness! The 20 mile club. I have no idea if there is such a club but I'm creating one if there isn't. Running 20 miles is other-worldly. I was very very worried about my 20 mile long run because the longest I had run up to that point was 16. I did 16 twice and both times were less than stellar. Yeah I got it done but when I did those 16's I had to stop and walk, I felt tired, slow, and just never really felt like I was in my runner zone. Well that changed because I found my zone for the 20. I have a few theories as to what made 20 so much more enjoyable than 16. Number one is that the weather is so much more forgiving these days! When I ran 20 last friday it was in the 60's when I started and about 73* when I finished at 11:45ish. So the fact that I wasn't running in a Vietnamese Jungle was incredibly helpful!!! The second theory that I have is that I had three days of rest before my LR this time. Since I got back from Jamaica I have been running hard and a lot. I was in panic mode b/c going on vacation wrecked my endurance. So, frankly, I think my legs were tired. I've read a lot of running experts comments about proper rest and there is something to that!!! I don't' know that every week I should go out and only run 5 miles on a monday and then 20 miles on a friday but for that week, it worked! You can burn out your muscles by running TOO MUCH, and I think that was part of what I was dealing w/ during long runs. I was so concerned about getting my miles in each week that I didn't think about how hard that is on your body. 

So what I did for my 20 was I did out and back 5 miles, twice. The trail I used (Mopac East) has a really nice restroom at the trail head and lets just say I wanted to know I had a bathroom should I need one! haha. All I ever really allowed myself to think was "just go 5 miles". I ran out 5 miles. That went well! So I thought "just go 5 miles". I went back the 5 miles! Success! 10 miles, done! I took a pit stop and hopped back on old mopac and though "just go 5 miles". I was getting tired by 14 and I decided that when I made it to the end of that 5 mile stretch (so at 15 miles total) I would turn around and walk a quarter mile. I'd take that time to fuel (w/ my power bar gel, that I now LOVE and hydrate w/ the water on my fuel belt). So that's how I played it. I got to 15 and turned around and allowed myself to walk for a whole quarter mile. When I trained for half marathons I never allowed myself to walk. If I ever walked I felt so pissed at myself. Well not now. Not with this training. A full marathon is freaking HARD. If you know anyone who has ever run a FULL marathon you should hug them! You should tell them they are the most amazing human being you know! Because they are. They are the most amazing human being you know. Especially if they trained properly! (digressing). Anyway, after my fuel, water, and nice little .25 mile walk I was back at it and ready to tackle the very last 4 and three quarter miles! That was it! I was like... I can totally run 4 and three quarter miles! Especially after my little walk. I was recharged and feeling AWESOOOOOME! (sing that like Oprah).

Towards the end I was totally getting tired. I really did EXCEPTIONAL (in my book) until 18 miles. At that point I think I did stop to walk but I only allowed myself a 10th of a mile to walk. Between 18 and 20, my last two miles, I probably stopped 3 times to walk a 10th of a mile at a time but that was all. I did manage to run in the last .75 mile. I should say 'run' in quotes because it was more of a foot shuffle! haha. But I did it! I FREAKIN' DID IT!!! The feeling of getting a 20 mile run in and under my belt was phenominal! I felt like a damn Goddess! I felt like NOW I HAVE STREET CRED! NOW I CAN RUN THIS MARATHON.

And that's the best part. I had so many doubts before that 20 mile run. When two 16's went 'so-so' I thought, 'am i fooling myself? should i really try running a whole marathon? that's 10 more miles than those shitty 16's!' But now that I did 20 I know I can do the full. I don't care if I stop to walk a bit here or there. I don't care if I have to run a few 13/min miles. I don't care if I get passed by everyone on my running team. I don't care if a zillion other people cross the finish line before me! I don't care if anyone else does anything involving a marathon... I care about ME, what I have achieved, how hard I have worked, how much I have put into this and what a GREAT feeling it will be when I CROSS THAT FINISH LINE... because you know what... I WILL. And that's a fact, Jack. :)

Running Song of the Week: Wretches and Kings by Lincoln Park. I listend to it about 5 times during my 20 miler. (and I didn't listen to music the whole run.) but it makes me think of Katniss Everdeen (hunger games) and it makes me feel like I can do anything!

Running Quote of the Week: "Man is so made, that whenever anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish." La Fontaine

Marathon Training: Week 10

I am only 10 weeks away from running my first full marathon. In theory. That's if I make it. My faith in myself is starting to waver a tad. During week 12 I did a fourteen mile long run. It wasn't pretty. It rained from mile one through ten - which was fine. It felt great actually! But by mile 11 I was slowing down and just running sopping wet was getting old. By mile 12 I was struggling to keep it together. I actually started shouting out "I CAN, I CAN, I CAN" to help motivate myself. It just made me winded more than anything, lol. At 13 and a quarter miles I stopped and walked. I walked a half mile and ran the last quarter to make it a total of 14. I'm not mad at myself or disapointed in myself I'm just worried. If I struggle so much with 14 how will 26.2 go? So I'm getting scared about the race.

Last week, week 11 of training, went pretty well! I did 4 on the TM on monday. That went well. Then Tuesday Joe didn't have to drive so I was able to run before waking up the kids. I did 7 miles at 4:45am. It was a very eventful run because I nearly had a heart attack when I saw a locust, then I got attacked by a GINORMOUS grass hopper. On a more pleasant side though I saw a deer and I got to watch the sunrise - which is always beautiful. I was thankful I got a good distance in before work. Wednesday I did speed work and did three miles. I did a light mile circle and then did 1/10th of a mile sprints, 1/10th of a mile walk on and off for two miles. So I did a total of 10 sprints. This killed my shins.

Friday I had planned to do about 12 miles on MOPAC trail but there was a thunderstorm. I was invited to join some friends for a run Saturday but after talking with Joe I decided not to. I have to say it's really difficult to be a good mother and wife and also train for a marathon. Other people need me around more than I need to get a run in. It was obvious to me that Joe wanted me around Saturday morning to help wake up the kids so I bowed out of the LR on the trails w/ other runners. I ended up drowning my sorrows though on Friday night. This didn't help me when I did get a run in on Saturday. I ran during Penny's AM nap at 9a. But I only did 7 miles. I tried a new route. I had always seen a bike trail just off of 180 and decided to run to it and see what it was like. I'll tell you what it's like it SUCKS. I don't ever want to run on that trail again. I don't think it's been paved since 1980. Now I know why I never see runners on it. The hills to and from that trail are also brutal! So when I need to do hill work in the future I will probably go to the highlands neighborhood.

