House full of Boys and me

Blaine's 4th Birthday

2009-11-24T18:50:00.001-08:00

"I finally figured out the only reason

to be alive is to enjoy it."

Rita Mae Brown

So amazing that our beautiful first born baby boy is now 4 years old. Wow does time fly by I still remember going into labor while watching Gilmore Girls after having eaten Fish Sticks and Tator Tots. He blessed us 4 days early on November 9, 2005 and had grown into a smart, caring and driven little boy.

Last year we tried to have a party away from home, it proved to be more stress than it was worth, so we hosted a Star Wars and Legos themed party at our house this year. It was an amazing party...I tried not to hide behind the camera...which meant that I missed photos of lot of people...OOPS!! Will have to make it up at Easton's birthday late January. Here are the fun party pics. Thanks to all who blessed us by being a part of the wonderful day!

Blaine and Michael
Easton trying to steal Big brothers new car

Daddy keeping little brother busy.

Blaine-Birthday Boy the center of attention

The party spread including the our amazing homemade and decorated cake and Lego wall

All the kiddos

I think I hugged Charity a little too tight..

Kiera, Me and Katie. Gonzaga Buddies

Yummy Cake!!

Sharing with friends.

Lora, Trevor and Shaun (spelling?)

Grandma, Daddy and Easton

SHS Girls- Lynette and Lora

The after party... Michael and Blaine as Clone Troopers.

Cousin Zane was Blaine's guest for the night.. Zane was an amazing help with the boys and a great house guest. All of Grandma's little guys. Easton was TIRED!!

FUN Halloween

2009-11-03T07:01:00.000-08:00

“If it's not fun, you're not doing it right"
Bob Basso

We had an AMAZING Halloween. The day started with the Frightfest Half Marathon in small town Rochester, WA. Grandma and Grandpa took the boys so Dave and I had the morning to focus on the race. The FULL race report can be found on my running Blog. Long story short, it rained, the course was BORING, and I WON! Yes I won a Half-Marathon!!

After the race I was sooo tired and felt sick. Thankfully I was feeling better when it turned dark so I wore my Giraffe costume and we all headed out to get some CANDY! I was nervous that Easton would not want to go, he does not like the dark and I was afraid he would fight me when I went to put on his costume. The entire night he was AMAZING! Here are a few pictures of our FUN!!

Blaine little man Clone Trooper. Grandma bought the cool light up light sabers.

Making a Pirate face, he is sooo funny!!

All dressed up and ready to go!!

A 9 year old, almost 4 year old and 21 months...all have very different priorities.

Zane= CANDY as fast as possible.
Blaine= Admire the decorations, thank the people, drink water and put a few pieces of candy in his bucket.
Easton= Inspect Pumpkins and hoses with his flashlight.

We re-used Blaine's old costume because I did not think he would go. Next year I will buy him his own costume. He was AWESOME!!

Grandma went back to the house to get water because Blaine was so thirsty.. LOL thanks Grandma!!

Daddy was a Grey Crayola Crayon.. Hehehe not really but that is what we joked about..

Cool house does not photograph so well.

Me and big siss

The Candy loot. People were very generous this year.

Easton loves Kit Kats... He was so messy...but this picture makes me smile..

Grandma and Grandpa

Uncle Jon

Hungry Daddy

Auntie Jayne with her camera

Fun with the Storm Trooper helmet

Easton liked to push the buttons

A rare picture with both my siblings..

Bet you cant guess who is who?? My kids walk to the door and say "Happy Halloween" not "Trick or Treat." Halloween does not have to be gross and spooky. No blood or gore required. I take the holiday as a fun time to dress up and play with family.

October and a quick trip to Wilsonville

2009-10-26T11:33:00.000-07:00

October gave a party;

The leaves by hundreds came -

The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,

And leaves of every name.

The Sunshine spread a carpet,

And everything was grand,

Miss Weather led the dancing,

Professor Wind the band.

George Cooper, "October's Party"

This weekend we went to visit the Family in Wilsonville, they are in transition from Spokane to the Portland area. Currently they live in an apartment in Wilsonville. I LOVE Wilsonville!!! It was a beautiful sunny day. We took the back roads South and did a dry run for my Halloween Half Marathon in Rochester next weekend. The boys were pretty good and watched "Spookley the Square Pumpkin" in the car, Thanks Mom!! The trip took just under 3 hours.

When we arrived Blaine opened his Star Wars legos presents since his birthday is on November 9th. We also flew parachute men off of the balcony...FUN!! Next we went on a walk to the nearby park.. At that point Dave and I took off to go on a quick 3 mile run..
Beautiful day to run!!!

My partner...for once he did not have to push the jogger. We did a few loops around a park and field area while the boys walked and played. I LOVE LOVE the Fall leaves, I wish I could push pause and not have the leaves fall.

Next up the Fun Center. Easton was TIRED as he only had a 30 minute nap.. You can tell from his face how sleepy he was.

Ready to RACE!!

Blaine loved racing with Daddy and uncle Marky.

And flying the airplane with Marky.. Blaine has really gotten into video games lately. UGH!!

Easton trying to stay awake..

Hugs for my little baby. He is GROWING sooo fast, I hold him a lot because I just want him to stay small.. He is my cuddle bug.

Family Fall Picture.

This park was AMAZING. I could have walked around and taken photos all day.

Happy Family. I always like to take group shots when we get together.

Uncle Sean and Marky...the BIG kids..

This slide was awesome. Set up like an ant hill. I wish there would have been less kids because our boys were much smaller than the other kids.

My big boy posing on the climbing wall. I cannot believe he will be 4 in a few short days.

I ENJOYED the slide too.. Next time we will bring cardboard so we can got FAST!

BIG BIG Thank you to Mom for sewing together the skirt, Shirt decal and arm and ankle bands...I could not have done it without her.. My Halloween Half Marathon costume is complete and pretty darn cute. I am VERY VERY excited to race next weekend. Pray for no rain..

Our Little Easton

2009-10-14T07:03:00.000-07:00

“Each one of you has something no one else has, or has ever had: your fingerprints, your brain, your heart. Be an individual. Be unique. Stand out. Make noise. Make someone notice. That's the power of individuals."
Jon Bon Jovi

As Easton grows I cannot help but comparing him to Blaine. I know I shouldn't but with 2 boys close in age it is hard not to. Blaine being the first born I was VERY VERY focused on his every move. Picked him up before he cried, cleaned his face between bites of food, all the things a Mom can do with 1 kiddo to focus on. With Easton I can tell that our parenting style is a bit more laxed. If he cries out we wait for a minute to see if it is a real emergency, his face and clothing may be covered in mashed potatoes and he does not always have 100% of our attention.

I have read articles on Nature vs. Nurture, the notion that children can be raised in the same conditions but their nature will produce very different people. I TOTALLY believe this. Yes we have relaxed a bit as parents but our boys are night and day different and it AMAZES me..
This is little Easton about a year ago. He has always been my cuddler but he is very specific on who he will cuddle up to. He is shy and does not warm up to people very fast. Blaine was more social, smiley and open to meeting new people. He is busy busy and always on the move, this started in utero.. I knew we were in for it when my pregnant belly was in motion from the minute our peanut could move.

He has always been a funny sleeper. At 20 months he still doesn't sleep through the night. The little noise will wake him up. Nap time can be a challenge, but we know he needs it. After a good meal he is often found like this...notice he is wearing different outfits. Yes he has fallen asleep in his high chair more than once.

It is fun to learn more about Easton as he grows. To discover what he loves to do. His current FAVORITE things are brushing his teeth, reading, drawing, playing outside, going for a ride in the jogging stroller, swinging, watching movies, eating Cheetos Puffs, relaxing with his blanket and playing with his brother. I have been asked a few times if we plan on having another baby....the answer, we really don't know. For now we have our hands FULL getting to know our little Easton. The transition from one to two kiddos has been amazing and challenging, honestly harder than I imagined..

This is a DAILY adventure at our house. He loves to pull the books off the shelf, sit on the pile and read. The books were in pristine condition before Easton was born. Now there are ripped pages, bite marks, and bent edges, he likes to TEST the quality of the books he reads.

As a Mom I felt like after Blaine I had a handle on how to be a parent. Today I have thrown that idea out the window. Being a parent means living and learning each day. Children are always growing and exploring. Each child will not fit into a box. They make noise and they are unique. We are sooo blessed to have such different little men to raise. Admittedly I am not a patient person. I believe that God brougt Easton to me to teach me patience and to RELAX! The house does not have to be clean 100% of the time, clothes don't have to match, and the volume level is OK if it is up a few octives.. Never a dull moment in my House Full of Boys.

Do the Puyallup

2009-10-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

"The Fair is fun. Can we go again?" Blaine

Last weekend I ran 12 miles in preparation for my Halloween Half Marathon. When I got home and cleaned up we went to the Puyallup Fair. On the last day. The weather was beautiful and we got there early enough that the crowds were minimal.

Blaine is big enough now that he got REALLY excited about riding the rides. WE waited in line for tickets...EXPENSIVE...which Daddy and Eaton got lunch...EXPENSIVE... We bought 20 tickets which goes FAST.. Blaine got to pick the rides he wanted. His first was an obstacle course with an Indiana Jones theme...no pictures I was eating my Burger. Next up the BIG YELLOW SLIDE. I really wanted to go but since Dave had never been I let him RIDE..

100 steps to the top and a quick trip down. I really don't think they should charge the adults tickets if the kiddo is on their lap.

Big Smiles, a few quick bites of hamburger and french fries and off to the next ride.

He chose the Canoe ride next...not the most exciting ride but at least is lasted for a little while. Blaine chose to wear his Moeben sleeves, running sleeves that were sent to me to test. The sleeves are COOL and have dragons on them.

It was nearing Easton's nap time and he was upset that he couldn't go the on the rides. So I tried to cuddle him and keep him happy..

This big guy is going to have FUN next year.

Last and Favorite ride, the motorcycles. I took my SLOW digital camera so I did not get a good picture.

WE went to the petting Farm, Easton had the BIGGEST smile while touching the Goat. He loves animals.. I was trying to stay out of the way of the big crowd so I did not get many photos.. Next up the Hobby hall and Lego Exhibits. Blaine loved the Star Wars collection. WE were told there were Storm Troopers at the Fair but we never saw them :(

Easton fell asleep so we decided to head home....I carried him for a LONG WAY!! Good thing I am in shape. Just near our car I the parking lot I found a $20!!! No one around, I guess it was just my lucky day.

Spooner Farms 2009

2009-09-27T13:57:00.000-07:00

"The corn is getting tall and

there are lots of Pumpkins.

We need to go there Mommy!"

Blaine

Every year we like to visit Spooner Farms to buy pumpkins and travel the corn maze. I LOVE to go early on Opening weekend because the crowds are small, the corn maze is still perfect with no mud ans the pumpkins are fresh to pick. This year the weather was PERFECT and we had the maze all to ourselves..

Blaine remembered the big spiders from last year.

Someday we WILL get both boys to look at the camera

Having fun!! No time to hit the MAZE.