This week should be fine. Aside from getting a lot of packing done for vacation and getting all my school shit together (b/c it starts less than 24hrs after our plain lands in omaha) I will be running as much as I can. Saturday I will hopefully be doing 16 with the runners I had to bail on last weekend.

I have to admit that I'm a little bi-polar in my emotions about marathon training right now. I'm partially burnt out. Partially frustraited. Partially scared. Partially discouraged. But I'm not giving up OH, HELL NO!!! I'll be running my ass off whenever I get the chance. And depending on the rain today I should be able to get 4 in this afternoon - and hopefully OUTSIDE, not on the TM at the gym. I'm still focused on doing this damn race that's for sure! I'm actually getting really excited for next week because I'll be in Jamaica on vacation. I will be brining my running shoes but I plan to give the new "barefoot" running craze a try... ON THE BEACH!!! Right where the surf hits the sand, it's packed tighter. I saw this tip on a running website. So I'm going to bring my garmin watch and try to do a few three milers while there. I probably won't do all of them barefoot but I"m going to do at least one barefoot run.

This weeks running song: T.G.I.F. - Katy Perry
This weeks running quote:  "Training and racing have shown me sides of myself that I never knew existed. I've found perseverance, an ability to focus, stubbornness, compulsiveness, bravery, organization, a sense of humor, and a capacity for unbridled joy." —Gordon Bakoulis Bloch, in How to Train for and Run Your Best Marathon.

Marathon Training: Week 12

A lot of people have been asking me 'how's marathon training going?' the answer is GREAT! Well... I still have some stuff to bitch about! Starting with this blasted HEAT. Grrr. I would be running sooo much more if it weren't for the heat. I would be waking up early to run too but the hubs has been driving so much and gone so early that I can't. So my only time for running is in the afternoon just before getting the kids. This equals the hottest part of the day! And with heat indicies of 115+ this ain't happening. Last week, week 13 of running, I had 3/5/3/9 on my training schedule. I ran 3 miles on Monday in the gym. And then I did 6 on Thursday at the gym. Both treadmill runs sucked. I seriously cant' stand that thing. Doing 6 miles was sheer agony. It's so freakin' boring! I hate not getting my LR's in especially. I even got Amber to let me tag along that morning for the 9mile LR starting at 5:15am. But there was a thunderstorm. Which took me to the stupid treadmill. So lets just say last week was a craptastic week for marathon training! Totally took the wind out of my sails.

Yesterday, Monday, I decided come hell or high water I was running outside. Well guess WHAT!!!! that sucked TOO. It was soooo sooo sooo hot I can't even explain. My muscles were hard as rocks. I couldn't breathe either. I only did 3 and walked from 2.25 - 2.75. I'm not sure what I'm going to do today. It's another hot day of course. I'm leaning towards going outside and giving hot running another try! Why? Because maybe I can train my body to get used to it! Is that dumb? But I'm running today regardless. If I leave work and decide it's too hot I will just take my sorry ass to the gym again and takle that bastard treadmill.

THIS WEEKS LONG RUN WILL ROCK THOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mark my mother f*cking words! I'm going to make it rock if it's the last damn thing I do! I need a good LR to feel like running a marathon isn't totally unatainable. I've already warned my boss (aka my mother in law) that I'll be arriving late thursday morning for work! Why? Because I'm running 14 miles on the mopac trail! THAT'S RIGHT, I SAID FOURTEEN! I've never ever run fourteen miles. That's far. I'm excited though. I will be making a GU run today to make sure I'm prepared. So 7:30a on Thursday it better not effing rain!

Saturday I am running in a 'Warrior Dash' race! (this is why I'm running my LR thursday - so my legs will hopefully be willing to move on saturday). I'm excited b/c I'm running w/ a bunch of friends and it has obsticles and anyone who completes the race w/o dying gets a Viking helmet!!!! Oh, I can't wait! It's only a 5k but it should be pretty brutal! I'm excited to challenge myself via fire pits and mud pits and other kinds of icky pits.

My shoes got exchanged for new one's last week! Yes they were 'new' but they were not working for me! Which was a bummer. but after the first few runs in them I was really noticing my feet were killing me. After a few runs of foot pain I noticed my ancles were starting to hurt. After a few days of foot & ancle pain I noticed my knees were sore. So I said this has to stop. I took them back to the Lincoln Running Co where I got them w/ the same box, reciept & everything and I'm happy to say they gave me an even exchange! I was kind of surprised but pleasantly so. running shoes are expensive as hell! So I was worried I'd be shelling out more money but I didn't have to. I tried on three other types of shoes and found one I wanted to try (and had heard from other runners that these shoes rule) and they were the same price as the Ravenna's so they let me take them! So far... so good!!! I hope they take me to Des Moines on Oct 16th!

Running song of the week: Beyonce - Naughty Girl (yeah, that's right!) haha.

And lastly I've horded a lot of running quotes lately. On FB recently some running co had a status for people to post their favorite motivational running quote. I copy/paisted those quotes like a mad woman! I got a boat load of good quotes! So I'd like to share a few of my favorites. These are helping me stay motivated through the HEAT!

 ‎"One day I won't be able to do this, today is not that day..."

"When your feet get tired, run with your heart." -Julie Tyson Westcott, Founder of Cures Rock

(this is a big favorite of mine-)
"When you’re running, your biggest challenge isn’t someone else. It’s the ache in your lungs and the burning in your legs, and the voice inside you that yells ‘CAN’T”, but you don’t listen. You just push harder. And then you hear the voice whisper ‘can’. And you discover that the person you thought you were is no match for the one you really are." -unknown

"Chuck Norris never ran a marathon."

Happy running!

Marathon Training: Week 15 "my sport is your sports punishment"

I'm happy to report that last week (week 16) of training went swimmingly! (or runningly, as it were). On my training sked was 3/5/3/10 and last week I ran 3/5/3/10!!! I probably won't have another week where I make every single training day happen for a while. This week already I have only done 3 miles. This weeks sked says 3/6/3/6. (this is not 4 days in a row, i'm just telling you the miles on the calendar). It is my last week of classes so I hope that getting those finished will help. Next week I'll be in IL on vacation so I'm not sure just how much running will occur. I do know that Anna is joining me for a 12 mile LR. I am excited to run with my BFF! She's become a pro so it'll be fun to see how we pace together. (which will end w/ me behind, I garantee).

Random story of the week: So I went on a field trip with my son the other day and as we were getting on the train (that goes around the zoo) the 'conductor' (aka old man volunteer) noticed a monster bruze on my thigh. I am fairly certain I picked it up at the bachelorette part two weekends ago. Anyway, he noticed the bruze and said "Ouch, look at that! Do you play ball?" To which I quickly answered "No. I'm a runner." He laughed at me and said "you mean you run into things!" Which I laughed at and said 'obviously'. As Mr. Smarty Pants Old Ass Volunteer got the train moving I started thinking to myself 'what a stupid answer, Bry!' Because who answers 'are you a ball player' in regards to a BRUZE with 'no i'm a runner?' obviously I didn't pick up this mega bruze on my thigh by running. That would be perposterous. But it boils down to this - I wanted him to get STRAIGHT what kind of athlete I am. And I feel a lot of pride in the fact that I am a runner. I actually, in that split second when he asked if I played ball, was offended at the thought. God no, I don't play ball! I RUN! So while I look like a jackass to the Old Man Volunteer train conducter at the childrens zoo and also to the teachers of Grant's class that were standing by me (on the field trip), I personally felt good for correcting him. Silly!

So last week I did my 10 mile long run on a new trail and loved it! I was lucky enough to get to tag along with Amber and her roommate Abbie for this run. I hardly ever run with people so I wasn't sure how it would go. I brought my iPod and earphones just incase I got left in the dust. But we all three ran together the entire time! I didn't need any music and I felt awesome the entire time. I was afraid I would feel fatigued and have to fall behind but never did. I even attempted to sprint to the finish with them but my water bottle flew out of my fuel belt and I had to stop to pick it up. PS: I love my new fuel belt!!! Talk about handy! I thought it would annoy the crap out of me but it didn't! I was so glad to have it. But I'm so happy with last weeks running I can hardly express it. If I have weeks like that for the next 15 weeks I would have zero issues with the marathon. But... those may be few and far between.

I'm thinking about registering for the Bill Seymour half marathon on Sept 3rd. It's in GI, and I ran it in 2007. It was my second half marathon. The course then was the flatest thing ever. They have since changed the course but it still says it's flat. I think the incline was listed at like 79ft or something histerical. So I am thinking I might get my negative two hour PR! I will be sure to do my speed drills as often as possible when training now.

I'm going to start adding a running song of the week. This weeks running song is "Something good can work" by Two Door Cinema Club. It's awesome and I love running to it! So if you're looking for a new tune for your running trecks get this one.

And lastly, the quote in the title of this blog is something I found on a running website. It was printed on a tshirt. I didn't buy it but it made me laugh. And it's true. Running is considered 'punishment' in other sports practices! Now doesn't THAT make you want to go out and run?

Marathon Training: Week 17. New shoes!

After some hickups I am offiically training for my first marathon. Yeah, I registered for the Twin Cities Marathon and waisted $100. (woops). I won't be running that marathon because I will be in the Bahamas with my family. What a bummer! HA! So instead of TCM I am going to make the Des Moines Marathon my very first full on October 16th. Last week was my first week of marathon training. I am currently in the middle of a summer session (aka summer school). It's pretty busy and brutal but I did find time to get out and run three times last week. I am thankful that I have had time to squeeze running in. I even took Thursday off, I planned to do my scheduled 8 mile long run that morning. I was going to take Penny & Grant to daycare (dressed & ready to run), drive over to my favorite running trail and log in the Long Run (LR). However, as I sat watching the weather before waking up my kiddies (already dressed in my Under Armour pants & wicking shirt) I quickly found out Mother Nature had other plans. What a stupid whore! I hate Mother Nature!!!! So the sky was all gross and cloudy and grey. And it started to pour down rain. The wind was blowing like a freaking hurricain and the weather man said that a thunderstorm w/ hail & strong winds was headed our direction. Effing great. So I went back up stairs (stomping, of course, because I'm incredibly mature when I don't get my way) and changed into regular clothes. Instead of running I got all my grocery shopping done for Grant & Penny's party (which was saturday).

I did manage to run that day but I think it sucked. I cant remember specifics but all my running has sucked lately. This week I have gotten in only one run (its only wednesday). I managed to make it three miles monday afternoon is 90+* heat. But the verdict at the end of that messy run was that my shoes are officially done. There was no way I could put it off a day longer. Not one more step could be taken in those Brooks shoes! I estimate that I ran about 600 miles on them. They are toast. I went yesterday to the Lincoln Running Co. and bought a new pair of Brooks. This time I got Ravenna's. I tried on two other shoes that guy thought I might like. Asics and Saucony's. Neither had the kind of support that the Brooks have. I was willing to try something else but in the end I appear to be brand loyal! Brooks have never done me wrong (until around mile 601). I had a great time at the shoe store talking to the shoe guy who helped me. He had run the Paris marathon! Yeah, in actual Paris France! Not Paris Tennesee. Anyway, he watched me walk, measured my feet, we talked about how I've had two kids and my feet have changed (thanks a lot pregnancy!). So with my trusty new kicks and some other goodies - I got two new pairs of running shorts I can't wait to wear. They are soooooooo comfortable! And I also got some little electrolite things called NUUNs. (they are electrolites w/o the sugar like you get in gatoraid and you just put them in your water). Since I am running a lot in the heat of the day I need that help. I think that's part of my problem with having bad runs lately... I am so freakin' hot because it's like in the 90s! Baah.
 

We shall have to wait and see if I am able to squeeze in my long run this week. That is pretty damn important! I am going for a quick, short run today to test out the new shoes. But I am hoping Thursday or Friday to make it 8 or 9 miles. The calendar has this ominous looking number 9 on it. But I am not sure if I should make the jump up to 9 already. Having not done any LR's since the Lincoln Half over a month ago... is it wise? Or should I start with 8? Next week it says 10LR so I could make a two mile jump. What I plan to do is just go for 8 and if I feel great I will go another mile. The good news is ina  few weeks the LR is only 6. So I am thinking if I get a little off track I can swap out that little 6 for one of my missed LRs. I'm flying by the seat of my pants.

Marathon Training: Week 18 (or is it 20?)

As you (should) know by now I registered for my very first full marathon last week. I'm registered to run the Twin Cities Marathon on October 2nd. My training for that race began on Monday. I was home w/ sick ones so I skipped that day. Off to a bad start!!! Right?! Then Tuesday I ran 2 miles, which weren't very pretty. Yesterday I was set to run 3, which I did (on national running day!) but again I struggled. I haven't had a good run since the Lincoln Half for some reason. And yesterday just before I left work to do my run before getting my kids my mother in law and boss informed me that there is a company trip to the BAHAMA'S the last week of September into the first weekend of October. Which you may realize is WHEN I'M REGISTERED TO RUN A MARATHON! Crap. Crap. Crap!