The theme this year was Honey I Shrunk the Farm. In years past there have been some REALLY great themes, The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, Flinstones, Cowboys/Gold Rush, and my FAVORITE Will Wonka. This year I was disappointed in the maze decorations, I am guessing that the economy had something to do with the money, or lack of money spent. And it cost us $22 for 3 people. UGH!!!

The Vortex tunnel entrance made me feel dizzy and off balance. I DO NOT recommend it.. Easton was not happy to be in the back pack, but he warmed up to the idea. Pretty sure he had the best view.

From above the maze looks awesome...and the maze map shows it. I NEVER look at the map...Dave does all the work. Pretty sure if I had to go alone I would be LOST and never find the mailboxes.

Our annual family photo in the Maze.. The best we could do with a self-timer.

BIG legos...this was the coolest part....but the slide was wet with dew.. I told the maze lady that she should send someone out to dry the slide every morning.. The event planner in me..

Taking a quick rest before finding the rest of the mailboxes to get our 6 punches

My CUTE boys in the BIG chair.

The kids section did not disappoint with several birds for the kids to look at.

Posing in the Flinstones car.

Mommy and Daddy are TIRED....time to go home... Next up the Puyallup Fair.. FUN FALL Weekends! I Love love this time of year in our area..

****I know this Blog has been abandoned lately....SORRY.. You can always find me on my Running Blog HERE.. Will try to keep updated weekly.. And I am READY for a Blog makeover...off to find a new look..

No plans Family Weekend

2009-09-07T12:34:00.000-07:00

"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby."

Langston Hughes

The RAIN has hit this week and I am HAPPY! I know its weird, but after a very sunny Summer I am happy to have a good rain. The kind of rain you can hear at night when you are cosy in bed. The kind of rain that drips on the windows and makes the grass green. The kind of rain that makes puddles overflowing with droplets. I LOVE the rain!

This holiday weekend we had no plans. Other than running to prepare for our 5K on September 19th and to shop Sports Authority to spend some free gift cards. Yesterday we hit the Orting trail for a 5 miler. It was WET! The boys were fussy, but we did it!!

A hat and long sleeves, summer is coming to an end..
The playground was wet, but we still got a picture. I did not realize that I matched the boys in opposites but the same colors..

Great run with the SWEATY hubby.

Ring around the big tree. RUN!!

Easton learned to say "Wet." It was too funny. I kept yelling, "Not in the puddle you will get WET!" And he would say "What Wet?" Too funny!

After I got showered up the plan was to meet Charity to go to Thai food and to see "The Time Traveller's Wife." Great movie, a tear jerker for sure but very well made.

The camera did not like the dark theatre this was the best photo we could get.

On Sunday we ran 7 miles just before the RAIN poured. It was a tough run, but so great when we were done. In the afternoon Easton and I stayed home to nap while Dave took Blaine to see "Ice Age." Blaine had been wanting to see a movie so it was the perfect day for it. We had bought some M&M's as a special movie treat. Dave left the house, got in the car and Blaine reminded him to get the snacks...smart kid!!

Today we are relaxing and enjoying the extra day together. No plans!! Sometimes that is best.

Hope everyone is having a GREAT weekend!!

Playing Catch Up Life is HAPPY

2009-08-27T12:03:00.001-07:00

"If you want to be happy, be."

Leo Tolstoy

Life is SOOO good! The boys are amazing, growing like crazy and playing together. Last night they had a SLOW motion light saber fight, seriously the cutest thing I have seen. I have been busy running and training for upcoming races. The boys really love the jogging stroller and track time. Dave just got a new weight set so his work-outs will be GREAT! We took a few steps toward selling our house then decided to slow down and save some money. Hopefully a move is in the next year or so.

Below are some fun pictures from the last few weeks. Hugs and love, Me

Pro photo from my 10K last weekend, I finished the 6.2 miles in 45:54 which was 6th for my age group.
Easton looked like such a BIG BOY in his new coat...

My silly boys ready for a day of watching Mom race.

Hard to get a good picture...Blaine was pretending his hotdog was a light saber.

Railroad days...

Family photo with the Bandmill Wheel

One of these days Easton will smile for a Family photo...I swear he has the cutest little grin

Off on the Run

Post Race with my Big boy.. Dave said Blaine was great while waiting for me to finish.

Easton wanted to be held during the race (HEAVY) but crashed just before I crossed the finish line.

Tom's 30th Birthday:

We were lucky to be invited to Tom's 30th birthday party.. Lynette and Tom have a fun family friendly house and yard. The food was great and the company was wonderful!! I took a few photos, but have really tried to focus on having fun instead of snapping pictures.. Chasing the boys around was a great workout. Thanks to Tom and Lynette for a great night with our kiddos.

Blaine and the other boys were playing "Garbage". Not sure what the game entails but they were loading things on the top of the play structure.

Easton with an ALMOST smile

Easton's girlfriend pretty little Keira

Trevor pushed Easton on the tractor...we decided we can hire Trevor to babysit, he lives just down the road :) What do you think Lora?

I am not sure how Lynette and Tom escaped the photo.. Sorry guys!!

Track intervals in my new race T-shirt

And an AWESOME photo of the hops of my hubby...

Ambition

2009-08-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

"I am growing Mommy." Blaine

"You are! Do you want to be as tall as Daddy or Uncle Jon?" Me

"I want to be taller than everyone." Blaine

"Wow you will be really tall. When you are big do you want to play basketball, football, run or do another sport?" Me

"I want to Run!" Blaine

"Cool! Do you want to be in the Olympics?" Me

"I want to Run Marathons!" Blaine

"That will be fun, how fast do you want to run your Marathon?" Me

"Faster than you Mommy." Blaine

Blaine is quite the little athlete. The photo above was from Track interval day, we timed him on a lap around the track. We told him to get ready to go and he assumed the starting position...we never taught him that. I can't wait to see how he grows up and uses the gifts God has given him.

Runs in the Family

2009-08-17T11:27:00.001-07:00

"Let's hit the road kid." Me

"Yep time to hit the dusty trail." Blaine

This weekend was an AMAZING family weekend. We traversed a 5 mile hilly Fun Run Course in Bonney Lake while pushing 75++ pounds of kiddo in our double jogger. And I LOVED every minute. I highly doubt that Dave would say the same. The kids let out barely a peep during the 46 minutes of the race except for Blaine informing us that we were on "Grandma and Grandpas Road Mommy can we go there?" SMART KID!!

You can read the FULL race report on my Running Blog... This weekend I have a solo 10K (6.2 Miles) so I will unleash the SPEED... LOL!! And in Volleyball news Lora and I have started a new team with Shannon. We played with Shannon when we were 16....yep we are putting the team back together and I can hardly wait.. Old School photo soon, once I find it :) Volleyball starts late next month at the Puyallup Parks and rec...this year I will PROUDLY wear spandex..

Family Run

2009-08-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

"The only way to test your Limits is to go beyond them."

Unknown

Tomorrow morning WE are going to run the Bonney Lake Days 5 mile Fun Run. I say WE because I have not decided yet if I will run at a family pace and trade off with Dave pushing the double jogger. Or if I will try to WIN!! Not sure if I can win, but hey the prize is running gift cards to Fleet Feet so it is worth a try. What do you think???

Either way will have an update on Monday..

Hopefully some fun weekend pictures as well. I am past due on Easton's 18 month photo shoot and stats.

Fun on the Swings

2009-08-09T19:32:00.000-07:00

Holy WOW post #401... Here are the boys on the swings.

Amazing Anniversary

2009-08-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

"Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction." Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Our anniversary was AMAZING!! On Saturday night Grandma and Grandpa took the boys for the evening so we could have a DATE. We went to Chinese Food, to see the "Wizard of Oz" at the Tacoma Musical playhouse, then home to open presents. It was so relaxing to be with Dave... Below are photos before we left..

On Sunday morning I TRIED to find new clothes for all of us. I had been looking all week. I like to get the boys matching shirts and all have the same color theme. This year we thought it would be fun to do a sports theme for our photos...well we could not find anything for ALL of us. So we recycled old duds and headed out to Point Defiance. (On one income it is smarter to stick to a budget anyhow).

It was a beautiful day and there were a TON of people at the Rose Garden and surrounding areas we were able to take all of our usual photos. Easton was asleep on the way there, but I woke him up a few photos in.. I LOVE this tradition and look forward to it every year.

Sleepy Easton

The Wishing Well

Easton is not a big smiler for pictures, and he was TOTALLY confused by the tripod. Oh well, I still love this photo.

The blue in the hydrangeas matches my blue eyed boys..

Little Guy is catching up. He just had his 18 month check up and it already 2 inches taller and 5 pounds heavier than Blaine was at his age. Blaine better look out, soon little brother will be able to defend himself.

My Boys

Dave got the shorts as an anniversary gift.. This spot in the trees was a good backdrop.

A rare smile from the little guy

BEAUTIFUL flowers

He stole a petal and was smelling it as we walked

Off to the pond

On the bridge.

A quick rest.

A man was tossing bread to the ducks, he had multiple loaves and gave us a bag.. Blaine loved feeding the ducks. It was good that man was there because we spaced on the bird seed.

The Turtles that live in the Pond.

For fun I decided to try on my wedding dress and IT FIT!! OMG IT FIT!! I was beaming so Dave took a couple photos..

And Dave came through with a few amazing gifts. My favorite was that he matted and framed my Marathon Medal, number, time and had a photo blown up. LOVE IT!! I am spoiled!

I put much less thought and time into his gift. A Big ol set of Legos.. Will do better for his birthday next month.

I LOVE Anniversaries and am sooo looking forward to next year. No 7 year itch in site for us...

6 Years of BLISS

2009-07-30T19:10:00.000-07:00

"It is possible to fall deeper in LOVE every day. Marriage is Bliss when you live your life for each other and for your family." Melanie

It is no secret that I am BLESSED with an AMAZING husband! I would have married Dave the night we met....love at first sight has grown to an amazing partnership, true friendship, deep respect and amazing attraction which grows every day. August 2nd will mark our 6th Wedding Anniversary.

Over the years we have kept a tradition which I am SUPER PROUD of. Each year we return to the Point Defiance Rose Garden where we were married and take pictures. We have a photo album to house these photos.. Eventually we will have BIG anniversary parties with our kids and their kids. For now our family has steadily grown.. Below is our journey over the last few years.. Post next week with the latest photo additions to our family album..

2008:
Photos taken with a self-timer. Of course the boys were in matching outfits.

2007:

My friend Sarah came to test her new camera. We ended up with some really fun family shots.

Baby E baking in the belly.

This picture cracks me up

2006:

Keeping little Blaine interested was a chore..

2005:

Baby Blaine bump was growing. To celebrate our anniversary that year we rented a Mustang and went to Portland...last vacation before we had kiddos.

2004:

Photos were not digital.. LOL.. Before we had kids, all the time in the world to take photos and we took 6..

2003:

This was taken a few days before our wedding... Wow have we changed over the years.. We look like kids.