I was pretty bummed I hadn't talked to my MIL before registering. I didn't think about that - but next time I do anything that takes a large committment you can bet I will be checking with my mother in law first to make sure there are no Carribean Vacations in our future!!! After I left work to go run I felt pretty let down. I had it all built up in my head that this was the race! I had tried and tried to actually talk myself OUT of running a full marathon this year. I kept saying I don't have time, I'm insane, I can't do this, this is a bad time, don't register. Yet I googled and googled and googled races and reviews and did research and asked other runners and I found the Twin Cities Marathon and it felt perfect. So after I got the OK from the hubbs I registered. I almost feel like there's a higher power at work telling me I should listen to that little voice saying I shouldn't run a full this year, I don't have time, I'm insane, I can't do this, this is a bad time! So I reflected on this conundrum during my run. Another bad run on a string of bad runs. It was hot. It was windy. (the weather channel said sustained winds of 30mph, w/ gusts of 55). But I did it ANYWAY! After googling some more... I found the Des Moines marathon.

The Des Moines Marathon is October 16th. It has some hills early in the race but many runners have commented they got a PR. (personal record). I'm not afraid of hills. I just don't want to run a "hilly" marathon. (which excludes Omaha all together). I'm not registering right away for the DM marathon but I have a feeling I will. Joe agreed it would be a lot more fun to go to the Bahamas then watch two kids alone while I went off to run a marathon alone. Two weeks later we could all make the short 2hr45min trip to Des Moines and this way I could have some fans cheering me on! After a while I started seeing this as possibly a good sign. Maybe God wasn't saying I should run a marathon... I just shouldn't run TCM. For whatever reason. But I can say I will enjoy being on the beach with my little ones and Joe and being able to play in the sand with them! My family makes me whole and I love building memories with them. I just can't pass up this chance. So my marathon training will actually start in two weeks! Which gives me a little more time to get my runs back to a good place.

I have a 10k race on Saturday morning. I am not looking forward to it actually. Mostly because I've had such a hard time with running lately. I know this race is HILLY. I ran it 2 years ago on a team and did pathetic. I think my time was 1:06:?? Which is bad. My last 10k finish time was 59:24. I will NOT be beating that time for a new PR. But I sure as hell better beat 1:06:??

But with all this complaining I keep on going. I don't know why. I think I just refuse to give up.

Just registered for my first Marathon!

I was reading an article titled "11 Keys for a successful marathon journey" http://www.active.com/running/Articles/11-Keys-for-a-Successful-Marathon-Journey.htm?cmp=1747 and in it it suggested keeping a journal or blog. So here we go.

Well to start at the beginning I started running in the winter of 2007. I was working at the local CBS affiliate as a photojournalist. I had lost 30lbs by working out at the gym and was getting bored. A co-worker suggested I train for a half marathon. I had literally not run a step. (though I ran the Steamboat 4mile race in 2003). It sounded like a nice change and so I did it. I registered. I had no idea what I was doing back then. All I did to train was print off a running schedule I had googled and put the daily miles on my refridgerator calendar. Every day I religiously stuck with it. I can vividly remember the terror I felt inside when I got to the day with the number FIVE on it. How could I ever run 5 miles? I had made a loup in my subdivision (that I still run!) and that loup is 1 mile. I did it once, twice, three times... the most I had done up to that point... as I kept on going I eventually finished my 5 mile "long run" for that week and I knew I could do the half marathon! The rest of the runs I did for that race don't particularly stand out in my memorie. But the feeling I had that day that I ran 5 miles is the feeling I am constantly chasing. 4 years later I'm after that same sence of accomplishment. That ability to show myself just what I CAN do.

Later that year I ran my second half marathon. My first half I had a finish time of 2:29:58. I had wanted to come in under 2 and a half hours and I just made it. My second finish was faster - though to this day I can't remember or find what it was. And it was then that I was blessed by my very first pregnancy. After I had my son Grant I was eager to get back into running. Knowing full well just how great running is for weight loss I wanted to run to get rid of the weight I gained during my pregnancy. (a shameful 60lbs, lol). Well I did it. I lost the weight and I ran my third half marathon in May of 2009, almost a full year after having my first baby. My finish time for that race was 2:21. Shortly after that I was blessed with pregnancy number two!

After I had my daughted I was even more obsessed with getting my running shoes on again. I hadn't gained as much weight so this time it was just all about my love for running. I realized its how I cope with stress the best. My daughter is stressful (God love her!). So I needed it badly, especially in those first few months after she was born. I decided of course that I would run the Lincoln Half Marathon again. I signed up for my fourth half marathon and began training in the winter of 2011. I found a few new running buddies (some are also mom's like me, who also work, go to school, etc). And I even ran a 10k in under one hour! I had never been concerned with my time. In fact, I was just extatic to finish. What my pace was was completely insignificant to me. So when I ran that 10k with under a 10min/mile pace I was asstonished. Another little running high was born and now a fast pace is something I am chasing. I was extra motivated to be fast for my fourth half marathon. I was able to reach a major PR (personal record) with a finish time of 2:08:16! That's a avg of 9:45min/mile!

As soon as the 2011 Lincoln Half was completed I was googling races like a lunatic. What should I run next? Should I do my 5th half and shoot for an under 2 hour finish time? Or is it time to finally do a full? I wanted to sign up for the Wine & Dine Disney Half Marathon on Oct 1st but it's expensive as all hell. (though, i will do that one when my kids are older). There's a half in Peoria (my hometown) in August. I would love to run on my home turf but I will have JUST gotten back from Jamaica the sunday before. I do not like the idea of getting back in the car to leave my children again. (mommy guilt is a bitch). There is the Vegas half & full in December and I toyed with doing that race. But I'd have to bring my children to Las Vegas with me. I'd also have to be a burdon (again) on my entire family - husband, kids, in-laws. I decided this wasn't the right fit either. I found about 20 marathons/half marathons around the time frame I wanted to run. I had to widdle them down by course. The Omaha Marathon would have been ideal but it's a hilly bastard that has actually been labled "brutal". (omaha is very hilly if you didn't know). There is a race in Northern IL that might work but yet again it just didn't feel right. Then boom I stumbled upon the Twin Cities Marathon. I had noticed it before but hadn't really focused on it. But when I read it I realized it had everything I wanted. It got incredible reviews online. Someone said they had run 17 marathons and this is their favorite. Someone else said it should be on every marathoner's bucket list. Someone else said they are trying to do all 50 states (a marathon goal I've heard ppl talk about) marathons so they can't do this one again anytime soon but if they were to do ANY of their marathons again... this would be it! Add to all of that lots of comments about amazing race support/crowd support, it's well organized, has great accomidations and the runners expo is apparently amazing. So I decided this was it. My answer was to run a full and not another half. This really is the perfect time for me to do a full. I can use the momentum I have built up from the Lincoln half and go with it.