Creativity building Legos

2009-07-27T07:07:00.000-07:00

“Whatever good things we build end up building us."
Jim Rohn

Dave LOVES legos... for Christmas one year I bought him a huge plane Lego set and he tells me that was the best gift he ever received. I have had some luck finding Legos at yard sales. I found a box with 4 or more Star Wars ships about 2 years ago. I paid $10 and Dave estimates that the value of the ships he has created is over $150. SWEET!!! I have no clue how he can look at a box of miss-matched pieces and create ships.

Last weekend I bought a box of legos for $5.. Using the Internet, a bin of misc Legos from Auntie Jayne and some distinguishable parts Dave made a semi truck, helicopter, and several other items...Estimated value $75. WOW.. It is fun for Dave and for Blaine. Often the kitchen table is COVERED in their latest project. If you EVER see a box of legos for cheap let me know, I would be happy to buy it from you. The store prices are a bit high, but with some creativity it is amazing what can be made.

We started Blaine at a young age. Easton is just getting into building now too..
Our handsome Star Wars fan

Dave built this ship from scratch.. Blaine calls in the Millennium Faulkner (LOL)

Misc legos used to finish off the partial sets..

This cool truck was in the $5 Lego set I bought at a Yard Sale.

This Vintage Star Wars ship was in the $10 set..

Ready for my Close up

2009-07-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

Bad picture but here you go :) Taken in the parking garage just after I got all dolled up.. Wonder how it will look in a pony?? I am sure I will find out tonight, Friday night run with hubby and the boys sounds GREAT!!

Change is good!! And hair change does not have to be scary... LOL!

Picky Eater

2009-07-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

"As a child my family's menu

consisted of two choices:

take it or leave it."

Buddy Hackett

Dave is WONDERFUL he always has dinner on the table when I get home just after 5 and often he has made a few different options. Yes my saint of a husband caters to everyone in the family, which at times means a dinner for me, one for him and a third for the boys. In order to save his sanity, time and dishes, I stepped in and said "The boys ca eat what we eat." So we tried it on Chicken Enchilada night (YUMMY).

Easton look a little apprehensive, sitting in his high chair. So Dave loaded his fork and jammed a bite in. He did his usual gag reflex, but some realized that he LIKED it.. He quickly gobbled the rest of the plate, then licked it.. I am not kidding you!!

Then came Blaine, that was a different story. Preface, he got up early, played outside all day and was tired and hungry. He looked at the plate with confusion, where was his usual hot dog, grilled cheese, ravioli and/or pizza?? I said "This is what we are eating tonight. Daddy made us a tasty meal, please say Thank you." He was bewildered, not sure what to think. I believe that we have created a picky eater, OOPS!! So he asked me to take out the chicken, I did... Still he would not eat.

WE all finished our dinners and Blaine had not taken a solitary bite. So he got to sit at the table until he finished (compromise) 3 big bites. The rest us us went to watch Harry Potter in the living room. After about 10 minutes I realized that the fussing and complaining has ceased. Hmmmm? SO I went to the kitchen and found my 3 1/2 year old like this....

SOOO CUTE!!!
He is still a Baby... So we woke him up and I made him a dinner of crackers, cheese, blueberries and a hot dog.

Moral of the story... Blaine is just as stubborn when it comes to food as his Mommy...

Hair today...

2009-07-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

"Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like."

Author Unknown

I have NEEDED a haircut (or trim) forever. Running really takes a toll on the locks. On on hand having damaged hair is good, it actually keeps curl, but I prefer to keep the split ends to a minimum. I am one of those people who gets a hair cut maybe once or twice a year....yes it is that bad. The only time in my life I went frequently was when I was blond, to keep the roots away.. So I asked my pals on Facebook for some recommendations of a good local hair stylists and I am excited to make an appointment..

The question is... Should I stay long? Or chop it off? It may be long enough to donate...but I am not sure that it is healthy enough.. (Amanda do you have info on that?) Anyhow, I will be making a decision SOON..

Hair Today
Shorter in the past

My Bloggy Hobby

2009-07-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

"When your hobbies get in the way of your work - that's OK;

but when your hobbies get in the way of themselves... well..."
Steve Martin

OK I realize I have not posted in AGES.. The problem is that I am TOTALLY addicted to my Running Blog which takes up my limited spare time. And lately I have just ENJOYED being with my kids and hubby and leaving the camera on the shelf. I hope to get back to my usual posting, but in the mean time, you can always come visit me in Tall Mom land... It is an OK place to be..

Fun Filled Weekend

2009-07-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

"The only reason why we ask other people how their weekend was is so we can tell them about our own weekend."

Chuck Palahniuk

Our weekend started with our annual Yard Sale... This is the time when we clear out the stuff that we have accumulated all year so hubby can have his garage back. We are not sure if/when we will have another baby so we decided to give away, sell and donate most of the baby clothes. This decision may come back to haunt us....but??? The sale started slowly but picked up in the afternoon. We made $247!! The rule is we get to split the money and buy whatever we want. After the sale I quickly changed to get ready for Amy's baby shower.

Here is me and Amy. She is having a girl, lucky lady. She looked soooo beautiful! It was fun looking at all the adorable baby girl items, I really should not attend baby girl showers.. (Can I tell you a secret? I have a tote full of baby girl WISH items in my garage that I refuse to sell).

When I got home the boys were ready to hit Target to spend their earnings..

Easton got a pack of cartoon themed cars with Dora, Diego, Backyardigans, etc. And some Thomas the Train bath toys.

Blaine bought an EXPENSIVE Clone Trooper gun he has wanted FOREVER.. I shopped on Sunday but only found a couple pairs of shoes, I may spend the rest online. Dave got some new work-out clothes and Star Wars Legos. My husband LOVES Legos!!

On Sunday morning we went to the track for interval training for the Northwest Trek 5K run we are doing in September. Below are a few photos from the trip. All in all it was a wonderful weekend.. Just wish it was not over..

Easton is a speedy little guy..

Running to hug Daddy

All smiles after sprinting

Hitting my stride.. Anyone want to photoshop this onto a pretty background??

Our little Monkey

GEtting in shape..

Working up a thirst.. He ran 3/4 of the track without stopping then got distracted by a pile of sand.

This is your LIFE...

2009-07-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

"This is your life, are you who you want to be

This is your life, are you who you want to be

This is your life, is it everything you dreamed

that it would be

When the world was younger and you had

everything to lose."

Switchfoot

Since crossing the Finish line of the Marathon I have been in a WEIRD funk. Thinking, way more than I should be. My Life is AMAZING!! I have an adoring, supportive husband who is my best friend, a great Dad and the best match in the WORLD for me. We have two healthy, happy and sweet boys. My friends would be there for me in a second regardless of what I need them for. My parents ROCK (LOL) if you knew my folks you would know why that is the best word for them. Everything in my life has fallen into place just as it should. I work hard and I have seen the results...

BUT...while listening to my Ipod while running Switchfoot came on and prodded me with the question "This is your life, are you who you want to be?" Am I? Am I everything I dreamt I would be as a little girl?? Hmmmmm?? When I put it all out there I am sooo HAPPY with nearly all aspects of my life except one. With the economy being what it is, there is not much I can do, I am the financial support for our family. So for now I cannot say "Yes" to that question. But bet you A-- I am not going to let that stay for long. Living up to my potential has been my mode of operation my entire life....and that is not going to end. Some people probably think I am being greedy or selfish "Why should you have everything you want?" My answer is "Why not?" Nothing is stopping me from reaching my FULL potential...now if I could only figure out what I want??

Signing off, reassessing goals and making a plan... Have a great weekend!!

HOME is my happy place
Being a Mom is the best JOB in the world.. (Check out the cute T-shirt, a company sent me to test out...more details soon)

Busy...Busy...

2009-07-07T07:03:00.000-07:00

“Life is what happens to you while you're

busy making other plans."
John Lennon

My family Blog has taken a back seat to my Running Blog, soooo sorry!! Everything is WONDERFUL on the home front. The boys are loving the warm weather! We went to Spokane this weekend and visited my friend Bernice, her hubby and 3 kiddos at their house on Long Lake. It was BEAUTIFUL!! I have always wanted to live on a body of water. We took photos but with our underwater camera from Hawaii we are still trying to finish, LOL!! Easton is really ramping up his talking with new words this weekend "Mine, Fan, On, Yummy, Uh Oh." Too cute!! He is GROWING like a weed, so is Blaine, I foresee MANY trips to Costco in our future. These boys are going to eat like CRAZY!! Blaine can already down 3 hot dogs and/or 2 grilled cheese sandwiches in a sitting, boy can EAT!! Dave caught the photo below while I was at work. They LOVE playing in the kitchen..

Our Sweet buddies...

Night Time Routine

2009-06-30T07:24:00.001-07:00

"Goodnight.

Sleep Tight.

Don't let the bed bugs bite."

Now that Easton is getting older we have really settled into a night time routine. Bed time these days is between 8:00 and 9:00 depending on the days activities and the level of tired whining. The boys run around to get the last bit or energy out. Daddy is the tooth brusher and sippy cup filler. I am the diaper changer and book reader. Easton loves to read the same book, OVER and OVER and OVER. He has a real interest in reading. Easton does not talk much but communicates volumes, for example when he wants a book read he will hold it up to your face until you read it. Both boys listen to classical music to help them find their way to dream land. I am glad to be done with training for the Marathon so I will have the time and energy to spend playing with the boys this summer.

He wanted me to take an upside down picture.
My cuties in their new Summer PJ's

Easton loves to get his teeth brushed. We say "Time to brush teeth" and he runs to the bathroom. Too cute!!

Daddy doing his duty..

Blaine is not a huge fan of getting his teeth brushed but I remind him that it will keep him out of the Dentist chair and he opens wide.

26.2 things I learned Running my First Marathon

2009-06-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

Wearing my BEAUTIFUL necklace from Lynette

1. Running on closed roads makes you feel like you own the city. This alone is worth the entry fee.

2. Having friends and family along the path and at the Finish Line makes the journey amazing.. Wear a bright color so your poor spectators don't have to strain for hours..

3. Pain is temporary, your accomplishment is FOREVER!!

4. A good Pace group leader can make a race truly enjoyable, they do all the Math, hold the sign and you just follow.

5. Your race T-shirt will not always fit you, but may look great on your better half.

6. A Marathon includes people in all shapes, sizes, ages and outfits. It is the great equalizer. The guy with the poofy grey hair and thick glasses, who you could see running a library or being a cereal killer, has run 101 Marathons and may just kick your butt!! The older ladies in pink wearing tiaras have run over 80 Marathons combined and WILL pass you too.

7. Over hydration may be a worse problem that being on the edge of dehydrated.

8. (This is just for me) Tapering too much may make you feel out of shape. Know your body and keep with the mileage that you feel is right and won't tire you out or make your legs sore. The worst thing would be getting to the race and being out of shape. Find a plan that fits you for training, then tweak it and listen to your body.

9. A GREAT play-list (Will post soon) cannot help you if your mind is OFF.

10. Race day is not different than any other run. You have your good runs and bad runs. But it TRULY sucks to have a bad run on Race day.

11. Running a Marathon is in some ways harder than giving birth. When I had Easton I was laying down and had an epidural. What I would have given for a bed and pain meds at mile 20.

12. Companies that claim they will send texts about progress during the race may FAIL!! Do not rely that your friends and family know where you are on the course.

13. My husband is SMART!! I already knew that.... having someone who is savvy with maps and directions can make driving and parking on a busy race day a breeze.

14. My Dad is SMART!! I already knew that too…when Dad did not get the texts he went online to watch my progress and even saw me cross the finish line. Pretty sure he had the best view of my Marathon from his cozy home with my boys.

15. Running for FUN and to FINISH versus running for time on your FIRST Marathon is really good advice!!!

16. Waiting in the porta potty line is NECESSARY, do it there so you don't have to do it on the race course. GEEEEZZZ!! (If I only had some patience) Men have it easier when it comes to "going" during a race, anywhere is their bathroom (well for the #1 part anyhow). I will never think the guys going in the bushes are crazy again. Dropping trow to get out the urine is TOTALLY acceptable on race day. If you need to pee (or worse) drop your pants and go, no one will care and you will feel much better.

17. HILLS are the devil! If a race boasts that it is FLAT, sign up and quickly..

18. Wearing toss-away clothes to the start line is SMART!! You may look a little crazy in your worn-out over sized duds, but no crazier than the people wrapped in garbage bags. You will stay warm and the clothing goes to a good cause.

19. (Personal Opinion) Big races are a PAIN in the A--!!! Not worth all the hype. Yes, they may be well organized and have all the bells and whistles. But the intimacy of a small race cannot be matched.

20. My work marathon running friend Faith said "respect the distance" because a marathon isn't just 2 half marathons... Mile 20 and beyond will be the longest miles you will ever run in your life!! I did not believe this, but it is soooo true. The idea that 1 mile is a short distance is totally transformed in the Marathon. One mile is a BEAST!!

21. Wearing your name on your race Shirt is GOOD! It takes away the anonymity and lets people cheer you on by name. May seem dorky, but at mile 20++ when you hear your name being yelled by another racer it keeps your legs MOVING..

22. There is nothing like crossing the FINISH LINE. It means you have accomplished what you set out to do. It means you can stop running. It means that you are a MARATHONER.

23. Putting the race Medal on is AMAZING! I would still be wearing it if I didn’t think people would point and laugh.

24. Grab everything in the post-race food section. You never know what will hit the spot. A dry Bagel, water, Cheetos and Lays chips were heaven for me. Cheetos have never tasted so scrumptious.

25. Your body will HURT after a Marathon. Take the pain meds, ice, wear recovery socks, rest and DRINK an adult beverage (if you are of age).. LOL. I am not promoting alcoholism here, but toasting to your accomplishment and having some spirits take away the pain is a GREAT idea.

26. The Marathon is something that should not be entered into lightly. You will be humbled, you will be tested, and you will want to QUIT!! You will tell yourself a Million times over that you will NEVER DO THAT AGAIN… But you probably will. Once the pain wears off, you will be back for more. My boss told me "I think you have another Marathon in you. Sorry! But I think you do." She may be right, but today I will not think about that.

26.2. People who run race longer distances than Marathons and complete FULL Iron Man races are Robots or possibly Aliens.. LOL.. WOW people!!! There has to be some non-human DNA in there somewhere to take that kind of torture.

What do you say after you run a Marathon??

2009-06-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

I am a MARATHONER

2009-06-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

"For me, running isn't about losing pounds, or building fitness. I know about those benefits, and they are incentives, to be sure. But they don't even come close to the real reason I run, which is to FEEL. To feel strong. To feel happy. To feel free. To feel alive."

Robyn Savage

Thanks to Angela for the quote above. And to all of my friends and family for the love and support throughout the process of training for my big race. For the full race report please go to my Running Blog (Click here). My Chip time was 4:11:51, slower than I had hoped for, but I finished and in the end that is what matter. I did not quit!!! I am a MARATHONER..

Sporting my medal in Seattle

Ready to RUN!!!

2009-06-26T19:26:00.001-07:00

Ipod updated... Check

Race number and chip attached... Check

Carbo loading and hydrating.... Check

Gear laid out... Check

Alarm set for 4:30 AM... Check

Yes I am NERVOUS and I am so ready to run this Marathon. My FIRST Marathon. It seems like this day has been in the distance FOREVER and now it is here. The feeling is surreal. I wish I had more time to write, post photos, etc... I PROMISE to have an update soon after my race.

Gun goes off at 7:00AM PST and I am in Corral 5. Wish me luck!!

Signing off, next time I sign on I will be a MARATHONER!!!

Quick Trip to Seaside

2009-06-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

"For whatever we lose (like a you or a me),

It's always our self we find in the sea."

E.E. Cummings

We went to Seaside, Oregon Saturday through Monday and stayed in a Beach house called "Grandmas." It was like stepping back into my Grandma Dorothy's house, it even smelled like it. What it lacked in modernness it made up for in location, just steps to the beach and the town of Seaside.

While waiting for the in-laws to arrive on Saturday Dave, the boys and I checked out the car show in town. Dave has visions of owning a classic car and car shows fuel that desire. Once they arrived we settled into the house and went to dinner in Cannon Beach, FYI do not eat at Ecola Restaurant and Market, YUCK!! After the less than tasty meal we headed to the beach. I did not know we were going to the beach so poor Blaine and Easton were in long pants, we rolled them up so they could enjoy the water.

That night there was an amazing sunset, of course I left my camera... Can you see a theme for the weekend?? Below are some shots from the beach. I loved watching my kids play in the waves and feeling the sand under my feet. (curious is anyone still reading??)

Could not resist a new topper for my Blog
Mark and Blaine, they went into the deeper water.

Daddy and Easton, East was better with the wind this year.

Waving by the waves..

My new Nike hoodie, I found time to shop the outlet Mall

The brothers taking care of our boys

Grandmas even had a chair for hair?? Not sure why??

Blaine wanted to join in the fun

Putting on the aqua socks..

"Take my picture Mommy!"

The Promenade, where I went running on Monday morning.

Our big boy, he LOVED the beach

He got all wet and had to wear Blaine's clothes from the diaper bag because he already went thorough his extra set, it was pretty funny..

Me and hubby a rare moment when we did not have little hands to hold

Fun in the water

A Father's hand

2009-06-23T18:23:00.000-07:00

Some of my most cherished photos or stolen moments taken from behind. Dave is a gentle, patient, loving and caring Father who is AMAZING with our children. I did not get to really appreciate him on Fathers day (or my Dad, sorry Dad!!) But I did take the photo below and will have it framed to go with the one that I took of Blaine on vacation in 2007.. Memories that will be etched in my mind forever.

Easton and Daddy, Seaside, Oregon June 2009
Blaine and Daddy, Roche Harbor, WA August 2007

Walking in Seaside

2009-06-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

“Don't grow up too quickly,

lest you forget how much you love the beach.”
Michelle Held

This weekend we went to Seaside, Oregon with Dave's family who will be vacationing there all week. We had a nice trip, which I hope to find time to Blog about soon. For now below is my FAVORITE photo from the weekend. Our boys love the beach..

Stop the Whining

2009-06-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

"In trying to get our own way, we should remember

that kisses are sweeter than whine."

Author Unknown

I LOVE my boys....I love my boys, BUT... Some days I cannot handle the whining, crying, screaming, fussing, screeching, the loud displays of "I want my way and I want it now." Since Easton cannot talk, he often cries to get what he wants. At 17 month we are not happy with the behavior but it is somewhat tolerable. Blaine sees this and thinks "Hmmm that is how I can get my way." So both my boys have become WHINING pros.

Dave and I do not need to make the decisions today on if we will have another child. If I did have to make the choice today, after the night I had last night, I would say NO WAY, we have our hands and ears full..

I didn't have the heart to post his Royal Fit picture, this one is close enough (but darn it if he still isn't CUTE)

Our 3 1/2 year old

2009-06-18T07:58:00.000-07:00

"Turn down the air it is cold in the car." Blaine

"OK honey but it is hot outside." Mommy

"How hot is it Mommy?" Blaine

"It is 76 degrees." Mommy

"Wow that is a whole lot of degrees.

Maybe we can put down the window." Blaine

Dave took this photo of Blaine just after he woke up that is why his hair is CRAZY...this is his cute smile for Daddy. He is a CHATTERBOX and so smart, never know what he will say next.

30th Birthday (Part 2)

2009-06-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

"I am thankful for the mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends."

Nancie J. Carmody

My dear friend Kiera (and her hubby Kraig) offered to host my 30th Birthday party at the AMAZING house Kraig designed near Alki in WEst Seattle. After planning her wedding and being BUSY with Lawyer life I am still amazed that she was willing to take on hosting a party. She did not let me do ANYTHING, which as an event planner I tell you in a gift in itself. It is rare when I can just show up and ENJOY!! And enjoy I did. Scrumptious food, cake, wine and surrounded by friends and family. This was the BEST way to chime in my 30's. Thanks to Kiera, Kraig and Katie for their work in making the party so special.

And thanks to my friend and family for SPOILING me with gifts and love. It was a wonderful day for all.. Below are some photos, not in order. Looking at the pictures makes me smile. I didn't get a picture of Porter the Bulldog darnit, the boys had a healthy curiosity and fear of the pooch.

My lovely friends and party hostesses Kiera and Katie. These girls are a treasure that I thank God for every day. Who knew that roommates in college would end up lifelong friends?
Me and my handsome boys...matching of course. It is Apple juice on Easton's pants, in case you were curious.

Charity always there to enjoy the fun

My big sister Jayne

Pretty Mom

Lora, my High School friend reconnected through Myspace and Volleyball

A rare photo of all 3 siblings together..

The view from the deck is wonderful

The boys had a blast tearing up the garden, wearing streamers, playing with the gift bag items from Auntie Kiera and just being BOYS!! It was a kid friendly party, which is GREAT!!

The whole family

Curious little buddy, always off on his own. Dave was busy chasing him all day.

Who knew streamers could be worn??

Me and Dad...Can you tell where I got my nose?

"Happy Birthday to you!"

Blaine blew the candles out before me...does that mean I don't get my wish?

My little guys ready for cake

The CAKE, so pretty and so yummy.

Mom stepped in an cut up the cake, while I was being a cheeseball..

Center of attention, SPOILED!! Thanks for the wonderful gifts..

He is about ready to go. Got a lot of stairs practice.

Mom and Dad, the reason I am on the Planet and have made it to age 30. So blessed to have AMAZING parents..

Auntie Jayne keeping Easton happy. Look at all the yummy food.

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR MAKING MY DAY SO SPECIAL!!!

30th Birthday (Part 1)

2009-06-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

"You know when you have found your prince

because you not only have a smile on your face

but in your heart as well."