I registerd for the Twin Cities Marathon this morning. I was actually shaking when I typed in my CC info. I'm incredibly nervous. How the fuck am I going to run 26.2 miles? How? Well I ran 5 miles 4 years ago. If I can do that, I can do anything right? So I will remind myelf of Kara Goucher's (olympic marathoner) mantra.. "I am not afraid". I am not afraid... I am not afraid... I am not afraid...

Training starts on Monday.

Christmas 2010

Our Christmas this year went very well. Aside from getting snowed out from traveling to Illinois for the second year in a row! But we will be going to celebrate Christmas with my family this weekend (over the new years holiday) instead. I suppose I can't be too bummed about extending the Christmas festivities another week, can I?! I'm really looking forward to drowning my sorrows in a bowl of clam dip as soon as I get to my moms though! Well... when I get there I won't have sorrows to drown anymore but whatever... I'm going to eat all the clam dip so help me God!

We all got spoiled on Christmas this year! Grant got lots of fun toys. He got lots of books, a Lightning McQueen car that talks & lights up, an excavator that he calls "estimator" because he can't say excavator. He got lots of goodies. Penny got a little play kitchen, some new clothes, books, and a few little toys she can also chew on (gotta love teething!). Joe got me a guitar this year and I got him some new lounge clothes. We're going to Vegas in a few weeks for our first vacation (just the two of us) since we went to Mexico in 2007. I can't wait! I am going to sleep, and sleep, and sleep, and shop, maybe eat, and then sleep some more! I got a gift card to the spa at the hotel we're staying at (the Aria hotel & casino) so I can't wait to get a massage, facial, & mani-pedi! Talk about the best Christmas gift EVER! I'll do that between naps of course.

Grant has been a wonderful little guy lately. He's working on potty training! I'm thankful for 'cars' themed pull-ups! The other day he was standing by the Christmas tree looking focused on something... then he looks at me and says "I went potty on Guido". haha... (guido is a character from 'cars' that is on his pull-ups). But we read lots of potty books and he gets skittles for going on the big boy potty! He's not ready to wear underwear yet but we're working towards that! Right now he is loving building blocks and watching "Credibles" (the incredibles movie).

Penny has had a cold for about 4 weeks now, poor girl! I took her to the Dr's a few days ago and they said she has a sinus infection. They put her on antibiotics - which I've heard horror stories about w/ the MSPI - so I've been dreading this. So far it's going okay. She's spitting up quite a bit more than normal (which was already a ton). But she's not unhappy. She sounds like Darth Vader when she breathes so I hope this antibiotic clears that up soon! It sounds uncomfortable. Otherwise she's a happy little lady! She's SOOOO close to crawling! She really gets her knees under her body and scoots where she wants to go but she's not up on all fours yet. It seems like she's crawling so early! But she can pretty much get where she wants to without any trouble. She also loves to be hugged these days! She's lifting her arms up to you when you come to her to tell you to pick her up. She will wrap her arms around your neck and hug you... I just LOVE that! She likes to grab fistfulls of my hair in the process so that's not always great but I'll take a hug from my girl whenever I can get it! :)

Both kids are doing great so I really can't complain. I'm getting worried about my classes next semester! I looked at one sylabus so far and it was like 10 pages long. I nearly shit a brick. I have to comment on ceratin threads on the website for participation points! Jeepers! Does this teacher not get that we're all taking this class on line so we don't have to participate?? haha. Guess not. It's "Psychology of Adolecents" so I'm pretty sure it'll be interesting enough. I hope I get A's again! It feels good to prove to myself something I've been suspecting for some time.... I'm really fackin' smart!

So aside from gearing up for round 2 of Christmas, Vegas Vacation, and Spring semester things are pretty chill and relaxed around here. I hope Penny's sinus infection goes away soon and that Grant doesn't get sick. He just finished a round of his own antibiotics from a double ear infection. (he said he had a tractor in one ear and a train in the other. They're gone now though, according to him the antibiotics worked).

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving was great this year! It was nice to be in Nebraska actually. I was glad that we only had to drive 30 minutes to Joe's parents house. I hate traveling all the way to IL on Thanksgiving b/c the roads are so freakin' busy. We had a nice relaxing time with the fam. Grant played with his Lightning McQueen car that Gma & Gpa bought him. It's one of those that has a ginormous battery and he pushes a peddle to drive it around... he LOVES it. He also found an old Monster Truck toy that was Joe's when he was a kid. Grant loved watching that thing drive over stuff. It would even drive over GRANT when he was laying down on the floor. He laughed his butt off. He calls it "monster truck mater". I guess it's Mater from the "Cars" movie. He has a short DVD of "Maters Tall Tales" and one of the tall tales is called "Monster Truck Mater".

Penny had a great Thanksgiving but had a really bad black friday! She had a bad tummy ache and diarea all day long. I think it had to have been from the well water at Gma & Gpa's house. I made a few bottles for her on Thanksgiving w/ their water and that's the ONLY thing I can think of that was different for her. Joe thinks this is totally possible that something in the water upset her MSPI. Probably not any actual milk or soy but she's bothered by LOTS of things. It could be too much rust for all I know. Anyway, it made for a bad Friday and I felt bad for Penny. She was unconsolable and upset a lot of the day and I just hate when she gets like that because you can't help her really. :( But she was feeling better by Friday night.

Saturday I went to Des Moines for my annual Christmas shopping trip w/ my mom & sister. We always meet out there. It's like 1/2 way for both of us so it works out really well. I got a lot of shopping done! I hope to finish it up this week. Penny and Grant went to Gma & Gpa Schulz's house and had a great time. Penny was much happier that day I heard.

We still have to go pick out a tree. We plan to do that this weekend. I'm not sad that we're getting it a week later than normal b/c I think this year it's going to be interesting to see if Grant messes with the tree or not. I'm pretty sure he will. He messes w/ everything else, why not the tree? I imagine he'll have a blast taking all the decorations off of it... should be a fun month! lol!!! :) He's an awesome kiddo and I absolutely adore him but he's also... two.

I don't mean to brag but...

SOOOOOOO I've been taking my one masters class and doing pretty well in it. I have to write an essay about every 10 days or so. My last essay took my prof forever to grade and I was getting paranoid that it sucked. I know you won't understand the details of this "feedback" my prof left me but you'll get the gist... summed up it basically says "you're awesome". Here's my 'feedback'...

Grade : 15 out of 15
Comments : Bryanne-The purpose of Assignment E is to encourage you to think about what should be about teaching rather than what is. We go through life being told to “be realistic. Take things as they are.” In many instances, this is good guidance. Yet, in teaching, if we are not careful, we succumb to “what is,” to the “real” and give up on the ideal, such as facilitative teaching and life-long learning, ideals to be sought, if never fully achieved. Your essay "Imagine" had a singing quality. I thought of John Lennon's song, "Imagine" where he asks us to imagine a world where everybody lives in peace and harmony. Ah, ha, you're using a metaphor to develop your subject, facilitative teaching, by way of the two metaphors and what they mean to you. The story about your Grandmother (sage on the stage) and Mother (Guide on the Side) was right on target. Also, two of your colleagues in the class mentioned experiences with their children and how they were challenged to put educational theory into practice in the real world of family. Needless to say, this is your best essay! Well done. Dr. Garcia

Yeah. I'm awesome. haha.

I'm about to go register for next semester. I cant decide if I'm going to take two or three classes. Do I want to get done w/ this masters program in 3 years and go senile in the process or get done in 3+ years? Hmmm... that's a tough one.

OK. Enough about me and back to my regular blog about the kids...
We just took a road trip to IL for faux thanksgiving and it was a doozy! Grant no longer sleeps well in the car. Both to and from IL he only took a 20min nap and woke up SCREAMING. Why? I have no idea. But it was not fun. And I can't get in the back seat easily... the car seats take up so much damn space! So I have to squeeze my ass between them and have my body turned to one side. That's comfy! But thank God for the car DVD player!!!! That was seriously helpful!

Grant is seriously a genius I'll have you know. He was playing w/ those letter magnets you put on the fridge and I picked up the letter G and said 'do you know what letter this is?" and he goes "G for Grant". I was totaly impressed but decided to try another letter... I picked up the letter E and asked if he knew what that one was, he said "G for Ebony". Okay... it's not a G but he knew it was an E b/c he said EBONY (a girl in his class at daycare). I picked up the letter J and he said "G for Jetta" (another girl in his class). I picked up the N and he said "G for Noah". So he was stuck on the letter G but he KNEW what each letter was for names of people in his class! He went on to say "G for Sammy" when I picked up the S, "G for Hunter", w/ the H, and he did the letter R as well but I forget what the name was. Anyway... this is some impressive shit for a 2.5 year old you know!!! He talks better than most 3 or 4 year olds and the kid is about ready to start reading for Pete's sake! haha. So... that was more bragging. :)

Penny looks really cute in a dress. :) That's my bragging for her. haha. She'll be a genius too. A well dressed one.

Tootsie Roll

It's been a while since I blogged last and I have lots to say! The kiddo's have been up to some amusing antix. Penny is officially rolling over. Has been for a month now actually - she started that at 4mo old. The bad news about that though is that she rolls over and then realizes she doesn't want to be on her stomach... so she gets all cranky. So every evening Joe & I take turns rolling her back over while we make dinner. Seriously it's like every minute she rolls over. Then gets mad. I'm pretty sure she's working on teeth as well. I don't see any coming through perse but she is drueling like mad and chews on everything. I took a video last night of her going to town on her plastic giraffe, I'll post it on FB later. It's especially cute when she pulls her feet up to her face and start to chew on her big toe. Grant did that too. She is so flipping cute! She likes to suck her thumb and hold something soft up to her nose...which is EXACTLY what Grant does w/ his blanket... so it's just a matter of time before she finds her 'lovey' (her favorite soft blanket or toy to use while thumb sucking). She'll use anything at this point. Heck she'll use the sock while it's still on her foot!! haha. It's the funniest thing to see... she is sucking her thumb on her right hand and w/ her left hand she's got her left foot up by her face and her sock is pulled almost off her foot and she's touching it up to her nose. Kids are funny! Grant didn't really clame a 'lovey' until he was about 15mo old. I remember we were in Atlantic City on vacation when we realized he HAD to have the white blanket w/ the pieces of yarn on it. The lady who made that blanket for Grant made one for Penny too... I keep giving it to her just incase she's on the same path as Grant and will like the yarn... anyway... rambling...

Other stuff I want to jot down:
I'm really excited to take Grant to see Santa this year! I think he might not cry! We've already started talking about how you tell Santa what you really want and if you're nice he'll bring it to you. So hopefully when we see Santa he will be able to tell him what he wants. Last year he just cried. But it was ok because there was no one else in line so Santa started reading Grant a book and Grant calmed down. Never did say what he wanted Santa to bring him but that's fine. He wasn't even 18mo old then. But this year he will TOTALLY get it! Presents are the SH*T! right now so... haha.

Well next month I'll get to start trialing food w/ Penny. Normal, non-mspi babies are eating rice cereal by now. But we have to wait until she's about 9mo to try rice cereal. At 6mo we can trial veggies very slowely. Normal kids you try one thing and wait 3 days to see if they have a 'reaction' but w/ the mspi babies you have to wait 6 days. I'm going to start w/ sweet potatoes on December 8th! I can't wait. She sits w/ us in her high chair at dinner and watches all of us eat. She even watches Grant. I have no idea what she's thinking or if she's thinking 'i want some' but I kind of feel a little guilty eating in front of her! haha.

This weekend is faux thanksgiving in IL and I got cute outfits for the kids to wear. We'll be doing a fun family pic. Actually we are surprising my mom w/ a prof photographer to come take pictures for her and that'll be her Christmas present from all of us kids(&grandkids). Should be fun! I hope we get some good pics! Evertime I schedule pictures for my family I fear a repeat of Sears 2009. lol.

DMV

I went to the DMV today on my lunch break. That place is my own personal Hell honestly. I avoid the DMV like the plague! My drivers lisence has been expired since July (thanks 30th bday) and I have NOT gone to renew it b/c I hate the DMV that much. Anyway, so I was there. There's always a damn line. You never just get in at the DMV. I love that you still have to take a number too. So the reason I hate the DVM is the people who are always there. (yucky, yucky people) And my expectations were fullfilled... just behind me and to the left was a 45-50yo man making the sickest noise on earth. I will try to explain the noise... at first I thought he was dry heaving, like he was gonna vomit. Then I thought maybe the noise was part of a spasm due to his mental handycap (like terrets or something). Then I realized he was trying not to hack up a lung. LITERALLY. He kept going "HEEEEH" over and over. It was a cough he was trying to keep in. Like when you have to cough but don't want to make a lot of noise... Are you with me here? It sounded awful. So just imagin something awful. Anyway, he made that noise almost the entire time I was there. It's the kind of thing where he was doing it SO MUCH that when he stopped I looked up and had to stop myself from turning around to see if he was still alive or had stopped breathing and finally keeled over. The DMV is so gross. Not just the people but even the horrid little desks they make you sit in when you wait. Like the comunity college type classroom desks. I am wearing a dress today too so I kept making sure I was totally sitting on the skrit of my dress. A girl could probably pick up a raging yeast infection from sitting in those desks. Lawd above I hate the DMV. Uh... and I had to take a picture to... so my FAVORITE HAIR-CUT EVER will live on for at least another 5 years. Awesome.