Author Unknown

I am officially 30, UGH!! Just kidding, I am totally fine with the transition and think my 30's will be GREAT!! On Friday when I got home from work I entered party zone in my house. The boys were all dressed up. Our house was decorated with signs, streamers, balloons and flowers. Dave baked a homemade cake, had lobster, scallops and other tasty treats for dinner, and he made me an adorable cake. I am SPOILED!! Dave is always ready with fun suprises to make me feel special and now the boys get to join in the fun. I feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful and thoughtful Prince Charming..

My Birthday banner (we will reuse it over the years)
Fun cake, Blaine helped me blow out the candles
Red Roses, the flash ruined the photo
Yellow Daisies

My daper dudes

Big smiles with Mommy

Cute running girl earrings, I will wear them in my race in 12 days!!

The film "Spirit of the Marathon" I think even non-runners will appreciate this film. Dave watched it with me and said "I would love to run a Marathon with you someday." Those words brought tears to my eyes. I know it wont happen for years to come due to the kiddos, but it would be great to cross the finish line with Dave.

Fun family party. THANKS GUYS!!!

Just me.... Age 30

2009-06-12T12:12:00.000-07:00

"I think we all - I think all of us - want to feel something that we've forgotten or turned our backs on because maybe we didn't realize how much we were leaving behind. We need to remember what used to be good. If we don't, we won't recognize it even if it hits us between the eyes."

From the movie 13 going on 30

Yes you are reading correctly this weekend..dun dun dun... I will be the BIG 3 - 0!! And I could not be more excited. Most of my 20's were great because I have spent them with Dave, my boys, friends and family. And I know that my 30's will be ever better.. 3 is my favorite number so it is bound to be positive. I got my race number for my Marathon on June 27th, it is 5110. That isn't significant besides that my form for the race had my age on race day as 30. Seeing it in print was WEIRD!! Oh well, I better embrace it. Sunday June 14th, eat a piece of cake in my honor, LOL!!

Sorry I have been out of the Bloggy realm, trying to keep up with 2 blogs and a work trip was TOUGH!! To update Easton's first night without a bottle was last night, yes I realize he is a bit old for a bottle, but WHO CARES!! (I gave birth to him, I get to make the rules!!) We decided it was time to transition and he did pretty well. I LOVED Vancouver and will post picture soon, most are on my running Blog. Life is good and I plan to relish the last precious moments of my 20's.

Photo taken by Katie in Seattle.

HOMESICK

2009-06-08T22:12:00.000-07:00

"Where we love is home,

Home that our feet may leave,

but not our hearts."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

I am in Vancouver, B.C. on business and I really love it here. It is green, the people are nice, my hotel has a beautiful view of the water, there is a perfect running path, and the event is going really well....with all the good things my heart is aching. I miss my boys....my "House Full of Boys." I admit I do like a break now and then, but being away for 6 days seems to be an eternity. Thankfully Dave took some new pictures of the boys playing on Blaine's bed, I have been staring at them whenever I can.

I cannot explain to someone who is not a career Mom (Can't say working because all Mom's work) the pull that making money vs. family has. It is tough, some days more than others. Tonight as I sit alone in my hotel room with decaf coffee, a Dips granola bar and my Blog, I am praying for time to fly by to be with my boys and hubby.

Clay on the kitchen table
Blue eyed smiles, books, stuffed animals and giggles.

And Messy pudding faces...

Life is being a Wife and Mom,

work is what I do during the day

to pay for that life...

Happy Birthday Dad!!

2009-06-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

I am in BC and I am a total dork and forgot to call my wonderful Father on his birthday yesterday....SORRY DAD!! Dad's birthday is June 7th and I was a late birthday present born 1 week later on June 14th.. (If you are keeping track that means I turn 30 in less than a week, UGH)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!

We celebrated with a backyard BBQ before I left for Vancouver. I have having an amazing time and will try to take tons of photos....in the mean time my break is over.. back to work...TIRED!!

With Love,

Mel

Should I run???

2009-06-05T07:07:00.000-07:00

“Running has never failed to give me great end results, and that's why I keep coming back for more!"
Sasha Azevedo

I RANDOMLY chatted in the locker room with Jill yesterday, Jill is a fellow runner who works for my company. She mentioned that she is running in a FREE Marathon on June 6th and sent me the link to the website. FREE? Hmmm.. I was planning on doing 22 miles in Vancouver BC because I have a business trip there starting Saturday evening. Now I am TORN.. Below are some details about the run:

The Green River Marathon is a Marathon/Relay/Fun Run put on for FREE! That's right, no cost at all. It is put on entirely by an all volunteer crew and donations by the event's originators and organizers. Even the T-shirts are sold only at their cost.

A fun Seattle-area run in early June (first Saturday) is the Green River Marathon/Relay. This year will be the 13th annual event. Marathon Maniac, Eastside Runners and Interurban Running Club member Steve Barrick and Marathon Maniac Jim Anderson put on this run with the help of many volunteers. It begins at the intersection of the Green River trail and the Interurban trail in South Kent. The course follows the scenic Green/Duwamish trails past Russell Road Park, Christianson Greenbelt Park, and Fort Dent Park as the river winds it's way to Puget Sound and Alki beach. The run is very flat with two short hills late in the run. The last few miles have views of Seattle and Puget Sound towards the Olympics. The finish is in front of Spud's Fish and Chips at Alki.

So now I am weighing my options. Should I run a Marathon tomorrow??

PROS:
-It is free so there is no pressure if I chose to drop out early
-I won't have to map out my run in BC
-I wont have a 4+ hour car ride before my long run
-It would be a good Trial Run (LOL) before the Rock 'N' Roll
-The course sounds BEAUTIFUL
-Charity could drop me off, find me along the way, and pick me up at the finish, then we could head to BC.
-Ends at Alki so maybe I could shower at Kiera's??
-I would run a Marathon before I turn 30.

CONS:
-Charity can't ride her bike along with me
-I am risking injury
-Have limited time to mentally prepare
-May end up being tired and sore for my busy event next week
-I don't know much about the race and could possibly get lost?
-May take away the excitement of the Seattle Rock 'N' Roll being my first Marathon.

Mom, Dave, Coffee Lady and some of my friends say "Go For it!"

So what do you think?

A Night with Friends

2009-06-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

"A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere.

Before her I may think aloud."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thanks to an email from Michelle a group of friends, mommies, bloggers and SHS Alum, got together for a fun night of girl talk and tasty food at Farrelli's. The conversations when 6 Moms get together can be pretty comical, I always wonder what the other patrons think when they hear words like C-Section, IUD and Circumcision...LOL... Our hilarious friend Jen will be moving to Texas very soon so in a way we were sending her off. Jen you are SUPER FUNNY and I will miss you!! If I need any medical advise will be emailing you for nurse tips...

Once the food at Farrelli's was gone we thought it would be nice to hit Starbucks, WELL...the Starbucks in Sumner closes early so we stood on the sidewalk and hung out for a bit. Jill held the camera and took a few shots before we asked a lady nearby to take our picture. A few of us went back into Farrelli's for dessert, FYI the selection is not great. I stayed up way later than planned but worth every minute to spend some much needed girl time. THANKS LADIES!! See you all soon..

From Left to Right: (Front) Jill, Stacy, Michelle, Jenn

(Back) Mel and Charity

The Dessert crew
Darn blurry camera

Good try Jilly

Michelle, go ask someone to take our picture. LOL :)

Loving the SUN!!

2009-06-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

"It's gonna be a bright, bright, bright sun shiny day."

The SUN, oh the SUN!! It has been beautiful here and this weekend was AMAZING. Dave actually had to water the lawn, CRAZY. Of course when you water the lawn that is an invitation for the kiddos to play in the sprinkler. Blaine LOVES the water. Easton, first baby ever I think, does not like to get wet y the sprinkler. He cried every time it hit him. He does love his swing. I sat in the back yard soaking up the sun and pushing the boys for over an hour.

Silly little 16 month old
Big brother showing off. he can almost get on the swing by himself, I bet if we lowered it he could.
Funny quirky smile

He loves to swing.

We bought the big blow up pool for $15 at the end of the season one year, we have really gotten our money out of it. Think after this season we will need a new one. The little Turtle pool was a gift, it is sooo cute..

Little bufster

BACHELORETTE PARTY:

On Friday night I went to Masa for a night with the girls. Masa is in Tacoma and has large garage door type windows that can open for an indoor outdoor feel, since the weather was PERFECT the ambiance and fresh air was wonderful. Jessica is getting married next weekend, I will be in Vancouver for work :( I did get to enjoy a couple hours next to the bride-to-be at her bachelorette party. I ate 2 dinners that night in preparation for my 20 mile run the next day....I was a party pooper and left early to get a good night of sleep.

Posing with the PRETTY bride

Me, Jess and Kiera.. GU ladies and former roomies together again.

MY 20 MILE RUN:

Mom look my hair is back to the way you like it.. LOL. In sports I always had my hair braided because if I didn't I would pull on my pony tail. When I was younger I would ask people to braid it, but eventually I taught myself how to do it. Now that I am running in tank tops the whipping long pony tail is ANNOYING, so I tested out the braid for running. SUCCESS!! I have my hairstyle for race day. The 20 miler went GREAT!!! Time: 2:56, Pace: 8:50, Calories: 3,064

SO glad I can still braid

Shiny with sunscreen just before I set out to run for almost 3 hours!! Thankfully the weather was perfect with a slight breeze for the first couple hours.

Keep on Movin

2009-05-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever."
Lance Armstrong

Not to leave you for the weekend with a dreary post I wanted to show off my latest photos with my kiddos. This was before I left on my 5 miler Memorial day. FYI together they weigh about 70lbs, which is a 5 pounds more than the weight I have lost...how I ever carried that weight I have no clue.. Tomorrow I have a 20 miler, will be setting out at 6:30AM to beat the heat and to make it in time for Charity's son Nathan's 7th Birthday party.

I thought I had updated everyone but in case I haven't I will be running a MARATHON in less than 1 month. The Rock 'N' Roll Seattle Marathon on June 27th. Training has been (LONG) but really great. Wish me luck tomorrow...

Bye Hermie

2009-05-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

“Try to be like the turtle -- at ease in your own shell."
Bill Copeland

Last night our water Turtle Hermie died...we did not have any idea that he was sick and really are not sure how he died. Hermie was Dave and my first baby. I found him on the Golf Course with Bernice nearly 7 years ago, we thought he was a piece of trash on the green. The tiny turtle was smaller than a nickle, too adorable for words.

I am a little to sad to write much more. Admittedly I am a pretty horrible pet owner and we will not be replacing Hermie. I wish that I would have done better. I tkae solace in the fact that he is in a better place and my fears of my children getting salmonella are now a thing of the past.

Rest in Peace in Shell Heaven Hermie..

Happy and Jumpy

2009-05-28T06:52:00.000-07:00

"Happy, Haappy, HAppy, HaPPy, HHapppy!"

Easton

I have more photos but Blogger is being a PAIN....so those will come soon. On Memorial day we went to the Oasis that is my parents back yard and Dave helped build the 12 Foot Trampoline with enclosure that the Grandparents spoiled the kids with. SO EXCITED!! The kids kept busy while the men folk were hard at work. Once the trampoline was up we all got to enjoy JUMPING. I liked it way more than I remember, although mommy bladder brings a new element, GEEEEZZZ!! Zane spent the most time and wanted me to play crack the egg with him for hours. Blaine was not quite sure what to do, but eventually loosened up and had some fun.

After the building we ate AMAZING hamburgers and relaxed. It was a wonderful way to spend the day and remember those who have lost their lives for our freedom. Oh and Easton has taken up saying the same word over and Over and OVER. This weeks word is "Happy," which I must say was the perfect word for the day. Below are a few of the photos from our fun, sunny day.

Dad, Dave and a box full of parts....GOOD LUCK guys.
Fast Forward about an hour and Taaadaaaa

I contributed...sort of, I helped Mom sew on the safety enclosure.

Easton was getting TIRED

Time to PLAY for Grandma and Zane

Daddy was the BEST at cool trampoline poses

I thought if I tucked my legs it would look like I jumped higher

Not too sure about this

So sad this is blurry, he had such a fun day, thankfully he felt much better and was able to play.

The boxes got some action too...what is it with kids and boxes?

And under box #2

So funny

Swinging...silly face

This should be at the end, oh well. I LOVED the Marshmallows

Easton is fascinated with wheels

Relaxing with my TIRED boys

Our baby is getting soooo big

This is how he fell asleep, look at his little crossed feet.

Sick again

2009-05-26T11:29:00.001-07:00

"Mommy the Doctor can't fix me,

I am not a Robot."

Blaine

On Saturday when I returned from my LONG 18mile run I was greeted by a sick little guy. It seems like Blaine is always sick. I tired a few times to take him to the doctor with no luck (office closed, line out the door, etc) so we are not sure what caused the fever and body aches. When I was convincing him that we should go to the Doctor he said the quote above...so funny!! Made total sense to him.

Question: I have about a year's worth of digital photos to print. What site or store do you use? I am hoping to get the best quality but the CHEAPEST price..

Posts from the fun weekend once I upload the photos...the weather here was AMAZING!!!

Dedicated to...

2009-05-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

“Dreams and dedication are a powerful combination."
William Longgood

When Angela ran a marathon she dedicated each mile to someone...I thought that was an AWESOME idea...so I wrote down the list of people that I hoped to dedicate my half marathon to. Of course once I got to running my thoughts were so focused that I barely had time to think. So below is my tribute to those who were on my mind before the race, in no particular order...

My 13 Dedications:

1. Dave- My husband and best friend. He has been 100% supportive of my running every step. Constantly telling me how proud he is of me and understanding that running is a part of me.

2. My Parents- They watched me every step of my athletic career, drove me to every practice, fed and fueled me, and cheered louder than you could even imagine. The journey to becoming a runner has been mine, but I know 100% that my parents are so proud.

3. Charity- My best friend who has been training (via bike) and is sooo excited that I am running. She is a constant support even when times are tough. And of course she was mile 3 because we are obsessed with 3's.

4. Courtney- I ran the race the day after Courtney's 16th birthday so I had to dedicate a mile to her. Her spirit, her smile, her ability to make a room light up. This girl is amazing!

5. My In-laws- When we visit Spokane or they come to visit they always ask me about how my running is going and are in awe of the mileage I am putting in. The excitement and support is great.

6. Shelby and Raegan- Shelby is my training partner at work and calls me "Coach." She is uplifting, positive and a ton of fun to be around. Raegan started me on this journey and unfortunately got injured and has not been able to run. I thank her for giving me the push to sign up for the race and for introducing me to Shelby.

7. My co-workers- I work in an office FULL of women. Women who have given me such a confidence boost. They see me every day and notice my transformation. The compliments and congratulations keep me going. Special thanks to Jen, Tanna, Leslie, Sue and Cela.

8. Grandparents- I miss my Grandpa Ernie more than you can imagine....he was an ATHLETE and I know that he would be sooo proud of me. The past few years I have lost both of my Grandmas...I am not so sure what they would think of me running, they would probably think that I have a screw loose, but I would have loved to hear it. Georgie and Dorothy, you are in my mind and heart.

9. Bloggers and Followers- The Bloggy community is AMAZING!! I have re-connected with people, gotten amazing comments from people I hardly know, or don't know. I have written and people actually care to read. This has been an amazing outlet for my creativity and a journal that I will cherish.

10. Ang and Jill- Both Ang and Jill have 2 kids and TOTALLY understand what it means to be a running Mom. Angela has run a few races and is a ball of energy.. She writes me amazing emails with information that is very helpful for a newbie. She is excited to hear about my progress and is my virtual running partner. Jill and I re-connected through our high school reunion and I love the girl!! She has a little guy and was a bit hesitant to commit to the Rock 'n' Roll 1/2 Marathon. I emailed her with a reminder that it was close to selling out....she quickly signed up and has been sooo excited ever sense. Her excitement and positive spirit are what running is about for me.

11. Blaine- When I walk out the door for most runs Blaine says "Bye Princess Leah!" Who would not want to be called a Princess as they go to run. He has an understanding and awareness far beyond his years. I am proud of the little guy that he is and the man he will one day become. Running has brought me back to health and I want to pass that on to my boys..

12. Easton- Sleepless nights, and countless "Don't Touch!" My curious little guys does not want to miss a minute. As busy as he is he is my cuddler. He will grab his blankie and sit in my lap, which I LOVE!! Losing the baby weight from being pregnant with EAston was what started me on this journey. Often he cries as I go out the door to run, that is hard for me, but I know that when I return the SMILE on his face will be worth every step.

13.1. Me- The FINISH line...that is ALL me... I am an athlete again and I am very excited about that. I have an outlet for stress and anxiety. I have something that I do just for me. A place where people cheer and I get the recognition that is often lost as a Mom and in corporate America.

Soooo on to my nest journey. The Rock 'N' Roll Marathon, yes I am signed up for the FULL 26.2 miles is next month. Wish me luck!!!

Sweet 16

2009-05-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

"We make a living by what we get,

but we make a life by what we give."

Winston Churchill

Last week was a BIG week for Courtney...Courtney is my best friend Charity's little sister. I have known Courtney since she was 2 and in diapers....this girl has grown to be an AMAZING young woman. Last Thursday I had the pleasure of watching Courtney High Jump at the Sub-District Track meet at SHS....she qualified for Districts and will jump again this week!! I brought her roses to celebrate the meet. With Charity, her Mom and sister Elizabeth we cheered like dorks and had a blast..

Then on Saturday it was Court's 16th Birthday....16 on May 16th.. She had a FUN party at the local church and was dressed in a flowing Emerald gown. SO PRETTY!! This girl has a confidence and spirit that is beyond her years. I took a ton of photos, ate tasty treats and was fully entertained by Court's dancing ability. I TOTALLY wish that I had her rhythm and dancing style, girl can move. Saturday was a full day getting ready for my race the next day so I didn't get to stay at the party for long. I did get in a few BIG hugs and some fun photos.

Congrats Courtney...so proud of my (by friendship) Little Sister!!!

The Birthday girl and her loot.
Me and my pretty Courtney

Take 2.

My best friend Charity, she was the music Queen at the party.

Mermaids... Had to post this photo...because this is totally us being goofy for the camera. LOVE IT!!

Capital City Half Marathon

2009-05-18T06:55:00.000-07:00

"It's not good enough to be good if you have the ability to be better. It is not enough to be be very good if you have the ability to be great."

Alberta Lee Cox, grade 8

I am being lazy... Please go to my Running Blog (Click Here) for the full Race report, feel free to comment on that Blog I love the high fives :) Running in a race was WONDERFUL and am very excited for my next race, won't have to wait too long the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon is on June 27th!! Below are a few fun photos from the day.. My time was 1:43:39 which is 7:54 pace per mile, my goal was 1:45 so I CRUSHED it. Who knew that a "Big Girl" could run fast??

Nervous ans READY TO GO!!
Off with the pack

These are out of order... LOL, you get the idea.

Dave met me at mile 9 with my Blue Gatorade.

Just before I hit the Mount Killed my Legs.

Gotta love long strides and chick with big quads!! I was in my element.

Me and Hubby after the race.

The Race map, does not give you any indication of the HILLS!

So Happy to be crossing the FINISH LINE!!

Grandma and Grandpa's

2009-05-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

"What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies."

Rudolph Giuliani

This post is WAY overdue...My parents played parents to our kids while we enjoyed a blissful second honeymoon in Hawaii. The dirty diapers, night shifts, filling bottles and sippy cups and everyday kiddo stuff was all theirs. We knew our kids would have a GREAT time and they really did. I am very sure that Blaine would stay with my parents most nights if he had the choice...LOL.. On Saturday night they will have them overnight so I can get some extra sleep for my 1/2 Marathon Sunday!! I am very excited for my first race...it will be great to share it stress-free with my hubby. Below are the photos from the week at Grandma and Grandpas...

Our saviors...
They went to the TRain show at the Puyallup Fair

Blaine got to pick out a present and bought a barking moving puppy...at a train show?? Hehehe

Easton was home with Grandpa while the big boys played with GRandma

Watering the flowers with the squirt gun...BOYS!!

Tuckered out...

I LOVE this photo.. Easton will swing for hours, my Dad said I was like that when I was little too..

Relaxed...as you can be watching a 3 1/2 and 15 month old..

Easton would go into uncle Jon's room to...do his business. LOL Thanks Jon for helping with the kids..

Childproofing is an adventure with Easton

Fun in the bath with bubble and food coloring.

Big trains...FUN!!

Auntie Jayne helped with the day shift a few times. THANKS Auntie!!

Childhood

2009-05-12T07:04:00.000-07:00

“There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again."
Elizabeth Lawrence

It is AMAZING how fast kids grow up. I can have full conversations with Blaine without even realizing I am talking to someone who is 3 1/2. Easton is nearly the size of his brother, they wrestle and play together like they are old pals. Every day is an adventure around our house.

Lately Blaine has REALLY liked bubbles and the clay that Grandma got him for Easter. I took a few photos of our artistic creations, need to get them off the camera. The past couple weekends have been spent with family.

Last weekend we attempted to go Mushroom hunting with my parents and Zane....unfortunately the season has not quite started, that is what happens when there is a heavier than usual snow pack. I took only a few photos, my photography is going to suffer on hunting trips now that we have Easton. Funny Blaine would always stay right next to us and if I said "Don't touch!" he wouldn't. Easton is an adventurer....he will wonder off without a care of where we are, he will eat plants, bark and whatever else he feels like putting in his mouth. So the leisurely days of wandering the woods and taking photos are over until Easton is over this stage... On a positive note Easton is now officially sleeping through the night....at age 15 1/2 months.

WOWZERS! Those of you who have kiddos who are good sleepers be glad, hard to believe that we have had to get up once or twice every night since his birth.. CRAZY!!!