Enough about that lovely experience. Nothing much is new w/ the kiddos. Penny is happier (after having that bad day sunday). Grant is the same - hysterical. The other day he was banging his fork on the table and I told him to stop. He put the fork down, looks at it and says "stop that fork. you're too loud." haha. YOU TELL THAT FORK! He also has a deep hate for socks right now. IDK why. But as soon as you take his shoes off he begs you to take off the socks too. He really isn't going to be into this whole "winter" thing that's on its way!

Oh, and his posse has grown. It now includes the blanket, big-o, gourdon (the pumpkin) and teddy bear. Teddy bear is a random teddy bear that was up in his bed room sitting in a little tiny rocking chair. The other night he requested that teddy bear sleep with him. Since then he has to come everywhere with the whole posse. Which I've taught Grant to actually call "the posse" btw. I told him a group of friends is called a posse and I have to pack all of him and his posse in the damn car in the morning. Grant's burried behind two bears, a blanket, and a damn pumpkin while I try to buckle his harness and he grabs onto everyone going "my posse, my posse, my posse". It's pretty damn funny actually. Carrying him down the stairs is getting scarrier though. AT least if I do fall I"ve got the possibility of landing on one of three huge stuffed animals. (well one's a vegitable but who's counting).

NOT COOL!

So I was going to blog last friday (10/22) but daycare called me at work at 9:45a that Penny needed to be picked up. They have a pollicy that if your kiddo has 2 loose stools in less than an hour you have to pick them up. And Penny did so off I went. We spent a nice time at home together. But I will be getting a DR's note to give to daycare telling them that Penny's got pooping issues. This is the second time I"ve had to get her b/c of her poop and when we get home she's just fine. I can't keep getting her. I have no problems picking up my kids if they are sick, I would never want them to have to sit at daycare feeling yucky. But Penny's just a pooper! So... yeah.

Last Thursday night we all went to the Roca Berry Farm to pick some pumpkins! We had a blast! We ate a funnel cake first thing when we got there. Grant loved it of course! Penny watched enviously. Poor lady. And then we walked around looking at all the cool stuff they have. There's a petting zoo w/ pigs, goats, chickens, bunnies and a YACK. Or some sort of Yack looking animal. He was not pet-able but he was there. I actually heard the pigs oink! Yeah, my experience w/ pigs is limited so I was like... wow, they really oink! haha. Grant loved it. I got some great video of him touching one of the pigs snouts. Also some good video of him petting and feeding the goats. Who, also amazingly to me, really do go BAAAA. But the best part of the trip to the pumpkin patch was this massive tube slide Joe got  Grant to go down. I wasn't so sure this was a good idea, and frankly I didn't think Grant would WANT to go down this slide alone but he did. The slide came from this huge castle they have built at the top of a hill and there's a red tube slide that goes all the way down the hill. Probably about 20yrds long and at a seriously steep angle. The first time Grant went I was at the top and Joe was at the bottom. Joe said Grant started to turn to the side as he was going down and he had a look of sheer terror on his eyes!! haha. But as soon as he got to the bottom he said AGAIN! So he went about 30 times.

At one point I had to become a total MOMMA BEAR during the slide extravaganza. There were about 5 kids going down the slide over and over at the same time as Grant. They were all doing great taking turns yadda yadda. I was at the top of the slide watching Grant go down and Joe was at the bottom to catch him and get him out of the way of the on-coming traffic of kids asap. And at one point Grant was walking up to the slide to go down and another little boy, maybe 4 or 5, was there at the same time. Grant just randomly said "Pit Stop" - which he says often. It's from the movie Cars. He wasn't saying it to anyone, just saying "Pit Stop" and the little 5yo boy turns around, gets in Grants face and goes "WHAT'D YOU SAY TO ME? I'LL KICK YOU BOY!" at which point I quickly stepped up to the window where I could see them closer and yelled "HEY!!!!" and the little boy looked at me like "shit I'm caught" and I yelled "NOT COOL!" and motioned for him to get his ass down the slide! I wanted to say more but seeing as I did not know where his mother was or how scrappy she was or how large she might be I thought "HEY, NOT COOL" was plenty. He went down the slide and left Grant alone. The best part about this... and what I wanted to say but didn't was... the little boy was carrying his little white bunny rabbit with him. You could tell it was his 'lovie' b/c it was all warn and stuff. And I wanted to be like... you can't go to a pumpkin patch with out your baby bunny you're not kicking any one! haha. Obviously... that would have been very childish of me. Oh, and his mother was at the bottom of the slide and never acted like she noticed anything so I'm guessing she's oblivious to the fact that her kids is a bully to other kids when she's not looking. The SAD thing about this... you know that little boy LEARNED that behavior by being bulled at some point. And after I yelled at the little boy Grant looked at me with such a look of surprise. I was like 'you have fun on the slide and don't worry about him'. Kids are such a-holes to eachother!!!

Well it was a good weekend. Penny was very very upset yesterday. She cried a lot. I think it's b/c she spit up her morning zantac. (she gets three doses a day). I gave her her zantac, walked away to get a wash clothe wet to wipe her eyes, came back and there was a wet spot of clear goo on her matress. Pretty sure that was her zantac. And I only give her 1.5ml's so I feel like that spot was ALL of it. With in an hour of that she was bawling. It took soo much cuddling and rocking to get her to nap. It was just like when she was a itty bitty baby again. So sad. Poor little lady! I'm glad she's not like that every day anymore! But the sad thing is that zantac is like it builds on every dose... so not having her morning dose screwed up her WHOLE DAY. The stuff has to be given in succession so when you miss a dose it eff's up the whole day. She was still awefully fussy at the end of the day! :(

We carved pumpkins last night. Grant just watched but he still loved watching. Too much goo for him. He'd likely take it into the living room and drop it on my carpet! haha. My carpet is already yucky enough. But I made G's a happy face pumpkin and mine is a bat. Joe's will get carved tonight. Grant declaired it should be a MAD FACE. lol. So in accordance w/ the phrophecy it shall be done. :) (joe doesn't carve, he just takes out the guts and roasts the NUTS, yumm).

OK. Done rambling. Happy Monday.

there's lightning, there's lightning...