This past weekend we went to Spokane for Terri's Birthday and Mother's Day. I ran on the Centennial trail and got lost, see post on my running Blog. We also celebrated at Red Lobster, I TOTALLY recommend the Lobster pizza, it is an appetizer but enough food for a meal. I did not take my camera to Spokane, bummer.. Blaine was so cute in the car, saying "Are we there yet?" over and over. When we got close I went to put on his shoes and he said "I can't wait to get there!" It was seriously the cutest thing ever, pure emotion from our little man.

Dave surprised me with flowers and cards made by the boys, my Mother's Day gift this year was the entry fee to the Capital City 1/2 Marathon which is this Sunday!!! Pray for no wind or rain. Below are the few photos, will get the others uploaded soon..

Blaine sooo excited to go to Grandma and Grandpas
Attempt at a family photo, I was ready
Take 2...Zane was blowing bubbles so the boys were distracted.
See...he just kept going....at least he is naturally drawn to the court... future hoopster??
Getting sooo big..

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!

2009-05-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

Wishing my Mom the BEST Mother's Day!!! I love you MOM and appreciate all that you do as a Mom and Grandma. See you Sunday!!

My First Story

2009-05-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

"Of all the jobs at Safeco Field I think it would be fun to be a peanut vendor. I could toss people bags and they would give me money."

Bryce Hawkins

Through a Cross-training with Communications I was able to attend Kids Day and write my first story published on our company website. The event was sooo much fun. I got to be on the field for batting practice, was 10 feet from Griffey during the national athem and I kept an excited little boy and his family entertained before he tossed the first pitch. This game was just before we left for Hawaii so I did not get to fully enjoy watching, but it was still a great experience. It is really nice to be back to writing, I have a lot to re-learn about news writing. It is not like flowery blogging :) Below are a few photos from the event.

Looking official at the event

Bryce and his sister with the Moose.
Strong First Pitch

Last Hawaii Post

2009-05-05T07:07:00.000-07:00

"How we spend our days is, of course,
how we spend our lives."
Annie Dillard

This is the last of the vacation photos!! So feel free to comment and tell me what you think, LOL. We had a TRULY WONDERFUL trip and feel blessed that we had such a relaxing. In no particular order, below is how we spent the rest of our glorious days....and nights...

We went to Germaine's Luau, I have always wanted to go to a Luau, so the concierge at our AWESOME hotel hooked us up with last minute tickets. Our host on our bus "Georgie" was bubbling with energy and personality. She interacted with nearly everyone on the bus, joked and taught us countless Hawaiian words (which I have totally forgotten already). My camera would not take a good photo in the dark, so the Luau memories are in my head..

Shakka!! Hang Loose
So happy together

This was the best I could do. My favorite was the fire thrower and the girls who shook their hips so fast they looked almost mechanical. There was also a guy on our bus named Stephen from Spokane who went on stage and stole the show, it was hilarious!!

One of the beautiful fountains on the beach walk in Waikiki

Our open air hotel foyer area with shops. There were 2 ABC shops in our hotel and one on every block. Georgie taught us that ABC stand for "Aloha Brings Customers" and went on to say that there are 56 ABC stores in Waikiki alone. WOW!!

Love birds in one of the CRAZY trees

The Sunset view from our Romantic dinner, compliments of Kiera and my Mom and Dad...THANK YOU!!

In the hotel, the flowers were sooo pretty

Beach day, Blowhole point.

We swapped photo-ops with another couple. This is one of my favorite photos of the trip. RELAXED!!

At the Groom's BBQ

The happy couple the day before the bid day

After a TOUGH morning we made it just in time for the wedding. I was honored to do a reading which I wrote for Kiera and Kraig with the theme "Marriage is..." Since we spent the day in the hospital I did not get to primp or prepare my speech. I am SOOO glad that we made it because it was amazing being a part of my good friend's wedding. Dave was a trooper, although I could tell he did not feel well after the accident.

Jessica and I... She rode with us from the hotel. Jess will be getting married in June, I will be in Canada for work..

The 729 Gonzaga girls back together!!

Beautiful table decor. I USUALLY take a million photos at weddings, I was sooo out of it after the accident and long day that I could not get any good shots. Thankfully Katie's husband Drew took a bunch and of course the wedding photographer.

The GLOWING Bride. I LOVE this girl!!

Last few minutes of relaxing before we left to go to the airport.

The view from our AMAZING hotel room. Waikiki Beach Marriott

My tough husband....is now back to work :)

Super Dad!!

2009-05-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

“The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger

Being a stay-at-home parent is TOUGH!! To keep from going crazy Dave has been working out 6 days a week, nearly 2 hours a day in our living room since July 08. He has gone through an AMAZING transformation and decided to take before and after photos for an Internet contest. Although I am not 100% comfortable posting pictures of my husband half-dressed I am so PROUD of him and what he has accomplished. Now that the competition photos are done he will go back to EATING and putting on more bulk weight. Super Dad the Muscleman!

Legos

2009-05-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

Soo sorry I have been addicted to my running blog (15 miles report posted with pretty photos from Charity) so this Blog has suffered. I still have a few Hawaii pics to post, believe it or not? And I have some great photos of the boys week with Grandma and Grandpa.

Today I just have a quick story. Dave LOVES Lego's. For Christmas one year I bought him a 787 airplane Lego kit from the Boeing store and he still tells me it was the best gift EVER. Jayne had a ton of Lego's in a big tote that she let us purchase for next to nothing. Dave found a photo of the Millennium Falcon (Star Wars), he and Blaine have been building the ship together. It is sooo cute!! Blaine calls our last name because it sounds like falcon, sooo cute!!

He has been saying the most grown up things lately. I am going to write some down so I can post soon. No quote today...no time :)

Being Tourists

2009-04-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

"The average tourist wants to go to

places where there are no tourists."
Sam Ewing

Everywhere we went in Oahu it was VERY apparent that we were tourists, could have been the HUGE camera bag attached to my hip. One day we had a touristy day. We went to Kualoa Ranch which has movie sites from various motion pictures including LOST. We LOVE LOST and were very excited to go on the tour. When we arrived we had an hour and half to wait so we toured the Macadamia nut farm down the road... Below are the photos from our fun tourist day. Note: This is the one day that it rained (Poured) and it was the best day for it to rain so it was totally fine.

**I am not sure how the LOST photo of where they were golfing did not make it on this post...bummer....Blogger wont let me move pictures so it will be left off..

The foliage in Hawaii is amazing
Too cool not to snap a photo

WOW!!

I was testing out my new lens, this was taken from FAR away.. I have a lot to learn but I am very excited to have the long lens..

Beach combing to pass the time...we saw a dead fish.

The park near the beach..long sleeves..I get cold easy

Finally on the bus on our tour. Our Tour guide was named "Cowboy" and he was super entertaining.

Hi Dave!!

Self Portrait

I look TALL

This made us think of the hatches in LOST

And this too..

Our OLD rusty bus

Hidden hatch...LOL

"50 First Dates" the dirt road scenes

"Godzilla" they had to fill in the deep holes because cows were falling in at night

The Log from "Jurassic Park"

Beautiful scenery

We kept trying to get together shots

Our rental car

This made me think of us....two tall trees

Monoa Falls Hike

2009-04-29T12:28:00.000-07:00

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see."

John Burroughs

I was DETERMINED to see a Waterfall while we were in Hawaii, not sure why, but that is what I wanted. So we found one in the travel book and made plans to hike the trail....mind you these vacation Blogs are in no particular order :) The book said to bring insect repellent and not leave valuables in the car. The parking lot is sort of funky, but eventually we were parked and headed up the trail. Being in shape on vacation is AMAZING!! We breezed by anyone in front of us with ease....some people were not very smart hiking in flip flops and clean clothes.

We played in the bamboo, took pictures and enjoyed a leisurely but fast hike to the falls. Toward the end we were trapped behind a Japanese tour group, one bonus was that the tour guide took our photo at the top, BONUS!! By the end my shoes and back of my legs were covered in mud. Washington is green, but Hawaii has such different foliage that I felt like I was in another world. AMAZING BEAUTY!! A fun way to spend a couple hours, we could have never done this as easily with the boys...

The start of the Monoa Falls trail.
Amazing vines, flowers and trees. Purple and Orange blossoms fell off the trees and were scattered along the path.

Don't you want to be there, so AMAZING!

I am BUMMED this is blurry, must have had the wrong setting.

The muddy stairs

Up we go...

The purple blossoms were too pretty to pass up

Fun in the bamboo, I didn't carve my name, but many other did before we got there.

Dave found his name right away

FINALLY what we hiked to see.

Thanks to the trail guide for the photo together

Running in Paradise

2009-04-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

“Paradise is exactly like where you are right now...

only much, much better."
Laurie Anderson

Marathon training did not end just because we were on vacation...and my wonderful hubby decided to join me on a couple runs.. The first morning we woke up and headed out for a 4 mile run, which is the longest run Dave has ever accomplished. It was BEAUTIFUL!!! The gradual incline with a postcard view at the top was AMAZING...

At the half-way point..
Oops out of order, this is our view from our hotel room

I LOVED running with the ocean in view

He kept smiling...although he was tired..

DIAMOND HEAD:

The next day we thought it would be fun to run from The Marriott Waikiki Beach (our hotel) to the summit of Diamond Head, a 6 mile loop altogether. So we set out on an overcast morning. It was a wonderful run and when we got to the base of the steep trail we walked. The other hikers had seen us running as they drove by to park and we could feel the respect. The hike was GREAT! I cannot stress enough how much better vacation is when I am in shape. When we got to the top we took photos of the great view.. At the end of the run, the last mile, it RAINED!! But it was so warm it did not matter. I did not get my 12 miler in but I was really glad that we were able to run together in Paradise..

At the top of the hike, I hit my head, yes I am a CLUTZ..

The view along the way...we GULPED down the Gatorade

Headed back down, we were sweaty.

Self Portrait at the Top of Diamond Head

Not my best smile, I must have been enjoying the fresh air.

It was weird running through a tunnel

Look at the trails above my head, very cool!

He loved run/walking

This reminded us of LOST

It rained the last mile...my shirt was soaked.. So worth every step!!

Vacation, the good and the bad

2009-04-27T15:36:00.000-07:00

"Big Waves are Big Trouble!!!"

ALOHA!! We are back and safely with our boys. I took the day off to recover and reconnect with our little men. I can really tell that Easton missed me, he has wanted me to hold him ALL DAY, which I am loving!!! It will take me a week or more to talk about all the wonderful things that we experienced in Hawaii on Oahu. It truly was an amazing vacation. HOWEVER...yes unfortunately there is a But... Before the good I have to get the bad out of the way...

The day before the wedding there was a BBQ we drove around before the event looking for a good place to boogie board. We sat on the shore at Sandy Beach and watched as folks frolicked in the big waves. We made plans to return the next day...