Grant does this thing now where he repeats something over... and over... and over... and over... and over... seriously I didn't know someone could even repeat one thing so many times! At first it was cute... now... not so much. I know. I'm a horrid mother. But wowzer the repeating thing is so annoying!! Last night Grant looked out our living room window and for some reason thought he saw lightning (which was impossible) and he just goes "there's lightning. there's lightning. there's lighting. there's lighting"... but for HONEST TO GOD like 5 minutes. It used to be that he would stop repeating as long as you achnowledged what he was saying. Like "oh, did you see lightning" would stop the "there's lightning" fairly quickly. But not anymore! Now he just keeps going on and on about the damn lightning!!! Penny was trying to fall asleep and take a cat nap in the living room but couldn't b/c of the dang lightning extravaganza going on so I had to take her up stairs. I put her in her crib and came back downstairs and yep... there was still lightning going on... somewhere... haha. WHY?!

I went to the gym yesterday and met w/ a little trainer dude (who made me feel like a grandma, he was 24). He showed me some weight extersizes to do. So again... the gun show is coming to town! Eventually! Maybe if I just repeat that over and over to myself it'll help... like self fullfilling profecy?!

And tonight we're going out to Roca Berry Farm to pick pumpkins!!! I even printed out a coupon for it! It's gonna be super!

19 Weeks of Whimsy.

Penny is 19 weeks old today. It's kind of crazy that that much time has passed. If I were 19 weeks pregnant I'd be finding out what I was having this week or next! Speaking of... last week I was in Von Maur buying a  sleep sack and the cashier says "What are you having?" and I said "Oh, I have a girl at home" (thinking she was asking me b/c of my purchase) And then she says "Oh, well what are you having NOW" and I looked at her like I was going to vomit and said "I'm not pregnant". She said "OMG, I'M SO SORRY!" She said there was a "girl who looks just like you with the same hair cut" who had just been walking around the store. I just stood there and didnt' speak again. I get it that she felt bad b/c she kept saying she did... but still... you asked me what I'm having! Be fackin' sure someone's obviously pregnant before you ask that!

Crazy cashier ladies aside things are generally good w/ Penny. She's sleeping all night again. Well I hear her talking to herself in the middle of the night sometimes. But she goes back to sleep with out me even having to go into the room. She's just a cute little cuddle bug. I'm so glad she's a happy baby. She wasn't so happy for the first few weeks (months) of her life. But the zantac and the special formula seem to be helping her tummy.

Last night Grant ate 6 chicken stix! (yes, like fish stix). He hates protiene so this was exciting for me. He dipped them all in his apple sauce too. Haha. I said 'well I guess it's all going to the same place'. If he's happy eating it that way who am I to stop him. The kid eats like a bird as it is. I'll take what I can get. I remember before I had kids I was all high and mighty and I thought people who only fed their children chicken nuggets and mac 'n cheese were terrible parents. But really... what do you do when they absolutely refuse to eat any of the 'good' stuff like regular food (ie: veggies, chicken breast, pork chops, baked potato) we try all the good stuff and he never eats that. So in lou of making him starve we feed him things he will eat and continue to try to introduce the 'good' stuff. That's how our pediatrician says to do it. So lesson learned... you can't judge a mom by her childs diet.

I went to the gym yesterday. I'll be going again today. I'm meeting w/ a trainer tomorrow and he's going to show me how to work all the weight machines. I need to sculpt my guns! So get your tickets!

Bloggity Blog Y'all

This is my first blog on blogspot! Woopie! I missed bloggin'. But myspace is no place for blogging anymore so I decided to join up over here. Mostly I just want to ramble about my kids and life. I feel like I need to keep a diary of what they are up to. One thing I love about myspace is that I can go back and read old blogs I've written. However, they're all about my life before kids! I think I'd really enjoy going back to read things about my two munchkins... it's amazing how easily I've already forgotten some things about Grant when he was a baby! I don't want to do the same thing w/ Penny. So mostly I want to keep a journal of the goings-on with my bebe's.

So for my first installment I'll fill ya in! Grant is 2 and Penny is 4mo. Grant is a handful and talks so much these days! There's basically nothing he can't communicate to you. He is obsessed with his blanket, his teddy bear Big-O (short for big 'ol teddy bear) and a stuffed pumpkin that he calls 'Gourdon'. He must take all three items wherever he goes! Penny's baptism was Saturday evening and while in the car I realized we had left ALL THREE things at home. It was a rookie mom mistake! But we all survived. More about the baptism in a second! Penny is doing FAB. She's growing, growing, growing! She wears 6-12mo clothes already and weighed 16lbs at her last DR apt two weeks ago. She still spits up like she's bulemic but she's obviously keeping some of her formula down cause girl is filling out her jeans! :) But she's gorgeous and I still give those great big cheeks about a million kisses a day.

Penny was baptised on Saturday. The moment we walked into the church she was not a happy camper. I thought it was because she was hungry... it was right about time for another bottle... but even after I started feeding her bottle (as we walked down the aisle to our pew in the church) she was NOT having it. She proceeded to cry through the baptism ceremony. Grant was also upset! I think he was wanting to come stand with Joe, Penny, & I up at the 'font' and I had said a few nights pervious that he shouldn't. I was regretting that at that moment... there was no reason he couldn't stand up there w/ his family. IDK why but I wasn't expecting him to care. Anyway, Grant was crying and so was Penny. In fact at one point the pastor said something like "We welcome Penny into God's love" and Grant yelled "NO!!!" So I just started laughing b/c what else could I do? Eventually Penny calmed down once we went into the crying room and I just laid her down and left her alone.

Penny is also rolling over now. It's really awesome that she's started doing that while she sleeps too! (sarcasm). Her other fav thing to do while sleeping is hold a blanket over her face! Yeah, two of the biggest no-no's and she's doing them. So I got a bad nights sleep last night b/c I kept having to go check on her to make sure she wasn't on her tummy. (I took the blanket out so she couldn't hold it on her face). Oh I'll be glad when she gets older and I don't have to worry so much about what possition she sleeps in.

Today Grant is going to a pumpkin patch with his class at daycare. Joe & I have been trying to make a family trip to the Roca Berry Farm's pumpkin patch and hopefully we'll do that this week. I think Grant will really enjoy picking out a pumpkin this year b/c he 'gets' it.

I think that's all the information I feel like jotting down so I don't forget! haha. Or at least so I can be reminded someday when I look back at this blog. As far I go today I have big plans for working out and lifting weights. I saw a pic of myself at the baptism and boy were my arms flabby! I'm just all around feeling a little saggy so I hope to correct that "issue" STAT! That is all folks!