Enjoying a sunny day on shore watching others play in the big waves. Had we known what we know now, there is NO WAY we would have left the peace and safety of the sand. The next morning we got our snorkels and boogies boards. The morning started GREAT!! We snorkeled near our hotel and found $70 on the beach, SCORE!! Then we grabbed the boogie boards and headed to Sandy...we did not consult our "Oahu Revealed" manual that Sherri let us borrow, BIG MISTAKE. Once in the water the waves were calm, the first big waves came and I tried to ride it. I got TOSSED by the wave and hit my back side hard!! Same thing with the second wave.

I knew right away that I had no clue how to ride the powerful crashing waves...so I turned to wash off the sand and GET OUT. Just then Dave took a final ride. As I turned toward him he said "Come on Mel!" I said "OK I am just getting the sand off," not realizing that he was bleeding... Dave was thrown head/neck first into the sand and rocks as the waves crashed down. His face was covered in scratches and hit lip was split. We quickly went to the lifeguard stand...he totally lied to the lifeguards playing off his injuries (He did not like the idea of being strapped to a board and taking an expensive ride in the Ambulance...). He told me the truth of what happened in the car, he felt his neck crunch... From what the lifeguards, and nearly everyone we have talked to sense, said Sandy is one of the worst beaches for newbies and countless neck injuries and worse occur every day.

We drove quickly to the hotel, looked up the local Hospital and headed out.. ER on VACATION THE DAY OF MY FRIEND"S WEDDING!! UGH!! Anyone who knows me well knows that I am an overplanner, overworrier and overstresser... Worried about my husband, getting to the wedding on time and not having my reading for the wedding memorized we sat in the ER waiting area.

Yes this is my adorable husband... His lip was so gross I could hardly look at it, the band aid and gauze combo was the best nursing I could do. This has totally inspired me to get a refresher on my CPR on first-aide..

They put him in a C-Collar while we waited for an X-ray. Dave got 4 stitches in his lip and I worked my negotiating skills to get us out with just enough time to make it to the wedding (sorry Kiera). We have gone over and over in our heads what we could have done different...the common process after a traumatic event. All I can do is Thank the Lord that it was not worse. Poor Dave has told the story over and over to all who see his banged up face....

When the plane landed and we made it safely to pick up the boys from my parents (THANKS AGAIN MOM AND DAD!!) I breathed a sigh of relief that we both made it back safely and our family is back together. I think future vacations will be with the boys and we will be much more cautious of the power of the Ocean. Everything happens for a reason, I guess the reason here is a lesson learned that I can pass on to others. Big Waves=Big Trouble if you don't know what you are doing...

Sooo happy to be cuddling the day away with my boys and to have my husband with me. Future posts will be much more uplifting...just had to get the bad out of the way...

My FAMILY

2009-04-20T23:08:00.000-07:00

"Nothing can compare to the feeling of

being away from your children."

Mel

I know that my kids are resting safely at Grandma and Grandpas as I am WIDE AWAKE Blogging when I should be getting my plane beauty rest. I know that my boys will be spoiled and have a wonderful week. I know that focusing on our relationship and marriage is so important. So why am I sooo torn? It is because my everyday life is my family. The 4 of us have so much fun together no matter what we are doing. This will be the first time that we are both away from our boys...and this is a LONG trip. We both feel selfish for leaving them behind but we are also excited for the romantic adventure. We will go but pieces of our hearts stay here.

Below is the progression of my family over the past year....Although we wont have any family photos from our trip to Oahu the boys will be close in our hearts. Thanks again Mom and Dad for taking such good care of our kids and giving us this amazing chance at a second honeymoon.

OK off to sleep.. Not sure when I will Blog again, sorry Mom love you!!

I LOVE him

2009-04-19T19:57:00.001-07:00

"For you see, each day I love you more

Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow."

Rosemonde Gerard

Tuesday morning Dave and I will leave for Hawaii for a second honeymoon of sorts. I am over the moon excited for our trip and spending time alone with my best friend, and perfect mate. Tonight as I think about all that he does for me and the boys I feel so thankful!! It makes me proud to be able to go on a special trip like this and give him a much deserved break. Thanks Mom and Dad for watching the boys. For my Mom I will TRY to have a Blog for each day we are gone...might just be a quote but I will try...

Lovebirds on Easter
All my guys in their sporty gear....SOO CUTE!!

Lovin Bubbles

2009-04-16T07:16:00.000-07:00

"I'm forever blowing bubbles,

Pretty bubbles in the air."
Jaan Kenbrovin & John William Kellette

The $1.00 bubble wands at Wal-Mart and Target are a HUGE hit in our house. We have already gone through 5 or 6 in the past few weeks. Yes, I know I can buy the big thing of bubbles and refill the wands. The past 2 nights we have gone in the back yard and blown bubbles for Blaine. He LOVES to chase and pop as many as he can. I must say for being sick I have pretty darn good lung capacity and can kick out those bubbles like a factory. My first strategy (yes there is a strategy to bubbles) was to hold the wand and swing it, which resulted in a few big bubbles. However, if you slightly add air to the wand you get TONS of little bubbles, which is Blaine's favorites, "Blow lots of little bubbles Mommy!"

Below are a few photos of Zane and Blaine on Easter playing bubbles in the rain. I had them go in the front yard because the BEAUTIFUL huge trees at my parents house makes for a great umbrella.

Smiles from the cute boys
Our little guy is getting so grown up. FYI this is a hand me down coat from Zane/Jayne and I LOVE IT..

Blowin the Bubbles

Chasing bubbles through the rock garden.

Posing in the trees. I LOVE the trees in my parents yard!! And so do the boys.

Pretty in Pink Giveaway

2009-04-15T16:01:00.000-07:00

Go to my Running blog and check-out my Pretty in Pink Giveaway. Maybe one of my luck faithful readers will win :)

FYI I will offcially be 30 in less than 2 months and we leave for Hawaii in less than a week. CRAZY!!!

Easter at Grandma and Grandpas

2009-04-15T07:02:00.000-07:00

"Can I eat my chocolate bunny now?" Blaine

The past few years we have hosted Easter at our house. With our little postage stamp sized yard, the boys have not had much of a "hunt." I thought it would be fun to test out Mom and Dad's awesome new back yard....unfortunately the rain had other plans so the Easter Bunny visited the garage/workshop instead. The boys had a great time and were spoiled with wonderful toys and candy. Easton only got an hour nap and it showed, the photos ops with him are not great, the importance of a full nap. I found all 3 boys matching shirts on the clearance rack at Fred Meyer...AMAZING 3 different departments with matching shirts and on SALE... SWEET!!

The table was decorated beautifully as always. Thanks to Mom and Dad for hosting another great holiday. I am not sure how Grandpa avoided my camera..I will gethim next time :)

Pretty Easter table

YUM!!!

Easton put his fingers in the cake, something he learned at his birthday LOL

Peeps..

Attempting to get a photo of all 3 boys in their matching shirts.

Oh I try

Oh well it was worth a try.

Blaine and Grandma... He wanted to stay the night when we said we were leaving... Little does he know he gets to stay there all next week.

Auntie Jayne

Uncle Jon

Zane relaxing

Someone does not want to hunt eggs

Easton was happy once he saw his new Dora DVD

Looking at the rock treasures in their eggs

Loving Dora

Yoyo Master

He did great keeping up with Zane this year

It was tough getting the boys to pose

See what I mean? What a silly little face

At least we got a good family photo.

HAPPY EASTER!!

Candy from a Baby

2009-04-13T12:25:00.000-07:00

“Anyone who uses the phrase 'easy as taking candy from a baby'

has never tried taking candy from a baby."

We don't let Easton have candy...I bought him a chocolate duck for fun photo ops....and just look what he did with the box. Silly kid.. I LOVE Easter candy especially Cadbury Eggs, YUM! I will have the full fun of Easter post tomorrow. For today look at my little guy, but don't think of taking the box away.

The Little Red Coat

2009-04-12T07:55:00.000-07:00

"Their faces so little continue to grow."

Looking at the last time we went to the SHS Egg hunt I realized that Blaine wore the same coat that I put Easton in yesterday. Hmmm...since I have not compared in a while...what do you think?

Do my boys look alike?

Easton 14 1/2 Months
Blaine at 16 months

SHS Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-12T07:34:00.000-07:00

Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life.

S.D. Gordon

We took the boys to the SHS Easter Egg Hunt for 1-3 year olds at 9am yesterday. I had taken Blaine with Charity and her boys a couple years ago and had a good time. It is so nice that traditions like this continue (19 years running). I can tell that the economy has hit the egg hunt, it was a tootsie roll and old McDonald toy hunt... But Blaine didn't mind, he liked filling his and Easton's baskets. We are all suffering and recovering from head colds and Blaine has an ear infection, so the boys were done after about a half hour. After the hunt I met Charity and went for a 10 mile run on the Orting trail, check out the report on my running Blog. This was my first ever double digit run and it felt GREAT!!

Happy Easter to all!!

Blaine ready to hunt
Easton did not want us to put him down

This photo was his loot after the hunt...but Blogger wanted it here :)

This is his nervous face

WE dressed sporty for the event

Easton was not feeling well and was TIRED. Cuddling with Daddy

God's Light

2009-04-10T07:25:00.000-07:00

Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. Genesis 1:3-5

Religion and Politics those are 2 topics to never bring up at a dinner party. What about on a Blog?? With Easter this weekend I find myself thankful for my Faith. I applaud those who attend church regularly, growing up we went to Church every week, having a basis of belief is so important. This year I hope to find a place to worship and teach my children about God. In the mean time there are so many ways that I can show my faith and belief in our Lord and Savior. Below is my list of 5 reasons I know there is a God.

I know there is a God because:
1. My parents met on a blind date and are still together today.

2. When my Grandpa Ernie died I felt a comfort that would not have been there without the Holy Spirit.

3. I have 2 beautiful healthy boys, both are miracles.

4. I tore my ACL, ended up staying in Spokane for an additional year. I was lonely so I tried online dating. I met my sole mate on the internet.

5. The is Beauty and are Miracles every day if you take the time to look. This Earth did not just appear, it was molded and created by someone who loves us.

I totally forgot to post the photo below from our trip to the beach. If this is not a vision of God, what is?

Happy Easter to all!! My next post will be the commecial side of things, afterall who doesn't love Bunnies and chocolate?

Update- Thank you!

2009-04-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

"Life is really simple, but we insist on

making it complicated."

Confucius

Thank you all for your advice and stories about bedtime. This week we have put the boys down from 8:00-8:30 every night and it has been GREAT! Added bonus Easton, who usually cries out around 3AM, has slept through the night with the early bedtime. Could be a WEIRD coincidence, but I will take it!!

We have been fighting the GUNK in our house the past week or so. Easton, I think, still has an ear ache and has a snotty nose. Blaine has had fevers off and on and complains of pain on his head, sore legs and throat. And me, I USUALLY avoid the crap, but I have a sore throat and a cold to match. YUCK!! So we will head to the Doctor before going to my folks to die Easter Eggs. So I have a couple more questions.

1. Does it seem like your kids are always sick? If so, how often do you take them to the Doctor?

2. What are you doing for Easter?

Have a great day!!